FILLINGS FOR SPONGES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 103, 13 June 1941, Page 45

FILLINGS FOR SPONGES

ROM Avondale came a letter asking for a recipe for an economical lemon _ cheese suitable for cooking. The "Link" who signed herself "Cook in the Making," went on to say: "I could pass on a hint for ordinary lemon cheese; it is this: I put only a walnut-sized piece of butter in mine; it thickens beautifully and quickly, yet the finished article tastes just as good as if it had contained the usual 14lb. of butter, which, to my mind, seems to prevent thickening. This ‘cooking lemon cheese’ which I would appreciate having, is for a paste similar to that used for custards, and sold by pastry cooks. Will you put the information I have asked for in The Listener? I imagine it will be of general interest, and I am unable always to listen to your daily session." So here are some recipes for this, as well as for other fillings-always a popular idea, and most useful and practical: Custard for Fillings Prepare a custard with one large tablespoon of custard powder, and 1% pint of milk, sweetened to taste. Add one large tablespoon of butter, and whisk. When cool, add a small tin of condensed cream, and whip together again. Lemon flavouring may be added, or any other flavouring preferred. -"Old Bachelor." Lemon Honey (Without Eggs) The grated rind and juice of 2 large lemons, 1 breakfast cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of cornflour, and 2oz. of butter. Melt together, very slowly, the sugar, butter and lemon juice, together with the grated rind. Moisten the cornflour with a little water, and stir it into the mixture after the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the fire while stirring in the cornflour. Let all cook to gether until clear. Lemon Cheese (With Crushed Biscuits ) Four ounces of butter, 80z. of white sugar, juice and rind of 3 lemons, 4 eggs, and 4 wine or similar biscuits. Melt the butter and sugar, add the crushed biscuits, grated lemon rind and _ juice. Slightly cool, add the well beaten eggs. Cook till the mixture thickens, stirring all the time. "Do not boil, or it will spoil!" Lemon Cheees for Tartlets One cup of sugar, the rind and juice of 4 lemons, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 eggs. Boil till thick in a fecha boiler.

Mock Lemon Cheese Mix 5 tablespoons of cornflour, 11 cups of sugar, 42 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 2 cups of boiling water, and when smooth add 8 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of butter, and 2 well beaten eggs; also the grated rind of a lemon. Cook over a slow heat until thick. Mock Cream (Lemon) Moisten 1 tablespoon of cornflour with a little milk, into a paste. Put ene cup of milk on to heat, and when Boiling stir in the cornflour paste, cook for 5 minutes, and allow to cool. Cream 1 level tablespoon of butter with 1 tablespoon of sugar, add either lemon juice or lemon essence to taste, and stir in very gradually the thickened milk. Beat well, and use as filling. Mock Lemon Curd One teacup of water, 1 teacup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cornflour, 1 lemon, 1 egg, 1 small piece of butter. Grate the peel into a saucepan containing the butter, water and sugar, and boil for a few minutes. Then thicken with cornflour mixed with lemon juice. Leave a few minutes off the fire, and add the well beaten egg. Marshmallow Filling Now for a change from the lemon fillings. Here is a Marshmallow Filling. For cakes, biscuits, pastry, etc: The whites of two eggs, loz. of gelatine, 1lb. of sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 134 cups of cold water, and 4% teaspoon of tartaric acid. Soak the gelatine in %4 of

a cup of the water for about ten minutes. Boil the sugar and the remaining 1 cup of water as quickly as possible, until a little tested in water forms a firm ball-the temperature will be about 250° or 225°. Remove from the fire, add the gelatine gradually, and then boil it up again for a minute or two, Add the tartaric acid, and when it is cold, add the essence. When it is on the point of setting, beat it until it is frothy, and then add the stiffly beaten whites, and beat some more. Add about 4 teaspoon of baking powder, and beat again. It must be very fluffy. Then pour it on to a flat dish; or on to shortcake crust. If in the dish, it can be cut into shapes and used as desired when cold. Simple Marshmallow Soak 2 dessertspoons of gelatine in a cup of water, add 1 breakfast cup of sugar, and boil in a saucepan for 8 minutes. Add a few drops of vanilla, or other essence. Let cool, then beat till white and thick. Spread on shortbread, ice with chocolate icing, and sprinkle with nuts. Mock Cream Bring to the boil 1 cup of milk, or two tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk, and 1 cup of water. Pour this while boiling on to 2 level tablespoons of custard powder, moistened with milk. Return to the pan, and cook. When taken off, tip it into 1 teaspoon of gelatine which has been soaking with 2 teaspoons of cold water. In the meantime, cream thoroughly 4oz. of butter and 2oz. of sugar. Then, teaspoonful by teaspoonful, add the cold gelatine and custard mix(Continued on next page)

(Continued from previous page) ture, beating all the while. When all is added and beaten in, whisk well with an egg whisk, Apple Filling Apples are becoming more and more popular, so try this one: Bake four large apples. Mix the pulp with the juice of 1 orange, a little of the grated peel, %2 cup of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of melted butter or cream, and 2 tablespoons of honey. Beat, and keep in little jars. A pinch of cinnamon may be added. Apple Lemon Curd Half a pound of cut-up apples, the rind and juice of 1142 lemons, 2 eggs, 2oz, of butter, %21b. castor sugar. Cook the apples till soft, and beat to a pulp. Mix in then, the grated rind and juice of the lemons. Beat the eggs, and then add with the sugar, to the mixture. Beat well together, and add it all then to the butter, melting in a basin. Put the basin over a small saucepan of boiling water, and stir the mixture till it becomes thick, which will be in about twenty minutes, Put in jars and when cool tie down. Pineapple Filling Soak 242 level teaspoons of gelatine in % cup cold water, then add 1 tin of crushed pineapple, and 1 large breakfast cup of sugar, and cook for five or ten minutes. When bottled, it will keep like jam. Pineapple Filling (Australian) This is lovely for tarts. Simmer together for about 20 minutes a tin of crushed pineapple, % cup water, and 2 cups of sugar. Then thicken with 1

tablespoon of corfiflour, moistened with a little of the pineapple juice, and cook for three minutes. When slightly cool, add the beaten yolks of 3 or 4 eggs. Beat in 1 large tablespoon of butter. Uncooked Pineapple Filling Whip the whites of 2 eggs until stiff. Then beat in gradually one cup of icing sugar and one tablespoon of pineapple juice, Stir in as much finely chopped or crushed pineapple as the icing will hold, adding a little more sugar if necessary. Put a thick layer between cakes. Honey Filling This is a recipe sent by "Mrs. Nicotinus," who won a prize in our Apple Letter Competition. Two beaten egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 cup of dates, raisins and nuts chopped, and icing sugar to thicken. Pumpkin Cheese Two pounds of pumpkin, %4Ib. of butter, 2lb. of sugar, and 5 or 6 lemons. Cook the pumpkin, strain it well, then mash it and push it through a fine sieve. Add the juice and rind from the lemons, taking care that none of the white pith is added. Then add the butter and sugar. Mix in a pan, and boil for quarter of an hour. Passionfruit Curd Twenty-six passionfruit. 2 or 3 eggs, depending on the size, and well-beaten, 18 tablespoons of sugar, and 3. tablespoons of butter. Put all together in a saucepan, and bring to the boil slowly over a low heat. Cook slowly till it thickens, stirring all the time. Try a little on a saucer. --