ATTRACTIVE SWEETS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1938, Page 4

ATTRACTIVE SWEETS

Custards and Blanc Mange. LIGHT DESSERTS. Custards, Blancmange, Tapioca cream, gelatins, ices and ice .creams are classed as light desserts which are easily made and not costly. Custards, to be palatable and have a velvety texture, should be baked at the lowest possible degree of heat and cooked in individual custard cups since it is difficult to serve a custard attractively when it has been baked in one large dish. Baked custards consist of milk, eggs, sugar, salt and seasoning. They may be flavoured with vanilla, nutmeg, maple syrup, caramel or chocolate. If . one follows these instructions carefully, also those given for blancmange, tapioca cream and gelatin, one will have no difficulty in obtaining a smooth velvety texture in making these desserts. These dishes, which are so exquisite when well made, may if too much cornstarch, tapioca or gelatin is used, become tough and leathery. The same care and accurate measuring is necessary in making these desserts as was required in sauce making. Blancmange and tapioca cream will always be creamy and have a feathery texture if the right amount of cornstarch or tapioca is used. When the creams are cooked they should be slowly folded into the beaten egg whites, then thoroughly chilled before serving. Blancmange I.’ cups of liquid 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons sugar 1 egg Speck of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla Place 1 cup milk in double boiler. Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt together. Dissolve these with J cup milk and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from fire. Beat white of egg until stiff but not dry. Then slowly fold into the custard mixture. Pour into molds which have been rinsed in cold water; then chill. Blancmange may be flavoured with vanilla, caramel, or chocolate. One square melted chocolate stirred into the blancmange before the egg white is added will be sufficient to flavour this amount of custard. Orange blancmange is made by following the above directions using 1 cup of orange juice instead of the milk and dissolving the cornstarch and sugar with J cup cold water. Two or three drops of lemon juice should be used in place of vanilla in the orange blancmange.

Tapioca Cream Tapioca cream is made somewhat like blancmange. The proportions are the same, however this custard requires longer cooking and the thickening agent is mixed in the beginning with the cup of cold milk. cups cold milk 1 tablespoon tapioca

2 tablespoons sugar 1 egg Speck salt i teaspoon vanilla Mix tapioca with 1 cup cold milk, place in double boiler and cook for 15 minutes stirring it occasionally. Mix sugar and salt together, dissolve with 1 cup cold milk, add yolk of egg. Mix well; then add slowly to the hot tapioca in double boiler. Stir well, then remove from fire and add vanilla. Beat white of egg till light; slowly fold into the tapioca mixture; then place in wet molds and chill thoroughly before serving. Gelatins Gelatins enter into the preparation of many desserts, salads, and meat dishes. The only value in using this substance is because it has the capacity to solidify a given amount of liquid. It also helps in varying the appearance of desserts made with milk, cream, eggs or fruit juices. The rule for making gelatin dishes is simple and accurate. Mistakes need not occur if one follows.it exactly. The formula may be varied in many ways by using different flavours and also by adding milk, eggs, or cream to increase the fool value.

Gelatin is soluble in cold water, not in boiling water. Gelatin should not be placed over direct flame and allowed to boil, as this destroys its gelatinous qualities.

To Make a Gelatin Base 1 tablespoon gelatin 4 tablespoons cold liquid (milk or

water) 1 cup scalded liquid (milk, fruit juice or meat broth) Speck salt

Flavouring or seasoning Dissolve gelatin in 4 tablespoons cold water. (Let stand about 5 minutes). Bring liquid to scalding point, add dissolved gelatin to scalded liquid. Stir well, then place in pan of ice water.' When partly jellied, add whipped cream or beaten egg whites, or fruit, meat or vegetables, according to recipe used. The mixture should be partly jellied before the solids are added, otherwise the gelatin will consist of a layer of solid materials and one of clear gelatin. In preparing aspic jelly for fruits, vegetables or meat dishes, the aspic should be highly seasoned. When using cold meat or fish stock which is partly jellied, the amount of gelatin used in preparing the aspic base should be slightly reduced. The juice of 1 lemon is sufficient to flavour 1 cup of lemon aspic jelly. Lemon aspic, which forms the basis of many vegetable and fruit dishes, is made in the following way: Dissolve 1 tablespoon gelatin in -J cup cold water. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon, strain, and pour in a glass measuring cup; fill cup with cold water. Bring this to boiling point, sweeten to taste and add speck of salt. Then pour over dissolved gelatin. A little green colouring may be added. This improves the appearance of the aspic. The aspic must be partly jellied before the solids, such as fruit, vegetable or meat, are added. Spanish cream, Bavarian cream, and Charlotte Russe have a gelatin base and the same gelatin rule applies to all three desserts as well as to endless other dishes made with gelatin. Spanish cream contains gelatin, milk, eggs, sugar, flavouring and salt.

Bavarian cream contains gelatin and a liquid, either milk or fruit juice and heavy cream. Charlotte Russe contains gelatin, and milk, eggs, and cream. The liquid used in preparing the charlotte is liquid used in preparing the charlotte is liquid custard. (This is made with egg yolks and milk.) The hot custard is poured over dissolved gelatin and then cooled. When mixture begins to thicken, it is beaten with a rotary egg beater and when fluffy, the whipped cream is added; then the charlotte is ready to mould. Bavarian cream and Charlotte Russe are made the same way; the only difference is in the liquid used. Both require the same amount of cream. To each cup of liquid add 1 cup of cream. (Measured before it is whipped.) The following quatnities will serve 6 people: Spanish Cream 1 tablespoon gelatin dissolved in J cup cold water 1 egg 1 cup scalded milk Sweeten and flavour to taste Speck of salt. THE HOUSEWIFE’S NOTEBOOK STARTLING NEW HATS. RUBBER RINGS. USEFUL FOR JAM JARS. Save the rubber rings inside the containers of meat pastes, etc., and wash and store them until jam-mak-ing time comes. They will be useful to use instead of string for the tyingdown. REFRESHING WOOL. A USEFUL HINT. Wool or silk that has been knitted before should be made into a hank and put through some soapy water. Allow to dry and wind. LUMPY MATTRESS. PROLONGING ITS LIFE. When a mattress becomes lumpy, send it away to be made into two pieces, lengthways. This will give prolonged life to the mattress. HOT WATER BOTTLE. A GOOD SUBSTITUTE. A good substitute for a hot water bottle is a brick heated in the oven and wrapped round with a piece of blanket.