No. 265. Plain Souffle Puddings. Put two ounces of butter in a stewpan, with two spoonfuls of flour, mix well together, then add half a pint of milk, with a little salt, and two ounces of sugar, upon which you have rubbed the rind of a fresh lemon or orange, keep stirring over the fire until it thickens, but if becoming too thick, which will depend upon the flour, add more milk, but if the contrary, let reduce until forming a fine softish paste; when stir in quickly the yolks of four eggs, when well mixed set by until cold; you have reserved the whites of the eggs, which, half an hour before serving, whip to a stiffish froth, and mix well but lightly with the other part of the preparation, pour the whole into a deep pie-dish, previously well buttered, and set it in a warm oven, when about half done cut an incision in the top, and put again in the oven, when done shake powdered sugar over the top, glaze lightly with the salamander, if any, and serve immediately. Better the guests wait a few minutes for the souffle than the souffle for the guests.
No. 266. Souffle Rice Pudding. Well wash two ounces of Carolina rice, which when dry put into a stewpan with nearly a pint of milk, an ounce of butter, half the rind of a lemon, free from pith, a little salt, and a spoonful of powdered sugar; set upon the fire until boiling, when draw it to the corner, where let simmer very gently (or place the stewpan upon a trivet at a good height from the fire) until the rice is very tender, when take it from the fire, and beat well with a wooden spoon until forming a smoothish paste, when add the yolks of four or five eggs, mixing them well, pour the whites of the eggs into a bowl, whisk them until very stiff, and mix lightly with the preparation; have ready, buttered lightly, a deep pie-dish, pour in the mixture, and about a quarter of an hour before ready to serve place it in a moderate oven, serving when done, and the moment you take it from the oven. Half the above quantity may of course be made.
Souffle of ground rice is made the same as the above, the rice, however, not requiring so long to simmer as when whole. As also are souffles of tapioca, semoulina, vermicelli, &c., changing their flavours according to taste, using vanilla, lemon, orange, orange-flower-water, or a small quantity of any description of liqueur. A few currants may also be mixed with any of the preparations, or laid at the bottom of the dish, as also may any description of light preserves.
No. 267. Fruits Meringued. Any description of fruits may be served to table meringued, by following the above directions. For apples, peel and cut six into slices, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, half the rind of a lemon, free from pith, cut into thin strips, with the juice of half a lemon, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, or if the apples are perfectly ripe not quite so much, place the stewpan over a moderate fire, tossing the apple over occasionally until quite done, half fill a pie-dish with them, then whip the whites of four eggs to a very stiff froth, with, which mix very lightly a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and lay over the apples in the dish, shake a little sugar over, and set in a slow oven until forming quite a dry crust; it had better remain in the oven a little too long than not long enough, but be sure that the oven is not too hot when you put it in, or it would catch and become quite black, instead of being what it should be, a very light brown, or gold colour.
Apricots, pears, &c., may be done the same, but omitting the butter; for either, cover whilst still warm.
The above fruits also thus prepared may be covered with a souffle of rice, or ground-rice pudding, and baked; they may be then served either hot or cold.
No. 268. Snow Eggs are made with the whites of eggs, thus: whip the whites of five eggs very stiff, to which add (mixing lightly) five ounces of sugar; have boiling in a flat stewpan upon the fire a pint of milk, form pieces of the mixture with a tablespoon in the shape of eggs, and drop them into the boiling milk to poach; when set rather firm take them out with a colander-spoon, and lay them upon a sieve with a plate under to drain; when all are poached your milk will be reduced to about half; then in another stewpan put the yolks of three eggs, with a little sugar, and a few drops of orange-flower-water, beat well together, then add the milk, and keep stirring over the fire until forming a thickish custard (but not allowing it to boil), when pass it through a tammie, dress the eggs tastefully in crown upon your dish, pour the custard over and serve. You may also poach six or eight very fresh eggs in water, with which you have added a little vinegar; when well set take out with a colander-spoon, drain them upon a cloth until cold, dress them upon a dish, or in a flat glass dish, pour a custard over, prepared as above, but with which, if handy, you have mixed a little whipped cream.
For every description of omelettes I must refer my readers to the series of omelettes in the other department of this work.
No. 269. Plum Pudding. Pick and stone one pound of the best Malaga raisins, which put in a basin, with one pound of currants (well washed, dried, and picked), a pound and a half of good beef suet (chopped, but not too fine), three quarters of a pound of white or brown sugar, two ounces of candied lemon and orange-peel, two ounces of candied citron, six ounces of flour, and a quarter of a pound of bread-crumbs, with a little grated nutmeg; mix the whole well together, with eight whole eggs and a little milk; have ready a plain or ornamented pudding-mould, well butter the interior, pour the above mixture into it, cover a sheet of paper over, tie the mould in a cloth, put the pudding into a large stewpan containing boiling water, and let boil quite fast for four hours and a half (or it may be boiled by merely tying it in a pudding cloth previously well floured, forming the shape by laying the cloth in a round-bottomed basin and pouring the mixture in, it will make no difference in the time required for boiling); when done take out of the cloth, turn from the mould upon your dish, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over, and serve with the following sauce in a boat: put the yolks of three eggs in a stewpan, with a spoonful of powdered sugar, and a gill of milk, mix well together, add a little lemon-peel, and stir over the fire until becoming thickish (but do not let it boil), when add two glasses of brandy, and serve.
The above sauce may be served poured over the pudding if approved of.