Sometimes, if sandwiches are being made in quantity, the butter is worked into the filling instead of being spread on the bread. As this plan saves time and does not detract from the food value of the sandwich, it may be followed whenever it seems advisable.

106. Variety can be obtained from time to time in the shapes of sandwiches by cutting the bread in different ways. For instance, one time it may be cut into strips lengthwise, another time into halves crosswise, and again, diagonally, so as to form triangular pieces. To vary the sandwich filling, a lettuce leaf may be placed on the buttered slice of the bread and the slice containing the filling put on top of this. Lettuce used in this way makes a delightful addition to cheese, meat, egg, or vegetable sandwiches.



107. It is often necessary to make sandwiches some time before they are to be served. In such an event, they should be kept moistened so that they will be fresh when they are served. To accomplish this, they may be wrapped first in oiled paper and then in a damp towel, or if oiled paper is not in supply, the towel alone will answer the purpose, provided it is not made too damp and a dry towel is wrapped on the outside.

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PREPARATION OF SANDWICHES

BREAD-AND-BUTTER SANDWICHES

108. Often it is desired to serve bread and butter with a certain dish and yet something more is wanted than just two pieces of bread spread with butter and put together. While bread-and-butter sandwiches are probably the simplest kind that can be made, variety can be obtained in them if the housewife will exercise a little ingenuity. Fig. 25 shows what can be done in the way of bread-and-butter sandwiches with very little effort, for the two plates on the left contain sandwiches made merely of bread and butter.



109. ROUND SANDWICHES.—The round sandwiches on the rear left plate in Fig. 25 can be made of brown bread or of white bread, or both varieties may be served in the event that some one does not care for brown bread. To make these, cut slices of bread from a loaf and, by means of a round cutter, cut them round in shape. Out of the top slice of each sandwich, cut a round hole with a small round cutter or a thimble. After spreading both slices with butter and placing them together, cut a thick slice from a stuffed olive and insert this in the hole in the top slice.

110. RIBBON SANDWICHES.—The sandwiches on the plate in front in Fig. 25 are known as ribbon sandwiches. To make these, cut white bread and graham bread in very thin slices, butter them, and then alternate a slice of white with a slice of graham until there are three or four layers. Place the pile under a weight until the butter becomes hard and then cut down in thin slices. The attractive sandwiches here shown will be the result.

111. CHECKERBOARD SANDWICHES.—Another way of serving bread and butter is in the form of checkerboard sandwiches. These are no more difficult to make than the ribbon sandwiches, but the slices of the bread must be cut evenly and all must be of the same thickness. In addition, the bread should be firm and close-grained and the butter should be put on thickly enough to make the slices of bread stick together. Cut three slices each of graham bread and white bread 1/2 inch in thickness. Spread one side of each slice thickly with butter. Place a slice of graham between two slices of white bread and a slice of white between two slices of graham. Trim these piles evenly and cut them into 1/2-inch slices. Butter these slices and put them together so that brown bread will alternate with white and white with brown. Place the slices under a weight in a cool place until the butter becomes perfectly hard. Then cut them into thin slices for serving and they will be found to resemble a checkerboard.

VEGETABLE SANDWICHES

112. Certain vegetables may be used with bread and butter to make very appetizing sandwiches. The vegetables most often used for this purpose are lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and onions. Generally, when vegetables are to be used for sandwich filling, the sandwiches should be made immediately before they are to be served, as they are apt to become moist if they are allowed to stand very long. An exception to this is celery sandwiches, which are made in the form of rolls and which must stand piled close together for some time in order for the butter to become hard enough to stick them together.

113. LETTUCE SANDWICHES.—Cut white bread into slices about 1/4 inch thick and spread these thinly with butter. Place a leaf or two of tender lettuce between each two slices and spread with thick salad dressing. Put the slices of bread together, trim off the edges of the lettuce and the crusts if desired, and serve.

114. TOMATO SANDWICHES.—Slice bread about 1/4 inch thick and spread the slices with butter. Peel firm red tomatoes and cut them into thin slices. Cover one slice of bread with a slice of tomato, spread this with thick salad dressing, and, if desired, place a lettuce leaf over this. Cover with a second slice of bread, trim the edges, and serve.

115. CUCUMBER SANDWICHES.—Peel and slice into thin slices a medium-sized cucumber that does not contain large seeds. Place the slices in very cold water to make them crisp. Slice bread about 1/4 inch thick and spread the slices with butter. Place thin slices of cucumber on one piece, spread with thick salad dressing, and put a lettuce leaf on top of this, if desired. Cover with the second slice of bread, trim the edges, and serve.



116. ROLLED CELERY SANDWICHES.—Cut 1/4-inch slices from a comparatively fresh loaf of bread. Trim the crusts and spread with butter. Cut the stems of tender celery into pieces that are as long as the bread is wide. Place the celery on one edge of the bread, fill the center of the stem with salad dressing, and roll the celery into the bread like a jelly roll. Place a moist napkin in the bottom of a bread pan and stack the rolls in rows, with the loose edge down, so that they will stay rolled. When all have been placed in the pan, fold the edges of the napkin across the top and allow them to stand for a few hours before serving. This cannot be done with bread that is dry. If the sandwiches are to be served at once, the edges will have to be tied or fastened with toothpicks.

In case it is desired not to use celery in rolled sandwiches, a filling of cream cheese or jam may be added after the bread is buttered and each piece then rolled in the manner explained. An idea of how attractive rolled sandwiches are may be obtained from Fig. 26. When served in a decorated sandwich basket, as shown, these sandwiches give a very dainty touch to a luncheon or a tea.

117. ONION-AND-PEPPER SANDWICHES.—Cut bread into slices about 1/4 inch thick and spread these with butter. Slice Spanish or Bermuda onions into thin slices and cut a green pepper into thin rings. Place a slice of the onion on one piece of buttered bread and on top of this put two or three rings of green pepper. If desired, spread with salad dressing, or merely season the onion with salt and pepper. Place the second slice of bread on top, trim the edges, and serve.

FRUIT SANDWICHES

118. Sandwiches that have fruit for their filling appeal to many persons. For the most part, dried fruits are used for this purpose and they usually require cooking. Another type of fruit sandwich is that which has jelly or marmalade for its filling. As fruit sandwiches are sweet and not very hearty, they are much served for afternoon tea or to provide variety when another kind of sandwich is being served.

119. DATE SANDWICHES.—To any one who desires a sweet sandwich, the date sandwich in the accompanying recipe will be found to be very agreeable. Not all sandwich fillings seem to be satisfactory with other bread than white, but the filling here given can be utilized with white, graham, or whole-wheat bread.

DATE FILLING

3/4 c. dates 1/4 c. nut meats 1/2 lemon

Wash the dates and remove the seeds. Steam them over hot water or in a double boiler until they are soft, and then mash them thoroughly. Squeeze the juice from the lemon, grate the yellow part of the rind and mix with the juice, and add both to the steamed dates. Then add the nut meats chopped very fine.

To make the sandwiches, cut thin slices of bread and spread one slice with butter and the corresponding slice with the date filling. Place the two together, trim the crusts if desired, and serve.

120. FRUIT SANDWICHES.—The three fruits mentioned in the accompanying recipe may be used in equal proportions as here given, only two of them may be utilized, or the proportions may be changed to suit the supply on hand. This sandwich may be made with white bread, brown bread, graham bread, or whole-wheat bread.

FRUIT FILLING

1/2 c. dates 1/2 c. raisins 1/2 c. figs 1 orange

Wash the dates, figs, and raisins, and remove the stones from the dates. Steam all together until they are soft, mash thoroughly, and add the juice and the grated rind of the orange.

Cut thin slices of bread, spread one slice with butter, and spread the opposite slice with this filling. Place the two together, trim the edges if desired, and serve.

121. APRICOT SANDWICHES.—To people who are fond of apricots, sandwiches containing apricot filling are very delicious. If jelly or marmalade is plentiful, it may be used in place of the apricots to make the sandwich.

APRICOT FILLING

1/2 c. dried apricots 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 c. sugar 1 Tb. lemon juice

Wash and soak the apricots, and when they are thoroughly softened cook them until tender in just enough water to keep them from burning. Put them through a sieve or a colander and add the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to the pulp. Place over the fire and cook until the mixture becomes thick, stirring constantly to keep it from scorching. Set aside to cool.

Cut bread into thin slices, butter one slice, and spread the other of each pair of slices with the apricot filling. Put each two slices together and trim the edges if desired. Serve.

122. JELLY AND MARMALADE SANDWICHES.—Jelly and marmalade always make acceptable filling for sandwiches, and as these foods are usually in supply sandwiches containing them require less trouble to prepare than do most sandwiches. Then, too, if two kinds of sandwiches are to be served for a tea or a little lunch, sandwiches of this kind are very nice for the second one. They are made in the usual way, but if the jelly or marmalade is very thin, it is an excellent plan to spread each slice of bread used for the sandwich thinly with butter so that the filling will not soak into the bread.

