The French make their custards, which they call crêmes, also in small china cups, for each of which they allow one egg-yolk, and then add sufficient milk or cream to nearly fill them; they sweeten and give them a delicate flavour; and simmer them in a pan of water until they are set.
New milk, 1 quart; yolks of eggs, 12; sugar, 6 to 8 oz. Or: new milk, 1 pint; cream, 1 pint; yolks of eggs, 10; flavouring of orange-flowers or vanilla: simmered in water-bath, 1 to 1-1/2 hour.
GERMAN PUFFS.
Pound to a perfectly smooth paste two ounces of Jordan almonds and six bitter ones; mix with them, by slow degrees, the yolks of six, and the whites of three eggs. Dissolve in half a pint of rich cream, four ounces of fresh butter, and two of fine sugar; pour these hot to the eggs, stirring them briskly together, and when the mixture has become cool, flavour it with half a glass of brandy, of cuirasseau, or of orange-flower water; or, in lieu of either, with a little lemon-brandy. Butter some cups thickly, and strew into them a few slices of candied citron, or orange-rind; pour in the mixture, and bake the puffs twenty minutes, in a slow oven.
Jordan almonds, 2 oz.; bitter almonds, 6; eggs, whites, 3—yolks, 6; cream, 1/2 pint; butter, 4 oz.; sugar, 2 oz.; brandy, cuirasseau, or orange-flower water, 1/2 wineglassful (or little lemon-brandy): 20 minutes, slow oven.
A MERINGUE OF RHUBARB, OR GREEN GOOSEBERRIES.
Weigh a pound of delicate young rhubarb-stems after they have been carefully pared and cut into short lengths; mix eight ounces of pounded sugar with them, and stew them gently until they form a smooth pulp; then quicken the boiling, and stir them often until they are reduced to a tolerably dry marmalade. When the fruit has reached this point turn it from the pan and let it stand until it is quite cold. Separate the whites of four fresh eggs carefully from the yolks, and whisk them to a froth sufficiently solid to remain standing in points when it is dropped from the whisk or fork. Common cooks sometimes fail entirely in very light preparations from not properly understanding this extremely easy process, which requires nothing beyond plenty of space in the bowl or basin used, and regular but not violent whisking until the eggs whiten, and gradually assume the appearance of snow. No drop of liquid must remain at the bottom of the basin, and the mass must be firm enough to stand up, as has been said, in points. When in this state, mingle with it four heaped tablespoonsful of dry sifted sugar, stir these gently together, and when they are quite mixed, lay them lightly over the rhubarb in a rather deep tart-dish. Place the meringue in a moderate oven and bake it for about half an hour, but ascertain, before it is served, that the centre is quite firm. The crust formed by the white of egg and sugar, which is in fact the meringue, should be of a light equal brown, and crisp quite through. If placed in an exceedingly slow oven, the underpart of it will remain half liquid, and give an uninviting appearance to the fruit when it is served. Unless the rhubarb should be very acid, six ounces of sugar will be sufficient to sweeten it for many tastes. It is a great improvement to this dish to diminish the proportion of fruit, and to pour some thick boiled custard upon it before the meringue is laid on.
Obs.—When gooseberries are substituted for spring-fruit, a pint and a half will be sufficient for this preparation, or even a smaller proportion when only one of quite moderate size is required. In the early part of their season they will be more acid even than the rhubarb, and rather more sugar must be allowed for them.
CREAMED SPRING FRUIT, OR RHUBARB TRIFLE.
Boil down the rhubarb with seven ounces of sugar, after having prepared it as above, and when it is perfectly cold, but not long before it is sent to table, pour over it about half a pint of rich boiled custard also quite cold, then heap on this some well drained, but slightly-sweetened whipped cream, which should be good and very fresh when it is whisked, but not heavily thick, or it will be less easily converted into a snow-froth. The rhubarb will be very nice if served with the whipped cream only on it.