Boiled Custard (No. 1).
I will venture a receipt for boiled custard (perhaps it should be granted that every one knows how to make it), as it is so often used in making many kinds of dessert, and as an excellent sauce for several puddings.
It is considered better made of the yolks only of the eggs (some whites may be used, however). A dessert-spoonful of sugar is enough for each egg, and five yolks are quite sufficient for a quart of milk. Beat the yolks and the sugar together to a froth, and stir in the milk; put it into a custard-boiler, or, if one has none, into a small tin pail. Place this in a kettle of boiling water; stir the mixture constantly until it is a little thickened. If it is well stirred, the custard will be a smooth cream; if allowed to remain a few moments too long in the boiling water after it begins to thicken, it will curdle and be spoiled. Do not flavor it with any of the essences, wines, or brandy, until after it is cooked; if either a vanilla-bean or peach-leaves are used, cook them with the custard.
If the whole eggs are preferred, for economy’s sake, to be used (and they make very good custard), allow four eggs to a quart of milk, and four dessert-spoonfuls of sugar. If the milk is first boiled before it is added to the other ingredients, there will be less danger of the custard curdling.
Boiled Custard (Miss Eliza Brown), No. 2.
Beat the yolks of three eggs very lightly; stir into them two small table-spoonfuls of corn starch, dissolved in a little milk, and one tea-cupful of sugar. Bring two quarts of milk to a boil, then take it off the fire; pour it into the eggs, etc., a little at first; return it to the fire, and stir it until it thickens, not allowing it to boil; let it remain long enough to well cook the starch. Now stir in lightly the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, allowing the custard to remain a half-minute on the fire to set the eggs. Flavor with vanilla or chocolate, or with both.
Apple Méringue (Mrs. Shaw).
Boil tart apples after they are pared and cored; rub the pulp through a colander, and sweeten it to taste. To a pint of the soft pulp stir in lightly the whites of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. Flavor with grated rind and juice of lemon, or with lemon or vanilla extract. Serve it with cream. It is a decided improvement to put this into a pudding-dish and cover it with the beaten whites of two or three eggs, sweetened and flavored. Color it in the oven. Serve with cream or custard.
Baked Apples.
Pare and core large, juicy pippins, without cutting them to pieces; fill the cavities with sugar, and a little lemon-juice or extract, and some thin slices of the yellow part of the lemon-rind; put them into a pan with a little water in the bottom; sprinkle sugar over the tops, baste them often, and, when done, set them away to cool. Serve them with cream, or they may be served with whipped cream, flavored with sugar and essence of lemon, poured over so as to nearly conceal them; or serve them with a boiled custard poured over them.