Slices of Boston brown bread steamed in small round cans, such as baking-powder cans, and a filling of jelly or marmalade make dainty little sandwiches for afternoon tea.

HIGH-PROTEIN SANDWICHES

123. When sandwiches of a substantial nature are desired, those in which high-protein foods are used as fillings will be found very acceptable. Here considerable variety may be had, for there are a number of these foods that make excellent fillings. Some sandwiches of this kind are suitable for serving with salads while others, such as those containing meat or chicken, are very satisfactory for picnics or light lunches.

124. JELLY-AND-CREAM-CHEESE SANDWICHES.—A sandwich that is very dainty as well as unusually good is made by using both jelly and cream cheese for filling. Sandwiches of this kind are shown on the plate to the right in Fig. 25. If a red jelly, such as currant jelly, is used, the appearance of the sandwich will be better than if a light jelly or a very dark jelly is used.

Cut the bread very thin and match three slices for the sandwich instead of two. Spread the first piece thinly with butter and spread the opposite side of the second piece with jelly. Place this on the buttered bread and spread the other side with cream cheese. Spread another piece with butter and place this on top of the cream cheese. Trim the edges if desired, and cut into narrow strips. Serve.

125. RYE-BREAD-AND-CHEESE SANDWICHES.—Rye bread and cheese make a favored combination with many persons. Swiss cheese is an excellent kind to serve with rye bread, but the American-made Cheddar cheese does very nicely if the other cannot be procured.

Cut rye bread into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Spread them very thinly with butter, and between each two slices place a thin slice of the cheese. Serve mustard with sandwiches of this kind for any one who may desire it.

126. CHEESE SANDWICHES.—Cheese combined with pimiento, sweet pickles, olives, and nuts makes a filling that has an excellent flavor. Sandwiches containing this filling will be found to be very good for picnics or lunches. Their food value, which, of course, is high, depends somewhat on the amount of filling used.

CHEESE FILLING

1/4 lb. cheese 1/4 c. English walnut meats 1 pimiento 1/2 doz. olives, cut from stones 2 sweet pickles

Put the cheese through a grinder unless it is soft enough to mash. Chop the pimiento, pickles, nuts, and olives quite fine and add the cheese. Work together with a spoon. Cut bread into thin slices, spread one piece with butter, the other one with the cheese filling, place the two together, trim if desired, and serve.

127. CHEESE-AND-NUT SANDWICHES.—Cream cheese is used in the accompanying recipe, but other cheese may be substituted for it if desired. Sandwiches containing this filling are high in both protein and fat, and may be served very nicely with a vegetable salad.

CHEESE-AND-NUT FILLING

1 pkg. cream cheese 1/3 c. English walnut meats 4 Tb. salad dressing

Mash the cheese with a spoon and add the salad dressing. Just before making the sandwiches, add the nut meats, which have been chopped very fine. If this mixture is put together and allowed to stand for any length of time before serving, the filling will grow dark.

Cut bread thinly, butter one slice, place filling on the opposite slice, put together, trim if desired, and serve.

128. PEANUT-BUTTER SANDWICHES.—Peanut butter alone makes a rather dry sandwich, as it has a peculiar consistency that makes it difficult to swallow without moistening. This condition can be overcome by adding a little salad dressing to the peanut butter.

Place a few tablespoonfuls of peanut butter in a bowl and pour a sufficient amount of salad dressing into it to moisten it enough to spread. Season with salt. Cut slices of bread thin, spread one piece with butter, the opposite piece with peanut butter, place together, trim if desired, and serve.

129. HARD-COOKED-EGG SANDWICHES.—An excellent sandwich filling can be made by seasoning hard-cooked eggs and combining them with vinegar. To make this filling, cook the desired number of eggs until they are hard. Remove them from the shells and put them through a sieve. Season well with salt and pepper and then add sufficient vinegar to make them of a good consistency to spread. Cut bread thin, spread one piece with butter, and the opposite piece with the egg mixture. Put them together, trim the edges if desired, and serve.

130. MEAT SANDWICHES.—Cold cooked meat may be used in sandwiches in the usual way by putting thin slices between buttered bread, or it may be put through the grinder or chopped finely and then mixed with salad dressing until thin enough to spread. With the meat may also be chopped pickles, olives, a small amount of onion, green pepper, pimiento, or anything desired for flavoring. Left-over roast meat that will not slice very well and trimmings from ham may be utilized in this way.

When a filling of chopped meat is to be used, slice bread thin, spread one slice with butter and the opposite slice with the meat filling. Put together, trim if desired, and serve.

131. CHICKEN SANDWICHES.—Cold chicken sliced thinly, put between pieces of crisp toast, and spread with salad dressing, makes a sandwich that is most delicious and offers a pleasant change from the usual plain-bread sandwich. Cut bread 1/4 inch thick and toast it a delicate brown on both sides. Spread thinly with butter when it comes from the toaster. Between each two pieces place thin slices of chicken. Spread the chicken with a small amount of salad dressing, place a lettuce leaf on top of this, and cover with a second piece of toast. Serve.

132. CHICKEN-SALAD SANDWICHES.—When there is on hand only a small amount of chicken that is perhaps not in the right condition for slicing, it is a good plan to make a salad of it and use this for sandwich filling. If necessary, a little veal or pork may be used with the chicken.

CHICKEN-SALAD FILLING

1 c. cold meat 1 hard-cooked egg 1/2 c. chopped celery Salad dressing 1 small onion

Chop all the ingredients very fine, mix together, and season well with salt and pepper. Add sufficient salad dressing to moisten well. Cut bread thin and spread a slice with butter and another slice with the sandwich mixture. Place a lettuce leaf over this, put the two pieces of bread together, trim and serve.

HOT SANDWICHES

133. All the sandwiches thus far discussed are served cold, but various hot sandwiches can also be made. As these generally have meat or a high-protein food for their filling, they may be used as the main dish in the meal in which they are served. Sandwiches of this kind are excellent for a light luncheon or for supper.

134. HOT-MEAT SANDWICHES.—If both meat and gravy remain from a roast, a very excellent luncheon dish may be made by slicing the meat thin, placing it on slices of bread, and pouring the gravy, which has been heated, over both the bread and meat. There may be a second layer of bread on top of the meat if desired.

135. HOT FRIED-EGG SANDWICHES.—A very good way in which to serve eggs is to saute them and then make sandwiches of them. Spread slices of bread thinly with butter. Break the desired number of eggs into a frying pan with melted butter or other fat, season with salt and pepper, and fry on one side. Then turn and fry on the other side until the yolk becomes quite hard. Place an egg on one slice of the buttered bread, place a second slice over this, and serve while hot.

136. HAM-AND-EGG SANDWICHES.—The combination of ham and eggs is always a good one, but it becomes especially palatable when used in a sandwich, as here explained. Slice boiled ham into thin slices and saute in hot fat for a few minutes. Then break into a bowl as many eggs as will be required, beat slightly, and pour over the slices of ham in the frying pan. When the mass has cooked well on one side, turn and cook on the opposite side. There should not be sufficient egg to make this very thick. Season well with salt and pepper and when the mixture is thoroughly cooked, cut it into pieces of a size to fit the bread used for the sandwiches. Cut the bread, butter it slightly, place a piece of the ham-and-egg mixture between each two slices of bread, and serve hot. If desired, toast may be used in place of bread and a more delicious sandwich will be the result.

137. CLUB SANDWICHES.—Nothing in the way of sandwiches is more delicious than club sandwiches if they are properly made. They involve a little more work than most sandwiches, but no difficulty will be experienced in making them if the directions here given are carefully followed. The ingredients necessary for sandwiches of this kind are bread, lettuce, salad dressing, bacon, and chicken. The quantity of each required will depend on whether a two- or a three-layer sandwich is made and the number of sandwiches to be served.

Cut the bread into slices about 1/4 inch thick and cut each slice diagonally across to form two triangular pieces. Trim the crust and toast the bread on a toaster until it is a light brown on both sides and then butter slightly if desired. Slice chicken into thin slices. Broil strips of bacon until they are crisp. On a slice of toast, place a lettuce leaf and then a layer of sliced chicken, and spread over this a small quantity of salad dressing, preferably mayonnaise. On top of this, place strips of the broiled bacon and then a second slice of toast. If desired, repeat the first layer and place on top of it a third slice of toast. This should be served while the bacon is still hot. Thin slices of tomato may also be used in each layer of this sandwich if desired.

