Blanch one pound of sweet almonds, which put in a slow oven to dry, when cold put them into a mortar with one pound of lump sugar, pound very fine and pass them through a wire sieve upon a marble slab, rub in three quarters of a pound of butter, a little chopped rind of lemon, and the yolks of three eggs, form the paste thus made, into small pieces of any shape you please, which bake and dip in sugar as in the last.
No. 1218. Meringues à la Cuilliere.
Pound and sift one pound of lump sugar, whisk the whites of ten eggs very stiff, throw the sugar lightly over, and with a wooden spoon stir gently, perfectly mixing the sugar, then with a table or dessert-spoon lay them out upon white paper in the shape of eggs, sift powdered sugar thickly over, let them remain ten minutes, then shake off the superfluous sugar, place upon boards which you have wetted, and put them into a slow oven, just hot enough to cause them to be light and slightly tinge; when the outside becomes quite crisp, take off the papers, by turning them topsy-turvy and lifting the papers from them, dip your spoon into hot water, and with it clear out the best part of the interior, dust them with powdered sugar, lay them upon a baking-sheet, and put into the screen to dry; they may be made a day or two before they are required, if put away in a dry place; to serve, fill them with whipped cream flavoured either with vanilla or orange-flower (but do not make it too sweet), stick two together, dress in pyramid upon a napkin and serve. Should they happen to stick to the papers, moisten the papers with a paste-brush and water.
No. 1219. Turban de Meringues.
Make a meringue mixture as above of five eggs and half a pound of sugar, which lay out on white paper, but with a teaspoon, of the size and shape of pheasants’ eggs; sift sugar over, which shake off directly, place them upon boards and bake in a slacker oven than directed for the last, keeping them quite white, and drying them quite through; when cold wet the paper underneath, take off the meringues, dry them a little more, have ready, and baked a round board of pâte d’office (No. 1137), seven inches in diameter, have also ready a little white iceing (No. 1383) mixed rather stiff, form a ring of it round the rim of the board, upon which dress the meringues, placing a piece of the iceing the size of a pea at the bottom of each to fix them one to the other, place it to dry, have a little iceing thinner than the last, dip one end of the remaining meringues into it, and then into chopped pistachios (very green), with them form another row upon the first, keeping the green end uppermost, dry it till set, and when ready to serve fill the interior with a whipped cream as in the last, and sprinkle chopped pistachios over, or fill them with any of the crèmes bavaroises; the meringues may likewise be laid out with a paper cornet.
No. 1220. Turban de Meringues glacé.
Make a turban as directed in the last, then soak two ounces of citron (candied), two ounces of currants, and two ounces of Smyrna raisins, in one glass of maresquino, mix the whole in a freezing-pot with a pint and a half of vanilla ice (No. 1381), fill the turban, at the moment of serving, with it.
No. 1221. Petits Meringues aux Pistaches.
Make a meringue mixture of five whites of eggs and half a pound of sugar as before, lay out upon papers with a teaspoon; have ready two ounces of chopped pistachios, which sprinkle over, then sift a little sugar over, which shake off immediately, place them upon boards, bake and empty as directed for meringues à la cuillerée (No. 1218), fill them with whipped cream in which you have introduced a few chopped pistachios, stick two together and serve; these are intended more for garniture than to be served as a dish by themselves.