At large parties, a Charlotte Russe is as indispensable on the supper-table as ice-cream.
1209. Batter Pudding.—Take six ounces of fine flour, a little salt, and three eggs; beat it up well with a little milk, added by degrees till the batter is quite smooth: make it the thickness of cream: put it into a buttered pie-dish, and bake three-quarters of an hour; or, in a buttered and floured basin, tied over tight with a cloth: boil one hour and a half or two hours.
Any kind of ripe fruit that you like may be added to the batter—only you must make the batter a little stiffer. Blueberries, or finely-chopped apple, are most usually liked.
1210. French Batter, (for frying Vegetables, and for Apple, Peach, or Orange Fritters.)—Cut two ounces of good butter into small bits; pour on it less than a quarter of a pint of boiling water; and, when it is dissolved, add three-quarters of a pint of cold water, so that the whole shall not be quite milk-warm: mix it then by degrees, and very smoothly, with twelve ounces of fine, dry flour, and a small pinch of salt, if the batter be for fruit-fritters, but with more, if for meat or vegetables. Just before it is used, stir into it the whites of two eggs beaten to a solid froth; but, previously to this, add a little water, should it appear too thick, as some flour requires more liquid than others, to bring it to a proper consistency.
Butter, two ounces; water, from three-quarters to nearly a pint; little salt; flour, three-quarters of a pound; whites of two eggs, beaten to snow.
1211. Terrines of Rice, sweet and savory.—Wash four ounces of Carolina rice in several waters, and leave it to soak for ten minutes; then put it into a common Nottingham jar, with a cover, and in shape, larger, considerably, in the middle than at the top—as those of narrower form and proportionably greater height will not answer so well. This jar may contain one quart or two, as the stove-oven in which it is to be placed, may permit. The smaller size has, on compulsion, been used for the present and following receipts—the iron-plate in the centre of the only oven which the writer had at command, preventing a larger one from standing in it. Pour on the rice an exact pint of new milk; add two ounces of pounded sugar, the slightest pinch of salt, and any flavor which may be liked. Stir the whole well for a minute or two; put on the cover of the jar; make a bit of paste with flour and water, sufficient to form a wide, thick band; moisten the side which is laid on the jar, and bind the edges of the cover and the jar together securely with it; tie brown paper over, and set it into the coolest part of the oven of the kitchen-range. Bake the rice gently for two hours and a quarter at the least, and turn the jar half-round once or twice while it is in the oven. Stir it lightly up, heap it on a hot dish, and send it to table. A compôte of fresh fruit is an admirable accompaniment to it.