138. CHEESE DREAMS.—With persons who are fond of melted cheese, a favorite kind of sandwich is that known as cheese dreams. These make a good dish for a Sunday evening supper or for an evening lunch.

Cut bread about 1/4 inch thick. Cut slices of cheese about half as thick, and between each two slices of bread place a slice of the cheese. Place these on a broiler, broil first on one side and then on the other until the cheese is thoroughly melted, or saute the sandwiches in a frying pan with melted butter, first on one side and then on the other. Serve while hot.

OPEN SANDWICHES

139. If sandwiches that are entirely different and at the same time attractive are desired for an afternoon tea or to serve with a salad, open sandwiches will undoubtedly find favor. Fig. 27 illustrates several varieties of such sandwiches and shows how artistically they can be made. These are merely submitted as suggestions, but with a little ingenuity, the housewife may work out in designs any ideas she may have. To make such sandwiches attractive, fancy cutters of various shapes will be found helpful. As here shown, round, diamond-shaped, crescent-shaped, triangular, and star-shaped cutters have been used.

140. The most suitable materials for open sandwiches include cream cheese, jam, stuffed olives, chopped parsley, hard-cooked eggs with the yolks or whites forced through a ricer, pimiento cut into attractive shapes, and any other material that will add either flavor or color. Either white or brown bread may be used. After cutting the bread in the preferred shapes, spread first with butter, if desired, and then with cream cheese, jam, or jelly. With this done, decorate the sandwiches in any desired way. Slices of stuffed olives are placed in the center of several here shown and strips or small pieces of pimiento are used for much of the decoration. On those that have jam or jelly for their foundation, cream cheese put through a pastry tube forms the decoration.



141. If an accompaniment for a salad is desired and time will not permit the making of open sandwiches, small crisp crackers, decorated with cream cheese, as shown in Fig. 28, will be a very good substitute. These are excellent with a vegetable or a fruit salad; also, when served after the dessert they make a good final course to a meal.



To prepare them, add cream to cream cheese until it is thin enough to be forced through a pastry bag. Using the rosette tube in the bag, make a single rosette in the center of each wafer. Dust with paprika and serve.

142. CANAPES.—Although differing somewhat from the open sandwiches that have been described, canapes are usually placed under this head. Canapes are small pieces of bread toasted or sauted in butter and then spread with some highly seasoned material, such as caviar, anchovy paste, well-seasoned smoked or canned salmon, or a vegetable mixture. They are served either hot or cold as an appetizer or as a first course for lunch or dinner.

To make canapes, toast or saute slices of bread and cut them into any shape desired. Cover each piece with a thin layer of the material to be used and then decorate in any of the ways shown in Fig. 27 or in any other manner. Sometimes a thin layer of tomato is used, but often just a border of some material of contrasting color, such as the yolk of egg forced through a ricer, finely chopped parsley, a thin strip of pimiento, etc., is placed around the edge.

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SALADS AND SANDWICHES

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

(1) Discuss the importance of salads and their value in the diet.

(2) In planning meals to include salads, what rules should be observed in order to make the meals balance properly?

(3) Of what value to the salads are the accompaniments often served with them?

(4) What ingredients used in salads make them satisfactory as high-protein salads?

(5) How is fat usually supplied in making salads?

(6) What salad ingredients are of the most value for supplying mineral salts?

(7) To what extent are vegetables and fruits combined in making salads?

(8) Of what value are salads in the use of leftovers?

(9) (a) What is meant by garnishing salads? (b) How may coarse lettuce be used to advantage for garnish?

(10) (a) Describe the best quality of olive oil. (b) What other kinds of oils may be used as salad oils?

(11) (a) What ingredients beside oil are included in the making of the various kinds of salad dressings? (b) What is the value of each?

(12) Describe the ideal condition of ingredients used for salads.

(13) How may salad ingredients be freshened if they have become wilted?

(14) Describe the cleaning of lettuce for salad.

(15) (a) When may a salad serve as a dessert? (b) In making a salad that contains nuts, when should they be added?

(16) (a) Tell how and why marinating is done. (b) What kind of salads should always be marinated?

(17) At what time during a meal is the salad served when it is used as a separate course?

(18) (a) Give several points that must be observed if mayonnaise dressing is to be successfully made. (b) What utensil is best for the cooking of boiled salad dressing? Tell why.

(19) (a) Describe the bread that may be used to best advantage for sandwiches. (b) Into what shapes may sandwiches be cut so that there will be no waste of bread?

(20) (a) How should butter be prepared for spreading sandwiches? (b) How may sandwiches be kept moist when they are prepared some time before they are to be served?

ADDITIONAL WORK

Give a recipe for an original salad in which at least one ingredient is a left-over.



COLD AND FROZEN DESSERTS

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THE DESSERT IN THE MEAL

GENERAL DISCUSSION

1. A dessert always consists of sweet food of some kind, and in the usual meal it is served as the last course. Sometimes, especially in more elaborate meals, another course, such as cheese and coffee, may follow, but ordinarily the dessert is the last food that is served.

The eating of something sweet after the heavy course of a meal has undoubtedly become a habit with almost every person. At any rate, a dinner in which a dessert is not included generally leaves one unsatisfied and gives the feeling that the meal has not been properly completed. Some housewives, however, make the mistake of serving a heavy dessert after a large meal, with the result that those served leave the table feeling they have had too much to eat. If this occurs, the same combination of food should be avoided another time and a simple dessert used to follow a dinner that is already sufficiently heavy.

2. There is nothing fixed about the dessert course of a meal. It may be very simple or it may be as complicated and elaborate as desired. To make an elaborate dessert usually requires a good deal of time, and unless time and care can be devoted to such a dessert it should not be attempted. However, whether a dessert is simple or elaborate, it should always be made sufficiently attractive to appeal to an appetite that is already almost satisfied. Besides providing a chance to end a meal in an attractive and appetizing way, it offers a splendid opportunity to carry out a color scheme that may be adopted for a meal. Of course, this is seldom done, except for a party or a company meal, for a color scheme has no particular value other than to appeal to the esthetic sense.

3. The cost of desserts is also a matter that may be varied. For instance, it may be low, as in plain rice pudding, which contains merely rice and milk, or it may be high, as in such concoctions as mousse or parfait, which may contain cream, eggs, gelatine, and fruit. It is possible then, with correct planning, to make the price of the dessert equalize the cost of the meal. For example, if the previous courses have contained expensive foods, the dessert should be an economical one, whereas an expensive one is permissible either when an elaborate meal is desired or when the cheapness of the food served before the dessert warrants greater expense in the final dish.

4. The fact that desserts are often a means of economically utilizing left-over foods should not be overlooked. A famous cooking expert is responsible for the statement that any edible left-over may be utilized in the making of soup, salad, or dessert. This is an important truth to keep in mind, for, with the exception of a knowledge of the correct purchase and cooking of foods, nothing makes so much for economy in cookery as the economical use of leftovers.

5. Desserts are really of two kinds: those which are heavy, such as hot puddings and pastry, and those which are light or of a less substantial nature, such as gelatine, custards, ices, etc. In general, light desserts are either frozen or allowed to cool before they are used and consequently may be made some time before the serving of the meal. It is with desserts of this kind that this Section deals, the heavier desserts being discussed elsewhere.

COMPOSITION AND FOOD VALUE OF DESSERTS

6. Attention should be paid to the composition and food value of desserts in order that the meals in which they are served may be properly balanced. For instance, when a housewife understands the value of the ingredients used in the preparation of a dessert, she will be able to determine the kind of dessert necessary to supply what is lacking in the meal. Of course, if she first decides on a particular dessert that she wants to serve, it will be necessary for her to plan the other dishes accordingly. This, however, is not the logical way in which to plan meals. It is much more reasonable to have the dessert supply anything that the meal may lack in the way of food constituents.

In considering the food value of desserts, it should be remembered that they are just as valuable as the ingredients they contain. The ingredients in which this class of foods is highest are carbohydrate in the form of starch or sugar or both, protein, especially when eggs in any quantity are used, and fat.

7. CARBOHYDRATE IN DESSERTS.—As a rule, the carbohydrate in desserts is obtained from two sources. It is furnished by the sugar, honey, or other sweetening that is added to the mixture, or it is in the form of starch added to thicken, as in the case of corn starch, or material actually used as the basis of the dessert itself, such as rice, tapioca, bread, etc. These ingredients are, of course, easily digested if they are properly cooked. On the whole, desserts can therefore be regarded as high-carbohydrate foods.

