The Book of Household Management Part 166

_Mode_.--Separate the yolks from the whites of 3 eggs, and put the former into a stewpan; add the sugar, milk, and grated lemon-rind, and stir over the fire until the mixture thickens; but do _not_ allow it to _boil_. Put in the brandy; let the sauce stand by the side of the fire, to get quite hot; keep stirring it, and serve in a boat or tureen separately, or pour it over the pudding.

_Time_.--Altogether, 10 minutes. _Average cost_, 1s.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

SWEET SAUCE FOR PUDDINGS.

1360. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted b.u.t.ter made with milk, 4 heaped teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, flavouring; of grated lemon-rind, or nutmeg, or cinnamon.

_Mode_.--Make 1/2 pint of melted b.u.t.ter by recipe No. 380, omitting the salt; stir in the sugar, add a little grated lemon-rind, nutmeg, or powdered cinnamon, and serve. Previously to making the melted b.u.t.ter, the milk can be flavoured with bitter almonds, by infusing about half a dozen of them in it for about 1/2 hour; the milk should then be strained before it is added to the other ingredients. This simple sauce may be served for children with rice, batter, or bread pudding.

_Time_.--Altogether, 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 4d.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

VANILLA CUSTARD SAUCE, to serve with Puddings.

1361. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of milk, 2 eggs, 2 oz. of sugar, 10 drops of essence of vanilla.

_Mode_.--Beat the eggs, sweeten the milk; stir these ingredients well together, and flavour them with essence of vanilla, regulating the proportion of this latter ingredient by the strength of the essence, the size of the eggs, &c. Put the mixture into a small jug, place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir the sauce _one way_ until it thickens; but do not allow it to boil, or it will instantly curdle.

Serve in a boat or tureen separately, with plum, bread, or any kind of dry pudding. Essence of bitter almonds or lemon-rind may be subst.i.tuted for the vanilla, when they are more in accordance with the flavouring of the pudding with which the sauce is intended to be served.

_Time_.--To be stirred in the jug from 8 to 10 minutes.

_Average cost_, 4d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons.

AN EXCELLENT WINE SAUCE FOR PUDDINGS.

1362. INGREDIENTS.--The yolks of 4 eggs, 1 teaspoonful of flour, 2 oz.

of pounded sugar, 2 oz. of fresh b.u.t.ter, 1/4 saltspoonful of salt, 1/2 pint of sherry or Madeira.

_Mode_.--Put the b.u.t.ter and flour into a saucepan, and stir them over the fire until the former thickens; then add the sugar, salt, and wine, and mix these ingredients well together. Separate the yolks from the whites of 4 eggs; beat up the former, and stir them briskly to the sauce; let it remain over the fire until it is on the point of simmering; but do not allow it to boil, or it will instantly curdle.

This sauce is delicious with plum, marrow, or bread puddings; but should be served separately, and not poured over the pudding.

_Time_.--From 5 to 7 minutes to thicken the b.u.t.ter; about 5 minutes to stir the sauce over the fire.

_Average cost_, 1s. 10d.

_Sufficient_ for 7 or 8 persons.

WINE OR BRANDY SAUCE FOR PUDDINGS.

1363. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of melted b.u.t.ter No. 377, 3 heaped teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar; 1 _large_ winegla.s.sful of port or sherry, or 3/4 of a _small_ gla.s.sful of brandy.

_Mode_.--Make 1/2 pint of melted b.u.t.ter by recipe No. 377, omitting the salt; then stir in the sugar and wine or spirit in the above proportion, and bring the sauce to the point of boiling. Serve in a boat or tureen separately, and, if liked, pour a little of it over the pudding. To convert this into punch sauce, add to the sherry and brandy a small winegla.s.sful of rum and the juice and grated rind of 1/2 lemon.

Liqueurs, such as Maraschino or Curacoa subst.i.tuted for the brandy, make excellent sauces.

_Time_.--Altogether, 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 8d.

_Sufficient_ for 6 or 7 persons.

WINE SAUCE FOR PUDDINGS.

1364. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 pint of sherry, 1/4 pint of water, the yolks of 6 eggs, 2 oz. of pounded sugar, 1/2 teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, a few pieces of candied citron cut thin.

_Mode_.--Separate the yolks from the whites of 5 eggs; beat them, and put them into a very clean saucepan (if at hand, a lined one is best); add all the other ingredients, place them over a sharp fire, and keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken; then take it off and serve.

If it is allowed to boil, it will be spoiled, as it will immediately curdle.

_Time_.--To be stirred over the fire 3 or 4 minutes; but it must not boil.

_Average cost_, 2s.

_Sufficient_ for a large pudding; allow half this quant.i.ty for a moderate-sized one.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

OPEN TART OF STRAWBERRY OR ANY OTHER KIND OF PRESERVE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OPEN TART.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: OPEN-TART MOULD.]

1365. INGREDIENTS.--Tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs of puff-paste, any kind of jam.

_Mode_.--b.u.t.ter a tart-pan of the shape shown in the engraving, roll out the paste to the thickness of 1/2 an inch, and line the pan with it; p.r.i.c.k a few holes at the bottom with a fork, and bake the tart in a brisk oven from 10 to 15 minutes. Let the paste cool a little; then fill it with preserve, place a few stars or leaves on it, which have been previously cut out of the paste and baked, and the tart is ready for table. By making it in this manner, both the flavour and colour of the jam are preserved, which would otherwise be lost, were it baked in the oven on the paste; and, besides, so much jam is not required.

_Time_.--10 to 15 minutes. _Average cost_, 8d.

_Sufficient_.--1 tart for 3 persons. _Seasonable_ at any time.

STRAWBERRY.--The name of this favourite fruit is said to be derived from an ancient custom of putting straw beneath the fruit when it began to ripen, which is very useful to keep it moist and clean. The strawberry belongs to temperate and rather cold climates; and no fruit of these lat.i.tudes, that ripens without the aid of artificial heat, is at all comparable with it in point of flavour. The strawberry is widely diffused, being found in most parts of the world, particularly in Europe and America.

QUICKLY-MADE PUDDINGS.

1366. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 lb. of b.u.t.ter, 1/2 lb. of sifted sugar, 1/4 lb.

of flour, 1 pint of milk, 5 eggs, a little grated lemon-rind.

_Mode_.--Make the milk hot; stir in the b.u.t.ter, and let it cool before the other ingredients are added to it; then stir in the sugar, flour, and eggs, which should be well whisked, and omit the whites of 2; flavour with a little grated lemon-rind, and beat the mixture well.