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.
[Illustration: FIG. 1, Testing doneness of custard with knife.]
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.
[Illustration: FIG. 2, Testing doneness of soft custard with spoon.]
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.
[Illustration: FIG. 3, Chocolate Blanc Mange.]
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.
* * * * *