8. PROTEIN IN DESSERTS.—Protein is usually supplied in desserts by means of eggs and milk. Custard made almost exclusively of these two foods is sufficiently high in protein to be taken into account in the planning of the main dish for the meal. Because of the presence of this food substance in many desserts, proper cooking is a matter to which attention must be given, for it makes for digestibility as well as consistency. Cream added to desserts also supplies a little protein. If wheat flour is used, it adds a small amount of protein in the form of gluten. Most of the starchy preparations, such as tapioca, rice, corn starch, etc., however, are almost entirely devoid of protein material. Gelatine desserts are sometimes thought to be high-protein foods, but, as is explained elsewhere, gelatine is not regarded as true protein. If such desserts are to contain protein, it must come from some other source.

9. FAT IN DESSERTS.—Fat is usually added to desserts in the form of cream. Sometimes, a little butter is used in the making of a dessert, but for the most part the chief source of fat in desserts is the plain or whipped cream that is added to them or served with them.

PRINCIPLES OF DESSERT MAKING

10. ATTRACTIVENESS OF DESSERTS.—Attractiveness, as has been mentioned, is essential in a dessert if it is to appeal to an appetite that may be nearly satisfied by the time the dessert course is reached. To render dessert attractive, it should be carefully made and artistically garnished and served. It may be made to appeal through a sense of beautiful proportion, an attractive color combination, or an attractive or artistic preparation. Because sweets are liked by most persons, it is seldom difficult to prepare attractive desserts. Indeed, the housewife who fails in this respect may be said to be unsuccessful in the easiest part of cookery.

11. ECONOMICAL USE OF INGREDIENTS.—The ingredients required for dessert making are usually expensive ones, although there are some marked exceptions to this rule. In view of this fact, the housewife should strive to use economically the various ingredients she purchases. For instance, the first strawberries, which, because of their scarcity, are much more expensive than the later ones, may be made to go much further if they are used in shortcake than if they are served as plain fruit. In making a fruit gelatine, apples and bananas, while they may not be so attractive as canned pineapple and maraschino cherries, are much cheaper and may be used for a considerable portion of the fruit that is put into the gelatine. Then, too, it is well to remember that cream goes much further with desserts when it is whipped than when it is served plain.

12. APPLYING COOKERY RULES TO DESSERTS.—If the best results in dessert making are to be obtained, the rules that govern the cooking of various ingredients in other dishes should be observed. For instance, eggs should not be cooked at a higher temperature in making desserts than when they are being poached. Then, again, starchy materials that are used to thicken desserts or that form a basis for these dishes must be thoroughly cooked in order to be agreeable and digestible. Therefore, to put both starchy materials and eggs into a dessert at the same time and give them the same amount of cooking at the same temperature, is, as the woman who understands cookery knows, not only a very poor plan, but a possible means of ruining good material. Another waste of good material results when a custard is so prepared that it is half water or when a rice or a bread pudding floats in liquid that was never intended to be served with it. Again, nothing is less tasty than a corn-starch pudding or a blanc mange in which the starch has not been thoroughly cooked or a tapioca pudding in which the centers of the tapioca are hard and uncooked. Such mistakes as these, however, can be avoided if the housewife will apply to desserts the principles she has learned in other parts of cookery, for knowledge coupled with care in preparation is the keynote of successful dessert making.

The cookery methods usually applied in the preparation of desserts are boiling, steaming, dry steaming, and baking. As these methods are explained in Essentials of Cookery, Part 1, and are used constantly in the preparation of the majority of dishes served in a meal, they should by this time be so well understood that practically no difficulty will be experienced in applying them to desserts.

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COLD DESSERTS AND THEIR PREPARATION

SAUCES AND WHIPPED CREAM

13. SAUCES.—Many cold desserts may be served without any accompaniments, but very often they are much improved by the addition of a sauce of some kind. For instance, when a custard or a blanc mange is very thick and heavy, it can be made more agreeable to the taste if it is served with a sauce of some description. Several recipes for sauces that may be used with any cold dessert in need of an accompaniment are here given, so that the housewife will not be at a loss when she desires to serve a sauce with a dessert she has made.

14. The sauce to use depends on the dessert that it is to accompany. The custard sauce here given could be used, for example, with plain corn-starch mixtures that do not contain eggs or with other desserts of this nature. It is also very satisfactory with chocolate or rather highly flavored desserts. On the other hand, the chocolate sauce may be served with custard mixtures or desserts that require additional flavor. The fruit sauce, in which may be utilized any left-over juice from canned or stewed fruit, may be served with any dessert with which it seems to blend well.

CUSTARD SAUCE

1 c. milk 2 Tb. sugar 1/2 Tb. corn starch Few grains of salt 1 egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. Mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the hot milk. Stir until thick and cook for about 15 minutes. Beat the egg, add this to the mixture, and continue cooking until the egg has thickened. Add the vanilla, cool, and serve.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

1 sq. chocolate 1 c. milk 4 Tb. sugar Few grains of salt 3/4 Tb. corn starch 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Melt the chocolate over the fire, add half the milk, and cook together for a minute or two. Add the sugar and salt to the corn starch, and moisten with the remainder of the milk. Pour this into the chocolate and milk and cook until thickened. Place in a double boiler and cook for 10 or 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and serve.

FRUIT SAUCE

1 Tb. corn starch Sugar Few grains of salt 1 c. fruit juice

Moisten the corn starch, sugar, and salt with the fruit juice, and cook together until the corn starch has thickened the mixture. Place in a double boiler and cook for 10 or 15 minutes. The amount of sugar must be gauged by the kind of fruit juice used. If it is very sour, a greater quantity of sugar will be needed. Cool and serve.

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

1-1/2 c. brown sugar 2/3 c. corn sirup 4 Tb. butter 3/4 c. cream

Boil sugar, sirup, and butter until the mixture reaches 230 degrees F. or until it will form a very soft ball when tested in cold water. Remove from the fire and allow it to cool a little; then beat the cream into it.

FUDGE SAUCE

1 c. sugar 1/2 c. water 1 sq. chocolate 1 Tb. butter 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together the sugar, water, and melted chocolate. Boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Cool it slightly, then add the butter and vanilla.

15. WHIPPED CREAM.—Whipped cream is frequently served with cold desserts in place of a sauce or as a garnish. If cream is too thin to whip, it will have to be served plain, but it is an economy to whip it, for whipped cream goes much further. To make whipping possible, the cream must have a comparatively high percentage of fat. The higher the percentage of fat, however, the more expensive will be the cream.

16. One of the requirements of successfully whipped cream, especially in summer, is that it be as cold as possible. Warm cream does not whip nearly so readily as cold. If it is necessary to whip cream in warm weather or in a warm place, the bowl containing the cream may be packed in a larger one containing ice and salt and allowed to stand for some time before the whipping is begun.

17. A bowl-shaped utensil with a round bottom is the best to use for whipping cream. Either an egg whip or a rotary beater may be used to do the beating, which should be done rapidly. If the cream does not show signs of whipping within a reasonable time, the result is likely to be the formation of little globules of butter. Cream that whips properly will become stiff and light in a short time. After cream has been whipped till stiff, it should be sweetened slightly with sugar and flavored with vanilla or any other desirable flavoring.

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CUSTARD DESSERTS

PRINCIPLES OF CUSTARD MAKING

18. Many of the desserts that are served cold come under the head of custards. These are dishes high in protein and consist of two varieties: those thickened entirely by eggs and known as true custards and those in which a starchy material is used for part of the thickening. They may be cooked by steaming, dry steaming, or baking.

19. In true custards there must be a sufficient number of eggs to thicken the desired amount of milk, for nothing else produces thickening. To these two ingredients may be added sweetening in the form of sugar, sirup, honey, etc. and flavoring of any desirable kind. The plain custard thus produced makes an excellent dessert and one that is easily digested. In fact, it can be digested with such ease that it is used perhaps more frequently in the diets of children and invalids than any other single dessert. For instance, when it is necessary that eggs and milk be taken in the diet, they usually become monotonous after a time, but a little variety may be added to the diet by serving them in the form of custard. While this is an expensive dessert when eggs are high in price, its value is such that it should be prepared frequently for children in spite of its cost.

20. Although custards are considered to decrease in quality as fewer eggs are used and starch in some form is added for thickening, many excellent custard desserts are made in this way. Then, too, plain custard is often utilized in the making of desserts, such as tapioca, rice, and bread puddings. In such an event, fewer eggs are used and the starchy material is depended on for a certain amount of the thickening. Because the starchy foods used are generally cheaper than eggs, custard desserts that rely partly on starch for their thickening are more economical than those thickened entirely by eggs. They are also different in composition and texture, being lower in protein because of a smaller proportion of eggs and higher in carbohydrate because of additional starch; nevertheless, they are delicious desserts and find much favor.

