_Sufficient_, made with 1 lb. of flour, for 7 or 8 persons.
_Seasonable_ from August to March; but the apples become flavourless and scarce after February.
APPLE TART OR PIE.
1233. INGREDIENTS.--Puff-paste No. 1205 or 1206, apples; to every lb. of unpared apples allow 2 oz. of moist sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice.
_Mode_.--Make 1/2 lb. of puff-paste by either of the above-named recipes, place a border of it round the edge of a pie-dish, and fill it with apples pared, cored, and cut into slices; sweeten with moist sugar, add the lemon-peel and juice, and 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of water; cover with crust, cut it evenly round close to the edge of the pie-dish, and bake in a hot oven from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, or rather longer, should the pie be very large. When it is three-parts done, take it out of the oven, put the white of an egg on a plate, and, with the blade of a knife, whisk it to a froth; brush the pie over with this, then sprinkle upon it some sifted sugar, and then a few drops of water. Put the pie back into the oven, and finish baking, and be particularly careful that it does not catch or burn, which it is very liable to do after the crust is iced. If made with a plain crust, the icing may be omitted.
_Time_.--1/2 hour before the crust is iced; 10 to 15 minutes afterwards.
_Average cost_, 9d.
_Sufficient_.--Allow 2 lbs. of apples for a tart for 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from August to March; but the apples become flavourless after February.
_Note_.--Many things are suggested for the flavouring of apple pie; some say 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of beer, others the same quant.i.ty of sherry, which very much improve the taste; whilst the old-fashioned addition of a few cloves is, by many persons, preferred to anything else, as also a few slices of quince.
[Ill.u.s.tration: QUINCE.]
QUINCES.--The environs of Corinth originally produced the most beautiful quinces, but the plant was subsequently introduced into Gaul with the most perfect success. The ancients preserved the fruit by placing it, with its branches and leaves, in a vessel filled with honey or sweet wine, which was reduced to half the quant.i.ty by ebullition. Quinces may be profitably cultivated in this country as a variety with other fruit-trees, and may be planted in espaliers or as standards. A very fine-flavoured marmalade may be prepared from quinces, and a small portion of quince in apple pie much improves its flavour.
The French use quinces for flavouring many sauces. This fruit has the remarkable peculiarity of exhaling an agreeable odour, taken singly; but when in any quant.i.ty, or when they are stowed away in a drawer or close room, the pleasant aroma becomes an intolerable stench, although the fruit may be perfectly sound; it is therefore desirable that, as but a few quinces are required for keeping, they should be kept in a high and dry loft, and out of the way of the rooms used by the family.
CREAMED APPLE TART.
1234. INGREDIENTS.--Puff-crust No. 1205 or 1206, apples; to every lb. of pared and cored apples, allow 2 oz. of moist sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 1/2 pint of boiled custard.
_Mode_.--Make an apple tart by the preceding recipe, with the exception of omitting the icing. When the tart is baked, cut out the middle of the lid or crust, leaving a border all round the dish. Fill up with a nicely-made boiled custard, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and the pie is ready for table. This tart is usually eaten cold; is rather an old-fashioned dish, but, at the same time, extremely nice.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour.
_Average cost_, 1s. 3d.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ from August to March.
APPLE s...o...b..a.l.l.s.
1235. INGREDIENTS.--2 teacupfuls of rice, apples, moist sugar, cloves.
_Mode_.--Boil the rice in milk until three-parts done; then strain it off, and pare and core the apples without dividing them. Put a small quant.i.ty of sugar and a clove into each apple, put the rice round them, and tie each ball separately in a cloth. Boil until the apples are tender; then take them up, remove the cloths, and serve.
_Time_.--1/2 hour to boil the rice separately; 1/2 to 1 hour with the apple.
_Seasonable_ from August to March.
APPLE TOURTE OR CAKE.
(_German Recipe_.)
1236. INGREDIENTS.--10 or 12 apples, sugar to taste, the rind of 1 small lemon, 3 eggs, 1/4 pint of cream or milk, 1/4 lb. of b.u.t.ter, 3/4 lb. of good short crust No. 1211, 3 oz. of sweet almonds.
_Mode_.--Pare, core, and cut the apples into small pieces; put sufficient moist sugar to sweeten them into a basin; add the lemon-peel, which should be finely minced, and the cream; stir these ingredients well, whisk the eggs, and melt the b.u.t.ter; mix altogether, add the sliced apple, and let these be well stirred into the mixture. Line a large round plate with the paste, place a narrow rim of the same round the outer edge, and lay the apples thickly in the middle. Blanch the almonds, cut them into long shreds, and strew over the top of the apples, and bake from 1/2 to 3/4 hour, taking care that the almonds do not get burnt: when done, strew some sifted sugar over the top, and serve. This tourte may be eaten either hot or cold, and is sufficient to fill 2 large-sized plates.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour.
_Average cost_, 2s. 2d.
_Sufficient_ for 2 large-sized tourtes.
_Seasonable_ from August to March.
APPLES.--No fruit is so universally popular as the apple. It is grown extensively for cider, but many sorts are cultivated for the table. The apple, uncooked, is less digestible than the pear; the degree of digestibility varying according to the firmness of its texture and flavour. Very wholesome and delicious jellies, marmalades, and sweetmeats are prepared from it. Entremets of apples are made in great variety. Apples, when peeled, cored, and well cooked, are a most grateful food for the dyspeptic.
ALMA PUDDING.
1237. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 lb. of fresh b.u.t.ter, 1/2 lb. of powdered sugar, 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/4 lb. of currants, 4 eggs.
_Mode_.--Beat the b.u.t.ter to a thick cream, strew in, by degrees, the sugar, and mix both these well together; then dredge the flour in gradually, add the currants, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well beaten. When all the ingredients are well stirred and mixed, b.u.t.ter a mould that will hold the mixture exactly, tie it down with a cloth, put the pudding into boiling water, and boil for 5 hours; when turned out, strew some powdered sugar over it, and serve.
_Time_.--6 hours. _Average cost_, 1s. 6d.
_Sufficient_ for 5 or 6 persons.
_Seasonable_ at any time.
BAKED APRICOT PUDDING.
1238. INGREDIENTS.--12 large apricots, 3/4 pint of bread crumbs, 1 pint of milk, 3 oz. of pounded sugar, the yolks of 4 eggs, 1 gla.s.s of sherry.
_Mode_.--Make the milk boiling hot, and pour it on to the bread crumbs; when half cold, add the sugar, the well-whisked yolks of the eggs, and the sherry. Divide the apricots in half, scald them until they are soft, and break them up with a spoon, adding a few of the kernels, which should be well pounded in a mortar; then mix the fruit and other ingredients together, put a border of paste round the dish, fill with the mixture, and bake the pudding from 1/2 to 3/4 hour.
_Time_.--1/2 to 3/4 hour. Average cost, in full season, 1s. 6d.
_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.
_Seasonable_ in August, September, and October.
APRICOT TART.
1239. INGREDIENTS.--12 or 14 apricots, sugar to taste, puff-paste or short crust.