1200. Crême à l’Anglaise.
—Put into a saucepan two ounces of butter and one ounce of flour. Place on a slow fire, and with a spatula stir slightly for two minutes, adding two ounces of sugar, half a gill of Madeira wine, and one gill of Middletown milk; stir well again for two minutes, to avoid its coming to a boil. Then take it from the fire, and immediately add half a gill of rum, stirring it slightly again. Pour the crême into a sauce-bowl and serve with the savarin.
1201. Brioches.
—Take half a pound of sifted flour, put two ounces of it into a vessel. Make a hollow in the centre, and put into this two drachms of compressed yeast and half a gill of lukewarm milk. Dissolve well the yeast with the milk for about one minute, then quickly beat in the flour for one minute. Cover the vessel with a cloth, and let it rest in a warm closet for fifteen minutes. Put in another vessel the remaining six ounces of flour, make a hollow in the centre, and put into it half a saltspoonful of salt, three whole eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sweet cream, two ounces of fresh butter, and one ounce of powdered sugar. Mix thoroughly with the hand, all except the flour, for three minutes, then incorporate the flour gradually, and beat it sharply with the hands for three minutes. Add one egg, beat one minute; add another, and beat one minute longer. Take four ounces of fresh butter, spread it in pieces over the paste, then mix in well for two minutes. The yeast being properly raised double by this time, add it to the other ingredients, and mix the whole carefully by cutting it several times with the hand, being sure to repeat this for at least five minutes. Cover the vessel with a cloth, and lay it in a closet or elsewhere, at a moderate temperature of about eighty degrees, for three hours, when it will be raised to twice the size. Then with the right hand cut it again into pieces in every direction, for about four minutes. Then recover the vessel with the cloth, and leave it in a cool place for thirty minutes. Dredge a board with flour, pour the paste over it; then cut off a three-ounce piece, and lay it aside. With the hands roll up the remaining part of the paste into a ball. Butter well a round, two-quart mold, line it with paper, and put in the paste. Take the piece laid aside, and roll it pear-shaped with the hands. Make a small cavity in the centre of the paste in the mold, using a spoon. Arrange the pear-shaped piece in this, having the larger part on top. Then lay the mold on a baking-sheet; glaze the top lightly with beaten egg, and put it in a moderate oven. After it has been in fifteen minutes, cover it with a buttered paper, close the oven door, and bake for one hour more; test it by thrusting in a larding-needle, and if no dough adheres to this the brioche is thoroughly cooked: if not, leave it in ten minutes longer. Remove from the oven, unmold, and let it cool. Dress on a dessert-dish with a folded napkin, and serve.
1202. Small Brioches.
—Prepare the dough as for the above ([No. 1201]), and when raised to twice the size, lay it upon a board which has been lightly dredged with flour. Cut out a piece of three ounces, and lay it aside until needed, then cut the rest of the paste into twelve equal pieces, and with the right hand roll them into separate balls. Lay these in a pastry baking-pan. Divide the paste laid aside into twelve parts, roll them out, and give each a pear-shape. With a spoon make a cavity in the centre of each ball, and put into each one of the pear pieces, having the larger part on the top. Leave them to rise in a closet for fifteen minutes; glaze them lightly with beaten egg, and put them in a brisk oven for twelve or fifteen minutes, but no longer. Remove, and with a light hair-brush glaze them all over with fresh butter. Keep in a warm place until ready to serve. If the brioches should be required cold, do not glaze them with butter, but dress them on a dessert-dish with a folded napkin. It is better to prepare the paste the evening previous, covering it with a cloth, and leaving it in a cool place over night.
1203. Brioche à la Condé.
—Have a brioche cooked as for [No. 1201], and when done, cut it in two, crosswise. Then with a spoon spread over the top of the lower half four ounces of apricot marmalade ([No. 1335]), mixed with one ounce of melted butter. Then replace the other half on top. Put in a saucepan two ounces of candied cherries, four ounces of candied apricots, cut in slices, and four ounces of candied pineapple. Add half a pint of cold water, and boil well together on a hot fire for three minutes. Dress the brioche on a dessert-dish, pour the preparation over, and serve hot.
1204. Brioches Fluttes.
—Prepare a brioche paste, as for [No. 1203]; lay it on a floured board, and cut it into twelve equal pieces. Roll out each one separately with the hands until it is ten inches, or three finger-lengths, long, rounding them into shape. Put them in a pastry baking-pan, and leave them in a closet to rise for ten minutes; take out and glaze them lightly with beaten eggs, sprinkle them over with powdered sugar, and put them in the oven for ten minutes; remove, and dress them on a dessert-dish with a folded napkin, and serve when cool. These brioches will keep well for three or four days, and they are delicious when served with tea, coffee, or chocolate.