21. For its thickness, or solidity, a custard depends largely on the thickening property of the protein material in the eggs. Here, again, as in the preparation of other foods, only a certain proportion of milk and eggs will thicken, or solidify, upon being cooked. In general, the correct proportion for a plain custard is 1 egg to 1 cupful of milk. So important is this proportion that it should be memorized. Before the eggs are added to the milk, they are, of course, beaten, but their beating is a matter of little consequence, for they are used merely to supply thickening and give richness and not to produce lightness. Therefore, they need only be mixed well and beaten slightly, as any increase in the amount of the beating adds nothing.

The sweetening and flavoring used in custards should be in sufficient quantity to suit the tastes of those who are to eat the dessert. However, the usual proportion of sugar is 1 tablespoonful to 1 egg and 1 cupful of milk. A tiny pinch of salt added to a mixture of this kind always improves its flavor and should never be omitted.

Because of the various ways of making custards, they differ somewhat when they are done. They may be thin enough to pour or they may be set and so thick that they can be cut. The consistency of the finished product depends, of course, on the proportion of the ingredients used and the method of cookery adopted.

RECIPES FOR CUSTARDS AND RELATED DESSERTS

22. BAKED CUSTARD.—Practically no skill is required in the preparation of baked custard, but care must be taken during the baking in order that the right temperature be applied for the proper length of time. Custard of this kind is quickly made and finds favor with most persons. It may be baked in individual baking dishes and then served in these or it may be cooked in a large baking dish and served either before or after it is placed on the table. Individual baking dishes are perhaps more satisfactory, for, as there is a smaller amount of material, the heat can penetrate more quickly and evenly to the center. Whatever kind of dish is used, however, should be placed in a pan of warm water, so that the custard will bake evenly. The water in the pan should not boil, as this tends to make the custard whey, or separate.



23. Several tests can be applied to custard to determine whether it is sufficiently baked. As the heat penetrates to the center last, this part is the last to cook and it is therefore the place where the testing should be done. One test consists in touching the center with the tip of the finger to find out whether it is firm or not. A more common test, however, is shown in Fig. 1. To perform this test, the blade of a silver knife is inserted in the center, as illustrated. If the blade comes out clean, it may be known that the custard is sufficiently baked, but if the mixture sticks to the knife, the custard requires more baking. Before the knife blade is inserted, however, the skin that covers the custard must be broken; if this is not done, the skin is sure to cling to the knife.

24. The chief requirement of a successful custard is that its texture be right, and the temperature at which the baking is done is largely responsible for this point. Too high a temperature or too long cooking will cause the custard to curdle and leave the edges full of holes. A smoother texture may be obtained if egg yolks alone instead of the yolks and whites are used to thicken the custard. The proportions given in the accompanying recipe make a custard of very good texture, but if a greater proportion of eggs is used, the result will be a firmer, harder custard.

BAKED CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Four)

2 eggs 2 Tb. sugar Pinch of salt 2 c. milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat the eggs slightly, add the sugar and salt, and continue beating while adding the milk. Add the vanilla. Pour into a buttered baking dish or individual baking dishes, place in a moderately hot oven in a pan of warm water, and bake until the custard is set, testing with the finger or a silver knife. Remove from the heat, cool at once, and serve cold.

25. CARAMEL CUSTARD.—Caramel is nothing more nor less than browned sugar, but if the process of caramelizing the sugar is performed carefully, the result will be a delicious flavoring material that may be used for desserts of any kind or for making sauces to serve with desserts. When the sugar is browned to make caramel, a certain amount of sweetness is lost, so that more sugar must be used than would ordinarily be needed to sweeten the same amount of custard.

To make the caramel required in the accompanying recipe, place 1/2 cupful of sugar in a small saucepan over the fire. Allow the sugar to melt slowly, stirring it as little as possible. When it has completely melted and no more of it remains white, add 1/2 cupful of boiling water. Allow this to cook until a heavy sirup is formed. Care must be taken not to burn the sugar black, for if this is done, the custard, or whatever is flavored with the caramel, will have a burnt taste. The color should be a clear reddish-brown. Maple sirup may be used in the same way as caramel by cooking it until it becomes thick.

CARAMEL CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2-1/2 c. milk Caramel 3 eggs Pinch of salt Few drops of vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, add the caramel to the milk, and then cool the mixture. Beat the eggs and add them to the caramel and milk. Add the salt and vanilla. Pour the custard into buttered baking dishes, set in a pan of warm water, and bake in a moderate oven until firm. Cool and serve.

26. SOFT CUSTARD.—The custard given in the accompanying recipe is commonly known as boiled custard, but this is in no sense a correct name, for the custard at no time reaches the boiling point. The common method of preparation is dry steaming, for which the double boiler is an essential utensil. If one is not in supply, however, a saucepan placed in a larger pan of water will serve the purpose. The custard should be stirred continuously during its cooking. Then it will not set nor thicken as does baked custard, even though the proportion of eggs and milk may be higher.



The test for soft custard, which is exactly opposite from that for baked custard, is shown in Fig. 2. As soon as the custard mixture lightly coats a spoon it is done. Then it should be removed from the fire and the inner part of the double boiler removed from the outer part to avoid the application of any more heat. If too much heat has been applied or the custard has been cooked too long, the result will be a curdled mass. As soon as this is observed, the custard should be removed from the hot water, placed at once into a pan of cold water, and beaten vigorously with a rotary egg beater. To improve it further, it may be poured through a fine wire sieve or strainer. Unless the curding has gone too far or the egg has been cooked a great deal too long, this treatment will produce a very decided improvement in the custard and possibly bring it to a normal condition.

SOFT CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 3 eggs 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Heat the milk in the inner pan of a double boiler. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks slightly, and to them add the sugar and salt. Dilute with a little of the hot milk. Blend well together and pour into the hot milk. Stir constantly until the mixture coats a spoon, and then remove from the fire. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry, and fold them into the mixture. Flavor with the vanilla and lemon extract, cool, and serve.

To obtain variety in soft custards, chocolate, caramel, maple, and other flavors may be used in their preparation in the same way as for baked custards.

27. FRENCH CREAM.—A custard dessert that is easily made and that most persons are fond of is French cream. As will be noted in the accompanying recipe, only one egg is used and corn starch is supplied for the remainder of the thickening. It is always necessary to salt mixtures containing starch, as any starchy food has a raw taste when it is prepared without salt.

FRENCH CREAM (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 1 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg 1/4 tsp. vanilla 1/4 tsp. lemon extract

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving a sufficient amount to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch with the sugar and salt, moisten with the cold milk, and add to the milk in the double boiler when it has heated. Stir until the mixture has thickened very slightly. Cook in the double boiler for 20 or 30 minutes. Beat the egg, add a small amount of the hot mixture to the beaten egg, and then pour this into the thickened milk, stirring rapidly to keep the egg from curding. Cook for a minute or two, remove from the fire, add the flavoring, cool, and serve.

28. FLOATING ISLAND.—The dessert known as Floating Island does not differ very much from soft custard. It is slightly thicker and contains whipped cream, which is used for the island. If whipped cream cannot be obtained, however, the white of egg may be substituted for it. In such an event, the white of the egg included in the recipe may be retained when the custard is made and used on top by sweetening it with sugar or perhaps by beating into it a small amount of pink jelly.

FLOATING ISLAND (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 1-1/2 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla Whipped cream

Heat the milk in a double boiler, retaining enough to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the heated milk in the double boiler, stir until the mixture has thickened, and then cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Beat the egg, add to it a spoonful of the hot mixture, and then pour this into the double boiler, stirring to prevent the curding of the egg. Cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has had time to thicken, remove from the heat, and add the vanilla. When cold, serve in individual dishes or glasses with a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each portion.

29. CORN-STARCH CUSTARD.—A dessert that is a little heavier than either French cream or Floating Island but not heavy enough to be molded is the corn-starch custard given in the accompanying recipe. If desired, it may be served with sauce, plain cream, or whipped cream, or it may be eaten without any of these.

CORN-STARCH CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 2 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1 egg 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the hot milk, and stir until the mixture has thickened. Cook for 20 or 30 minutes. Beat the egg, add a spoonful of the hot mixture to the egg, pour this into the double boiler, and cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has thickened. Remove from the fire, add the vanilla, cool, and serve.

30. COCONUT-CORN-STARCH CUSTARD.—The flavor of coconut in custard is agreeable, but the toughness of this ingredient with a soft custard is not always acceptable. In the preparation of the custard given in the accompanying recipe, the idea is to obtain the flavor without the use of the coconut in the custard.

COCONUT-CORN-STARCH CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 2 Tb. corn starch 1/2 c. coconut 1/4 c. sugar 1/8 tsp. salt 1 egg Vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, retaining enough of it to moisten the corn starch. Put the coconut into the milk while it is hot, and allow it to remain for 5 or 10 minutes after the milk has become heated. Then strain through a ricer or a strainer to remove all the liquid possible, and return the milk to the double boiler. Mix the sugar and salt with the corn starch and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the hot milk and cook for 20 or 30 minutes after it has thickened. Beat the egg and add a little of the hot material to it; then pour it into the double boiler and cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has thickened. Flavor with a few drops of vanilla, remove from the fire, cool, and serve.

