These jellies have to be set in a very cold place to make them firm, and it is often advisable in warm weather, if they cannot be put on ice, to make them, the night before they are needed, then put them in the coolest place possible.
WHIPPED CREAM
Whipped cream is called for with so many dishes, that every little girl should learn how to prepare it. In the first place the cream must be very thick and very cold. In the cities a special cream is usually delivered if ordered for whipping; and I believe it is a day older than the other kind. But if thick enough and cold, there is no trick at all about making it stiff in a very few moments. Have the child take a deep bowl or small stone b.u.t.ter jar, rinse it in cold water until chilled, then wipe and pour in one-half pint of cream. Taking a Dover egg-beater, also thoroughly cold, let her whip steadily and not too fast until thick as the stiff white of an egg. Taking out the beater, next add half a cupful of confectioners" sugar, half a teaspoonful of vanilla, stir thoroughly and set away on the ice until needed. It is best when freshly made.
NUTS
Nuts are used so much nowadays, in all kinds of cookery, that we find them in the most unexpected places. When chopped, they are mixed with cottage cheese for sandwiches, stirred into all kinds of salads, put into cake batter, and all kinds of icings; and when left in unbroken halves, used to garnish many gelatine puddings and whipped-cream desserts.
But when the very hottest days come, we all like the good things that come from the ice-cream freezer. The best up-to-date freezers do their work very quickly, the great secret being to have the ice broken up in very fine pieces or crushed in a strong bag. A good rule to follow for mixing with salt is as follows:
For ice-creams, three parts ice to one part salt.
For frappes, two parts ice to one part salt.
For mousses, etc., equal parts ice and salt.
Then be sure to get the top on your can tightly, and when you are ready to remove it be careful to first brush aside all ice and salt, so not one particle can possibly get into the freezer. Nothing marks the amateur more than salt in the ice-cream.
FRENCH ICE-CREAM
A delicious French ice-cream has for its foundation a custard made by beating up first the yolks of three eggs very light, adding a pinch of salt, one cupful sugar and two cupfuls of milk. Cook this in a double boiler until it coats the spoon, but do not allow to boil or it will curdle. Cool, flavor with a teaspoonful of rich vanilla, add one pint of cream and freeze.
CHOCOLATE ICE-CREAM
For a rich chocolate ice-cream, make like the foregoing, only add to the custard before it cools two ounces of grated, unsweetened chocolate which has been set in a pan of hot water long enough to allow it to melt. This takes but a few moments, however.
FRUIT ICE
For a refreshing fruit ice, have our little maid prepare the juice of three oranges, three lemons, and one pint of either strawberries or red raspberries. After straining through a coa.r.s.e strainer, she must add three cupfuls of sugar, three cupfuls of cold water and the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. This does not need to be frozen quite so hard as the ice-cream.
STRAWBERRY MOUSSE
In strawberry season, particularly on a farm where there is an abundance of rich cream and luscious fruit, the finest kind of a frozen dessert is made by adding to a pint of thick unflavored cream, whipped as directed, two cupfuls of crushed berries and two cupfuls of sugar. The berries and sugar, well mixed, should be folded carefully into the cream and pressed in a mold. The cracks must be filled with b.u.t.ter or lard to prevent the salt water leaking in, and the mold packed closely in salt and ice and left for four hours. Remember it is not frozen in the freezer by turning. When ready to unmold, wring a cloth out of boiling water and lay around the can for a moment, after loosening where possible with a thin-bladed knife. Turn on to a platter and send to the table to be cut in slices.
LEMON ICE
For a plain lemon ice, take the grated rind of one lemon, and the juice of three, a cupful and a half of sugar, four cupfuls of water, and the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. Freeze, but not too hard.
CITRON CUSTARD
Citron custard is good summer or winter, served hot or cold. The child should first beat up very light two eggs, then add a pinch of salt, one-third cupful of sugar, two cupfuls of milk, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Next she must line a baking-dish or individual cups with thin slices of citron, then pour in the custard and bake, after setting her dish or cups in a pan of boiling water. If a few small nails are scattered over the bottom of the water-pan, so the pudding cups do not touch, but are surrounded by water, the custard will cook more evenly.
