[568.] Strawberry Custard.— Wash 1 quart strawberries, drain and put them besprinkled with sugar in a glass dish; pour over a cold custard and finish the same as Pineapple Custard.
[569.] Peach Custard.— Pare and cut into slices some ripe peaches, sprinkle over some sugar and finish the same as Pineapple Custard. Apricot custard is made the same way.
[570.] Chocolate Fruit Custard.— Dissolve 3 tablespoonfuls grated sweet chocolate in a little milk and mix it with a custard made the same as Pineapple Custard; when cold pour it over strawberries, pineapples, oranges or any kind of preserved fruit and cover with the whites of 3 or 4 eggs beaten to a stiff froth. If preserved fruit is used the syrup may be used for jelly.
[571.] Fruit Custard (with Cake).— Cut some sponge cakes several days old into square pieces; drain off the liquor from a can of peaches; dip each piece of cake into the liquor and lay them in a glass dish; lay the peaches between and pour a cold custard over; spread over the top the whites of 3 or 4 eggs beaten to a stiff froth, sprinkle over a little sugar and serve. Any kind of stale cake may be used up in this way.
[572.] Tutti Frutti Custard.— Cut any kind of stale cake into small pieces; put a layer of cornstarch custard into a buttered pudding dish, then a layer of cake; sprinkle over the cake some finely cut citron, raisins and currants; continue in this way until 2 layers of cake and 2 of custard are in the dish; cover the top with a meringue made of the whites of 3 eggs beaten to a stiff froth, add a little powdered sugar and bake in the oven for a few minutes, till meringue is a light brown, and serve. The raisins, currants and citron should be boiled for 15 minutes in a little water before adding them.
[573.] Apple Custard Pudding.— Pare and core 6 large pippin or greening apples, place them in a long pan with 1 quart boiling water, cover with another pan of same size and stew from 5 to 8 minutes, or until a straw will penetrate through them easily; do not allow them to break; then remove the apples carefully to a pudding dish and put 1 teaspoonful currant jelly into each apple; stir 5 eggs with 4 tablespoonfuls sugar to a cream and add 1 teaspoonful lemon extract and 1 quart milk; pour this over the apples and bake till custard is firm; serve cold in the same dish in which it has been baked.
[574.] Peach Meringue.— Boil 3 cups milk with a pinch of salt, ½ tablespoonful butter and 4 tablespoonfuls sugar; mix 2 tablespoonfuls cornstarch with 1 cup milk, stir it into the boiling milk and continue boiling for a few minutes; then remove from fire and set aside; when cold mix it with the yolks of 4 eggs and 1 teaspoonful lemon extract; pare and cut into halves 8 or 10 large, ripe peaches, lay them in a well buttered pudding dish and sprinkle 3 tablespoonfuls sugar over; pour over the cornstarch and bake 20 minutes; draw the dish to front of oven; have the whites beaten to a stiff froth, spread them over the top, sprinkle a little sugar over and bake for 5 minutes longer; serve when warm with fruit sauce and when cold with cream or vanilla sauce. Cherries and pineapples may be used the same way.
[575.] Tipsy Parson.— Take a sponge cake several days old, crumble it up fine, put a layer of it in a glass dish and pour over 1 glass wine; then add ½ cup finely chopped almonds, then a layer of whipped cream; then begin over again, by laying another layer of cake crumbs, almonds and cream; continue in this way till all is used; let the last layer be cream. All kinds of cake crumbs can be used, but sponge cake is the best.
[576.] Russian Cream Pudding.— Rub the skin of 2 lemons and 1 orange on ½ pound loaf sugar; pound the sugar fine, pour the juice of the lemons and orange over it, add 1 ounce gelatine (which should be soaked in a little cold water), 1 pint white wine, 4 whole eggs and the yolks of 8 eggs; put this into a tin pail and set it in a vessel of hot water; stir with an egg beater until just about to boil; remove instantly, add ½ pound sugar and stir until cold; then add 1 quart sweet cream beaten to a froth and ½ pint Madeira wine or rum; fill the cream into a form and set it on ice; in serving turn the cream out and garnish with lady fingers and macaroons.
[577.] Tapioca Pudding.— Wash 3 tablespoonfuls tapioca, put it into a pudding dish with 1 quart milk and let it stand for 1 hour; then set the dish on the side of stove to heat gradually; when the tapioca is soft beat up 3 eggs with 3 tablespoonfuls sugar, stir them into the tapioca and flavor with 1 teaspoonful lemon extract; put small pieces of butter over the top and bake in the oven; serve with or without sauce. Preserved peaches may be sent to table with it.