31. SNOW PUDDING.—An excellent custard dessert called snow pudding can be made by following the directions here given. This pudding is especially attractive when served with chocolate sauce, as the sauce makes an agreeable contrast in color as well as in flavor. Other sauces, however, may be used with this dessert if desired. The yolks of the eggs may be made into a custard sauce and served with it, or a fruit sauce may be used.

SNOW PUDDING (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1 pt. milk 2 Tb. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 2 egg whites 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving a sufficient amount to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and moisten with the cold milk. Add this to the hot milk and stir continuously until the corn starch thickens the milk. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes and remove from the fire. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them into this mixture. Add the vanilla, pour into a serving dish or individual dishes, cool, and serve with chocolate or any desired sauce.

32. PLAIN BLANC MANGE.—A blanc mange is usually a mixture thickened to such an extent with starchy material that it may be turned out of a mold or cut into cubes. The plain blanc mange given here requires a well-flavored sauce to relieve its bland taste.

PLAIN BLANC MANGE (Sufficient to Serve Four)

2 c. milk 1/4 c. corn starch 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. Mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and moisten with the cold milk. Pour into the hot milk and stir until the corn starch has thickened. Allow this to cook for 30 to 35 minutes, beat to keep smooth, and then remove from the fire and add the vanilla. Moisten cups or molds with cold water and fill with the blanc mange. Cool, turn out of the molds, and serve with any desired sauce.



33. CHOCOLATE BLANC MANGE.—Chocolate added to blanc mange gives it an excellent flavor. If a sauce is desired with this blanc mange, custard sauce is the best one to use. An attractive way in which to serve chocolate blanc mange is shown in Fig. 3. The entire recipe is made into one mold, which, when cold, is turned out on a dish, surrounded with slices of banana, and garnished with whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE BLANC MANGE (Sufficient to Serve Four)

1/3 c. sugar 1/4 c. cocoa 1/4 tsp. salt 2 c. milk 1/4 c. corn starch 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the sugar, cocoa, and salt and moisten with some of the milk. Place over the fire in the inner pan of a double boiler and allow it to come to a boil. Moisten the corn starch with some of the milk and add the rest to the cocoa mixture in the double boiler. Heat together in the boiler and stir the corn starch into this. Continue stirring until the corn starch has thickened the mixture, and then cook for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from the fire, add the vanilla, pour into a mold moistened with cold water, cool, and serve with sweetened cream, custard sauce, or as shown in Fig. 3.

34. RICE CUSTARD.—A very good way in which to use left-over rice is to make a rice custard of it. If no cooked rice is on hand and rice is to be cooked for some other dish, it is not a bad plan to increase the amount slightly and use what remains for rice custard. The best method of preparing rice for this dessert it to steam it, but boiled or Japanese rice may also be used.

RICE CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 eggs 1/2 c. sugar 1-1/2 c. hot milk 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg 2 c. steamed rice

Beat the eggs and to them add the sugar, hot milk, salt, and nutmeg. Pour this mixture over the rice. Place in a buttered baking dish, set the dish in a pan of warm water, and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set. This will probably require about 45 minutes. Cool and serve.

35. POOR MAN'S PUDDING.—If a very economical dessert is desired, poor man's pudding should be tried. However, this requires considerable fuel and some care in its preparation, for it needs long, slow cooking in order to make it a good pudding, but when it is properly made it is a very delicious dessert. If a coal stove is used, it is a good plan to make such a dessert as this on a day when the stove is heated for ironing or for some other purpose that requires the use of fuel covering a long period of time.

POOR MAN'S PUDDING (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 c. rice 2/3 c. sugar 1 tsp. salt Nutmeg Lemon rind 2 qt. milk 1/2 c. raisins

Wash the rice in the usual way and place it in a baking dish. Add the sugar, salt, a grating of nutmeg, and a few thin slices of lemon rind. Pour in the milk, place in a slow oven, and bake for several hours. Stir frequently to prevent the top surface from browning, and if there is any possibility of this occurring, cover the baking dish with a cover. One hour before the pudding has finished baking, clean the raisins and add them. When done, remove from the oven, cool, and serve. When the pudding is served, the grains of rice should be whole and the liquid should be of a creamy consistency. If the pudding is too dry when cool, add a little more milk and return to the oven for a few minutes.

36. TAPIOCA CREAM.—In the dessert here given, as well as in several that follow, tapioca is used as the thickening material. TAPIOCA is practically a true starch and is taken from the roots of the cassava plant, which grows in tropical and subtropical regions. In the process of its manufacture, most of the starch cells are ruptured. It may be purchased in two forms: one that is large in size and called pearl tapioca and the other, very small and known as minute tapioca. Pearl tapioca does not require as long cooking if it is first soaked in cold water for a number of hours. Minute tapioca cooks in much less time than pearl tapioca.

Tapioca cream is a soft custard that should be thin enough to pour when it is cold. It may be served with whipped cream if desired or may merely be poured into dessert dishes or sherbet glasses and served plain. A spoonful of pink jelly on top of each serving makes a very attractive garnish.

TAPIOCA CREAM (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/3 c. tapioca 1 pt. milk 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Soak the tapioca in cold water for 4 or 5 hours before making the dessert, and then drain off all the water. Heat the milk in a double boiler, stir the tapioca into the hot milk, and cook until it is thick and transparent, being sure that none of the centers are uncooked. Add the sugar and salt. Separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. Beat the yolks, mix a small amount of the hot tapioca with them, and stir into the tapioca in the double boiler. Stir until the eggs have thickened and then remove from the fire. Beat the whites until they are stiff and fold, with the vanilla, into the tapioca. Cool and serve.

37. TAPIOCA CUSTARD.—If something different in the way of a tapioca dessert is desired, tapioca custard will no doubt be very acceptable. This dessert has the consistency of a baked custard containing tapioca, and in preparation and proportion that is really what it is.

TAPIOCA CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/2 c. tapioca 2 c. milk 2 eggs 2/3 c. sugar 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Soak the tapioca for 4 or 5 hours and drain off the water. Cook the tapioca and the milk in a double boiler until it is transparent and remove from the fire. Beat the eggs and to them add the sugar, salt, and vanilla, and stir this into the tapioca. Turn into a buttered baking dish and bake until the custard mixture is set. Cool and serve.

38. MINUTE-TAPIOCA CUSTARD.—Minute tapioca does not require soaking nor as long cooking as pearl tapioca, for the pieces of tapioca being much smaller may be more quickly penetrated by both heat and moisture. Then, too, a smaller proportion of it is required to thicken the same amount of milk.

MINUTE-TAPIOCA CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 c. milk 2 Tb. minute tapioca 1 egg 1/4 c. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt Vanilla

Heat the milk in a double boiler, add the tapioca, and cook for 15 or 20 minutes. Beat the egg, add to it the sugar and salt, and pour the hot tapioca gradually into this. Flavor with vanilla, turn into a buttered baking dish, place in the oven in a pan of water, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Cool and serve.

39. APPLE TAPIOCA.—The combination of fruit and tapioca is agreeable to most persons. Peaches and apples, either fresh or canned, are used oftenest for this purpose. For the apple tapioca here given, the apples should be somewhat sour, as there will then be more character to the dessert. Canned or fresh peaches or canned pineapple may be used in exactly the same way as apples. If canned fruit is used, not so much sugar nor baking in the oven will be necessary.

APPLE TAPIOCA (Sufficient to Serve Six)

3/4 c. pearl tapioca or 1/2 c. minute tapioca 2 c. boiling water 1/2 tsp. salt 6 apples 1/2 c. brown sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 Tb. butter

If pearl tapioca is used, soak it for 4 or 5 hours and then drain off all the water. Minute tapioca will need no soaking. Add the tapioca to the boiling water and salt. Cook in a double boiler until the tapioca is entirely transparent. Pare and core the apples, place them in a buttered baking dish, fill each cavity with sugar and cinnamon, and place a piece of butter on top. Pour the hot tapioca over these, place in a hot oven, and bake until the apples are soft. Serve either hot or cold with sugar and cream.

40. CARAMEL TAPIOCA.—Persons who care for caramel as a flavoring will find caramel tapioca a delicious dessert. The caramel for it should be made according to the directions given in Art. 25.