Leave in the oven about twenty minutes, but test before taking out by inserting in the middle the blade of a silver knife. When thoroughly done the blade will come out clean instead of coated.
[Ill.u.s.tration: CORNSTARCH PUDDING, INDIVIDUAL MOULDS]
CORNSTARCH PUDDING
Cornstarch pudding is an old favorite, too, either hot or cold. First mix four level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch with three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and beat up light one egg. Then scald two cupfuls of milk, after pouring a few spoonfuls on the cornstarch in order to thoroughly wet it.
When the milk is hot, add the moistened cornstarch and sugar, the beaten egg, and flavoring to taste, stirring constantly until thick. Then allow to cook gently for ten minutes at least. A double boiler is best for all such puddings, as it prevents all possibility of scorching, but it takes longer. One delicious way of serving this otherwise ordinary dish is to cut a few thin peelings from a lemon (just the yellow part), cook with the milk till a delicate flavor is imparted, and then remove. When the pudding is done, pour in a mold and let set. Then serve with whipped cream flavored with vanilla. The combination of the two flavorings is very agreeable.
RAISIN TAPIOCA
Tapioca is a thing every child should learn to use, as it is capable of so many variations. For the simplest pudding, have her first cover three-quarters of a cup of tapioca, (or sago, either), with one cupful of cold water and allow to soak at least an hour. Then add three cupfuls of boiling water, one-half teaspoonful salt, the flavoring and sugar to taste, and boil until transparent. If the family like lemon, let her add the strained juice and grated rind of one lemon and one-half cupful of sugar. Or, she can use a level cupful of raisins, the juice and grated rind of half a lemon and cupful of sugar. (The raisins should be seeded, of course.)
APPLE TAPIOCA
Or still another way is to boil the tapioca, sweetened but not flavored, for about fifteen minutes, then pour into a baking-dish half filled with sliced apples and flavored with nutmeg. This must be baked until the apples are tender.
TAPIOCA CUSTARD
Probably the most common way, though, of making tapioca pudding is by taking half the recipe given and after boiling fifteen minutes, (without flavoring or sugar), adding to it two cupfuls of milk, two well-beaten eggs, one-half teaspoonful vanilla, and half a cupful of sugar, then baking until the custard begins to brown on top. All these desserts are to be served with cream, plain or whipped, which adds to the appearance as well as taste.
There are several brands of granulated tapioca on the market, and they are convenient if one is in a hurry, but they are more expensive than the ordinary kind, and I have found that the directions on the box seldom allow sufficient time to boil, and also that the pouring on of boiling water suggested is apt to result in the powdered tapioca forming lumps which require an extra amount of cooking.
HOT CHOCOLATE SAUCE
A favorite hot sauce for puddings, or to be served separately with vanilla ice-cream, is made by melting one square of unsweetened chocolate, adding a teaspoonful of b.u.t.ter, one-third of a cup of water, one cup of sugar, and a few drops of vanilla. Cook for five minutes, and keep hot until needed. Two tablespoonfuls of cocoa can be used if preferred.
My little cooks should now have become experienced enough that if they saw a recipe they thought they would like in some newspaper or magazine they could go ahead and try it by themselves. It might be well for mother to glance it over first and see if it looks all right, and then if she said "Yes," proceed with it. But whatever they try, they should remember to be sure they put in every ingredient according to directions, and then cook to the queen"s taste!
CHAPTER XII
The Thanksgiving Dinner
All children are deeply interested in preparations for company, and in the getting ready for the Thanksgiving dinner every mother will find good opportunity to teach her little daughter many valuable lessons.
There is so much to be thought of at this time and so much to be done that the wise woman will take the child into consultation, and by freely discussing plans get help and at the same time train her into the right way to prepare for guests.