[480.] Snow Eggs.— Beat the whites of 6 eggs to a stiff froth and add 3 tablespoonfuls powdered sugar; put a wide saucepan with milk and 1 tablespoonful sugar over the fire; as soon as the milk boils set with a tablespoon large oval-shaped dumplings from the mixture into the milk, draw saucepan to side of stove, cover and let it stand for a few minutes; then turn them over, let the milk come to a boil again, draw it to the side and cover; after a few minutes transfer the dumplings with a skimmer to a sieve and set aside to cool; prepare a crême française au chocolat or vanille (see Cream) in a plain form; when cold turn the cream onto a dish, lay the snow eggs in a circle around it and serve with vanilla sauce.
[ RICE PUDDINGS AND DISHES MADE OF RICE FOR DESSERT.]
[481.] To Prepare Rice Flour.— Pick out all the yellow kernels of a quantity of rice and wash it several times in warm water, rubbing it well between the fingers; drain the water off and pour boiling water over it; let it stand until nearly cold; then pour it into a colander and pour cold water over it; when well drained rub the rice between a towel, spread out on shallow tin pans or on thick brown paper and let it dry in a lukewarm oven; when completely dry pound it to a powder in a wedged wooden mortar; it may then be put away in jars for use; or pound the rice while wet, then dry and rub it through a sieve. Another way is to grind the rice in a coffee mill.
[482.] Rice Beignets.— Wash ½ pound rice, put it with cold water over the fire and boil for a few minutes; drain in a colander and rinse with cold water; return the rice to saucepan and add 5 cups milk, 4 tablespoonfuls sugar, ½ tablespoonful butter and ½ teaspoonful salt; boil until tender; then mix it with 3 well beaten eggs; spread it evenly a finger thick onto buttered tin pans and set aside; when cold cut the rice into rounds or square pieces, dip them in beaten egg and bread crumbs and fry in boiling lard; serve with wine or fruit sauce. Some finely chopped almonds may be boiled in the rice.
[483.] Rice Pears.— Parboil ¼ pound rice in water, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water; return it to the saucepan, add 1 pint milk, a little salt, 2 tablespoonfuls sugar, 1 tablespoonful butter, a little grated lemon peel and boil slowly till done; remove the rice from the fire; when cooled off add the yolks of 3 eggs and 1 tablespoonful finely chopped almonds; spread this rice onto a long dish and when cold divide it into equal parts with a spoon the size of an egg; form them into the shape of a pear and press a preserved cherry or a little marmalade in the center of each; roll them first into fine bread crumbs, then into the beaten white of egg; then roll again in the bread crumbs and fry them a light brown in boiling lard; put a small piece of cinnamon in the end of each piece, to form the stern, and serve hot with wine sauce.
[484.] Rice Beignets (with Chocolate).— Prepare ½ pound rice the same as in foregoing recipe without the butter and add while hot ¼ pound grated chocolate; spread the mixture evenly a finger thick onto buttered tins and when cold cut it into small rounds with a wineglass; dip them into beaten egg and bread crumbs and fry in boiling lard; dust them with sugar and serve without sauce.
[485.] Rice Boiled with Raisins.— Place a saucepan with 1 cup rice over the fire, cover with cold water and boil for a few minutes; drain in a colander and rinse with cold water; return the rice to saucepan again, add 1 quart milk, ½ teaspoonful salt, 1 tablespoonful sugar and boil 20 minutes; then add ¼ pound well cleansed seedless raisins and boil till done; serve dusted with sugar; or boil the rice in water instead of milk, add very little sugar, the raisins and a little salt and serve with meat.
[486.] Rice Coteletten.— Boil ¾ pound rice in water 5 minutes, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water; return it to the fire and boil in milk with a little salt till tender and thick; when cold mix it with 2 eggs and 2 ounces melted butter; form the rice into cotelettens, brush over with egg, sprinkle with fine bread crumbs and fry in ½ butter and ½ lard a light brown; dust them with sugar and serve with stewed fruit. If the cotelettes are to be sweet add some sugar, finely chopped almonds, the grated rind of 1 lemon, a little rum or rose water and fry the same way as above recipe; served with wine, lemon, cream, chocolate or fruit sauce.
[487.] Rice à la Creole.— Parboil ½ pound rice in water and drain and rinse with cold water; boil it in 1½ quarts sweet cream or milk and a little salt; when done sweeten with 2 tablespoonfuls sugar and flavor with 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract; in the meantime put 2 tablespoonfuls sugar in a pan and let it roast to a caramel, stirring constantly; dissolve it with a little water; add this to the rice, put on a round flat dish, sprinkle with sugar and hold a red hot shovel over for a few minutes to glaze it.
[488.] Lemon Rice.— Place a saucepan with ½ cup rice over the fire, boil 5 minutes and drain and rinse with cold water; return the rice to saucepan, add 1 pint milk, ½ teaspoonful salt and boil until tender; when done add 2 tablespoonfuls sugar; put it into a blanc-mange mould and let it stand till cold; peel a lemon very thin, cut the peel into shreds about ½ inch in length and as fine as possible, put them into a saucepan, cover with water and boil ½ hour, changing the water 3 times; lest they should be bitter pour about 1 teacupful fresh water upon them; squeeze and strain the juice of the lemon, add it with 1 cup sugar to the water and shreds and let it stew gently for ½ hour; then set aside to cool; having turned out the jellied rice into a glass dish, pour the syrup gradually over it, taking care that the little shreds of the peel are equally distributed over the whole.