CARAMEL TAPIOCA (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 c. pearl tapioca 5 c. water 2 c. sugar 1/2 c. boiling water 1 lemon

Put the tapioca to soak overnight in the water. When ready to prepare, place in a baking dish with the water used to soak the tapioca and set in a very slow oven. Caramelize half the sugar and add to it the 1/2 cupful of boiling water. Pour this with the remaining cup of sugar over the tapioca and continue to cook in the oven until the tapioca is perfectly clear and the liquid has evaporated sufficiently to make a dessert of the proper consistency to serve. Upon removing from the oven, squeeze the juice of the lemon over the tapioca and stir slowly so that this may penetrate throughout the dessert. Cool and serve with whipped cream.

41. FARINA CUSTARD.—A means of using left-over breakfast cereals is given in the accompanying recipe. Farina is the cereal used, but vitos, cream of wheat, etc. may be used in the same way. Cereal may be cooked especially for the purpose if there is none on hand and the dessert is desired. In this event, it should be cooked in the usual way and may be used either warm or cold.

FARINA CUSTARD (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1-1/2 c. cooked farina 1-1/2 c. milk 1 egg 1/3 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. lemon 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix the farina with the milk. Beat the egg and to it add the sugar and salt. Add this to the farina and milk, stir in the flavoring, and pour in a buttered baking dish. Bake until the mixture is set. This will require about 45 minutes in a moderate oven.

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GELATINE DESSERTS

PRINCIPLES OF GELATINE MAKING

42. GELATINE DESSERTS are those in which gelatine forms the basis. GELATINE is an odorless, tasteless substance extracted from the bones and various tissues of animals. It is used in a variety of forms, such as glue and isinglass, but is also purified and prepared commercially for use in desserts. When it is to be used as a thickening agent in dessert making, it is ground and sold in this form, or it is mixed with sugar, flavoring, and acid, when all that is necessary to make it an appetizing dessert is that it be dissolved in hot water. In both of these forms, it is sold under different trade names. The gelatine itself does not provide any appreciable food value, but it is a means of conveying various foods, such as eggs, milk, sugar, and many kinds of fruit and fruit juices, all of which are more or less valuable for their constituents. In addition, it produces desserts that are appetizing and that may be garnished and served in many attractive ways.

43. To be most satisfactory, gelatine desserts should usually be made just heavy enough with gelatine to retain the desired shape. The heavier they become, the more rubbery they are in consistency and the less dainty and agreeable. Their consistency can be regulated by the proportion of liquid to gelatine that is used.

The general method of preparation followed when plain gelatine is used in desserts consists in first soaking the gelatine in sufficient cold water to moisten it, then dissolving it in hot liquid as near the boiling point as possible, and finally cooling it in order to allow it to solidify. As cold is absolutely essential for the mixture to solidify, it is often difficult to prepare a gelatine dessert in the summer time. Therefore, when a dessert of this kind is desired in the warm weather, it should always be begun long enough before it is to be served to allow it to become thoroughly solid. As it is usually difficult to tell how much time this requires on a warm day, even with a refrigerator or other cold place, it is much safer to overestimate the time required than to underestimate it.

44. Boiling does not, as was formerly thought, destroy the power of coagulation in gelatine for at least some time. Therefore, when necessary, it may be boiled for 10 or 15 minutes without causing any change. One fruit that will prevent gelatine from solidifying, however, is raw pineapple. This is an important point to remember in connection with gelatine desserts. If it is desired to use fresh pineapple with gelatine, it will first be necessary to bring the pineapple to the boiling point in order to destroy the property that prevents the gelatine from solidifying.

45. The proportion of liquid to gelatine is another factor to be reckoned with in the successful making of gelatine desserts. This differs in the various kinds of gelatine, but the proper proportion is usually stated on the package in which the gelatine comes or on a folder inside the package. The amount mentioned is usually what is considered to be ideal for the preparation of gelatine dishes and may generally be relied on. In hot weather, however, it is advisable to use just a little less liquid than the directions require.

In using the different brands of unsweetened and unflavored gelatines, the proportion of liquid to gelatine is usually similar. 1/2 ounce of this granulated gelatine, which is 1/2 of the amount usually put up in a package, will solidify 1 quart of liquid. If this proportion is kept in mind, little difficulty will be experienced in using this form of gelatine. For convenience in measuring small amounts of the granulated gelatine, it will be well to remember that 1 ounce of this material equals 4-1/2 tablespoonfuls. Thus, if a recipe calls for 1/2 ounce of gelatine, it is simply necessary to measure 2-1/4 tablespoonfuls to get the required amount to solidify 1 quart of liquid.

RECIPES FOR GELATINE DESSERTS

46. PLAIN GELATINE.—A very good dessert can be made of fruit juice solidified by means of gelatine. Any canned fruit juice or any mixture of juices that will blend well and produce a jelly of agreeable flavor may be used for this purpose. These are usually brought to the boiling point before being added, but in case juices that may be injured by heating are used, they may be added cold and the gelatine dissolved in boiling water. When this is done, a little additional lemon will be necessary in order to increase the flavor.

Plain jelly made according to the accompanying recipe may be served in various attractive ways. One method of serving it is shown in Fig. 4. To prepare it in this manner, pour the gelatine mixture into stemmed glasses and allow it to solidify. When partly solid, decorate the top with wedge-shaped pieces of pineapple and place a cherry in the center, as illustrated. When entirely solid, place the glass on a small plate and serve. The fruit may be omitted if desired and whipped cream served on the gelatine.



Plain jelly is also attractive when poured into a large mold, allowed to solidify, and then turned out on a plate. If the mold is moistened with cold water before the gelatine is poured into it, no difficulty will be experienced in removing the jelly when it becomes solid. The center of the mold may be filled with whipped cream before it is put on the table or the jelly may be served plain and the whipped cream then added to each serving from another dish.

PLAIN GELATINE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/2 c. cold water 3 c. fruit juice Juice of 1 lemon Sugar

Soak the gelatine in the cold water until it is well moistened. Strain the fruit juices, heat to boiling point, and pour over the gelatine. Add the lemon juice and a sufficient amount of sugar to sweeten. Allow to solidify and serve in any desired manner.

47. ORANGE JELLY.—An excellent dessert is the result when orange juice is used for flavoring and gelatine for thickening. This jelly may be poured into molds that have been moistened with cold water, or, as shown in Fig. 5, it may be poured into orange skins made to resemble baskets and then garnished with whipped cream.

ORANGE JELLY (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/2 c. cold water 1 c. boiling water 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. lemon juice 1-1/2 c. orange juice

Soak the gelatine in the cold water until it is well moistened, and dissolve with the boiling water. Add the sugar and the lemon and orange juice strained. Pour into a large mold or individual molds and set aside to solidify. Serve in any desired way.



48. COFFEE JELLY.—If fruit juices are difficult to obtain, coffee jelly, which will be found to be very pleasing, may be used occasionally. However, it is necessary that whipped cream be served with coffee jelly in order to make it a really delightful dessert.

COFFEE JELLY (Sufficient to Serve Six)

2 c. clear, strong coffee 1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/2 c. cold water 1 c. boiling water Three-quarters c. sugar

Prepare the coffee freshly and make it stronger than that which would ordinarily be used for the table. Be sure that it contains no grounds. Soak the gelatine in the cold water, and dissolve in the boiling water. Add the sugar and coffee. Pour into moistened molds and allow to cool. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

49. FRUIT GELATINE.—Almost any combination of fruit juices, as well as any single fruit juice, may be used with gelatine in the making of fruit gelatine. The accompanying recipe contains fruits that may be used, but other fruits than those given may perhaps be found to be even more agreeable.

FRUIT GELATINE (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/44 oz. or 1-1/8 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/4 c. cold water 1/2 c. boiling water 1/2 c. sugar 1/2 c. pineapple juice 1/4 c. orange juice 1/4 c. lemon juice 2 slices pineapple 2 oranges 1 banana 6 English walnuts

Moisten the gelatine in the cold water and dissolve in the boiling water. Add the sugar and the orange, pineapple, and lemon juice, and allow this to cool. Dice the pineapple. Prepare the oranges by peeling them, removing the pulp from the sections, and cutting it into small pieces. Slice or dice the banana and break each nut into six or eight pieces. Mix the fruits and nuts, place in a mold that has been moistened with cold water, and pour the cold jelly over them. Allow this to solidify, turn from the mold, and serve with whipped cream.

50. LEMON SNOW.—If a light, spongy dessert to serve with a heavy dinner is desired, lemon snow should be tried. It may be made with other sour-fruit juice and is particularly agreeable if the color of the fruit juice used is a pretty one. Fruit coloring may be used in the preparation of dishes of this sort if desired.

LEMON SNOW (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/2 c. cold water 1-1/2 c. boiling water 1 c. sugar 1/2 c. lemon juice Whites of two eggs

Soak the gelatine in the cold water, dissolve it in the boiling water, and add the sugar. When cold, add the strained lemon juice. When the gelatine mixture is just beginning to solidify, add the egg whites, beating with a rotary beater until the mixture begins to hold its shape. If desired, a fruit of some kind may be placed in a mold that has been moistened with cold water and the mixture poured over it, or the plain mixture may be poured into the mold without the fruit. Whipped cream or custard sauce improves this dessert to a large extent.

51. SPANISH CREAM.—A gelatine dish containing eggs is usually a delightful dessert, and Spanish cream is no exception to this rule. If it is properly made, a part of the mold will have the consistency of a custard, above this will be a layer of jelly, and on top will be a layer of fluffy material. This dessert is more attractive if a little pink coloring is used in its preparation.

SPANISH CREAM (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/4 c. cold water 1 pt. milk 2 eggs 1/4 c. sugar 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Soak the gelatine in the cold water. Heat the milk in a double boiler, add the gelatine, and cook until it is completely dissolved. Separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and to them add the sugar and salt. Stir into the mixture in the double boiler, and cook until the eggs have thickened. Remove from the fire, beat the egg whites until they are stiff, and fold them into the mixture. Add the vanilla. Pour into a mold that has been moistened with cold water, cool, and serve. If coloring is added, it may be put in upon removing the dessert from the stove.



52. STRAWBERRY CREAM PUFF.—One of the most attractive desserts that can be made of gelatine is strawberry cream fluff. It is especially delicious in warm weather, but plenty of time must be allowed for it to solidify. Any desired way of serving it may be followed out, but a method that is always pleasing is illustrated in Fig. 6. The gelatine mixture is piled into stemmed glasses and then surrounded by thin pieces of sponge cake or ladyfingers, as here shown. A few fresh strawberries or strawberries that have been canned in thick sirup make an attractive garnish. If a deeper shade of pink is desired than the strawberry juice gives, pink coloring may be added before the whipped cream is beaten into the gelatine.

STRAWBERRY CREAM FLUFF (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/4 c. cold water 1-1/2 c. strawberry juice Juice of one lemon 1/4 c. sugar 1-1/2 c. whipped cream

Soak the gelatine in the cold water. Heat the strawberry juice to the boiling point, and add it to the soaked gelatine. Add the lemon juice and sugar and place the gelatine where it will cool. When it has started to solidify, beat into it the whipped cream and continue beating until the mixture stands up well when dropped from a spoon. Place in a mold and cool. Serve in any desired way.

53. PINEAPPLE CREAM FLUFF.—If pineapple is preferred to strawberries, pineapple cream fluff may be made according to the accompanying directions. Canned pineapple may be utilized nicely in the preparation of this dessert. If it is in rings, it should be chopped into small pieces, but grated pineapple needs no further preparation. Fresh pineapple used for the purpose must be cooked before it can be used in this dessert.

PINEAPPLE CREAM FLUFF (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1/4 c. cold water 1-1/2 c. pineapple juice 1/2 c. sugar 1-1/2 c. whipped cream 1 c. grated or chopped pineapple

Soak the gelatine in the cold water. Heat the pineapple juice to the boiling point and add it to the soaked gelatine. Add the sugar and set aside to cool. After the gelatine has started to solidify, beat the whipped cream and the grated pineapple into it. When solidified and ready to use, turn out on a plate and serve with whipped cream. If desired, the pineapple may be left out of the dessert and, instead, a spoonful placed on the top of each serving.

54. MARSHMALLOW WHIP.—Something rather unusual in the way of a gelatine dessert can be had by making marshmallow whip according to the accompanying recipe.

MARSHMALLOW WHIP (Sufficient to Serve Six)

1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine 1 pt. water 1 c. sugar 3 egg whites Pink coloring Strawberry flavoring 1/2 sq. chocolate Vanilla

Soak the gelatine in 1/2 cupful of water. Bring 1 cupful of water to the boiling point, dissolve the gelatine in it, and place in ice water to cool. Put the sugar to cook with 1/2 cupful of water, and cook until the sirup will spin a thread or until it will form a firm ball when tried in cold water. Beat the egg whites, pour the hot sirup gradually over them, and continue beating. Add the gelatine, which by this time should be commencing to solidify. Divide the mixture into three equal parts. To one add a little pink coloring and some strawberry flavoring and pour into a mold that has been wet with cold water. To one of the remaining parts, add the chocolate, which has been melted, mixed with a tablespoonful or two of sugar and 2 tablespoonfuls of water, and cooked to a smooth paste. Continue beating this until it is stiff, and then pour it in the mold on top of the strawberry flavored whip. To the remaining third, add the vanilla, beat until it is stiff, and pour on top of the chocolate whip. These colors may be arranged in any desirable way, others may be used, or the whip may be made up simply in one color or in two. After it has become set and hardened, turn from the mold, and serve, using whipped cream if desired.

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FROZEN DESSERTS

PRINCIPLES OF FROZEN-DESSERT MAKING

55. NATURE OF FROZEN DESSERTS.—Frozen desserts were formerly confined almost entirely to warm weather, but they are now used during the entire year and served on almost any occasion. They are without doubt the daintiest dessert that can be served and are popular with almost every one. A very ordinary meal becomes much more attractive when a frozen dessert is served with it, and a dainty luncheon or an elaborate dinner seems incomplete without a dessert of this nature. In reality, it is quite impossible to serve, in either hot or cold weather, any dessert that is as pleasing as an ice or an ice cream of some kind.

56. In addition to being delicious and finding favor with most persons, frozen desserts occur in unlimited variety. They include ice creams of various kinds, frozen custards and punches, sherbets, ices, frappes, mousses, parfaits, and biscuits. Recipes for several varieties of each of these kinds are given in this Section, and it will therefore not be a difficult matter to select a frozen dessert that will be suitable for any meal in which it may be served. The preparation of frozen desserts, however, need not be confined to a certain limited number of recipes, as a recipe may be devised to suit almost any occasion or condition. For instance, if there are certain fruits or fruit juices in supply that should be used, an excellent way in which to utilize them is in a frozen dessert of some kind. After a little experience, the housewife will find that she can produce excellent results by merely combining the ingredients she has on hand or those corresponding with the meal in which the frozen dessert is to be served.

57. The food value of frozen desserts varies with the ingredients used in their preparation, it being extremely high in some and very low in others. Therefore, the particular one to select depends somewhat on the other dishes in the meal. On the whole, they contain very healthful ingredients, so that, if they are properly made, they may have a place in the diets of both children and grown ups, sick persons and well ones. Whether or not certain individuals should eat frozen desserts is sometimes a troublesome question. There may be conditions under which desserts of this kind should not be included in the diet, but these need not give the housewife any particular concern.

58. Frozen desserts may be purchased ready made, but those made in the home cost less, are usually more delicious, and can be prepared in greater variety. As they are not difficult to make and are not necessarily an expensive dessert, the housewife should often include them in her meals. Therefore, an ice-cream freezer of a size that will accommodate the requirements of the members of the family is a good thing to add to the cookery equipment. Ices and ice creams can be made in a pail that has a cover and a bail, such as a lard pail, but this is not a very convenient equipment and does not produce such satisfactory results as those obtained with a good freezer. Some desserts of this kind may be frozen without the use of a freezer, but, as a rule, they contain materials that make them rather expensive.

59. THEORY OF FREEZING.—So that the best results may be secured in the making of frozen desserts, it is well that the theory of freezing be thoroughly understood. The two things necessary for the freezing of such desserts are ice and salt. When these are brought together and the ice melts, a salt solution is formed, since salt has a tendency to combine with moisture whenever they come in contact with each other. In order to obtain this result in the freezing of desserts, it is necessary, of course, that the ice be melted. The warmth required to make this melting possible comes from the contents of the can inside the ice-cream freezer. When this warmth is absorbed by the ice, the cold temperature released by the melting of the ice passes into the ice-cream mixture. The result is that the ice tends to become liquid and the contents of the can solid by the exchange of temperatures. To make the mixture of uniform consistency, it is usually agitated by means of a dasher during the freezing process. This incorporates air into the mixture and consequently makes it light and increases its volume.

60. PROPORTION OF ICE TO SALT.—The ingredients used in the mixture have much to do with the texture of the ice cream when it is frozen. For instance, a mixture that is thin and composed largely of water will not have so smooth a consistency when frozen as a heavier mixture in which cream or eggs or both are present and a smaller proportion of water is used. Another important factor in the texture of the finished product is the proportion of ice to salt, for this has much to do with the length of time required for freezing the mixture. The smaller the proportion of salt, the slower will be the freezing process, for the melting of the ice takes place more slowly; but the result of this slow freezing is a finer, smoother texture. Granular, coarse-grained frozen desserts, such as some sherbets and frappes, are frozen with a large proportion of salt, which permits the freezing to take place more quickly.