Egg creams, in their great variety, are the most delightful ways of
serving uncooked eggs, both for desserts and for invalids.
For preparing them, the ingredients and all utensils and dishes should
be as nearly ice cold as possible.
The white of the egg should be beaten very stiff. The milk and cream
should have been sterilized.
The creams must be prepared just at the time of serving as they become
liquid and lose their creamy consistency very soon.
Set the glass or dish of cream on to a small plate with a doiley, and
if possible lay a delicate flower or leaf beside it.
The recipes are given for one egg but several may be prepared at once,
when required, by using a cake bowl for beating.
Lemon juice added to the white renders it stiffer, but other juices and
liquids soften it, so small quantities of them should be used and they
should be mixed in very lightly.
High colored fruits and juices should be poured between layers of the
egg, not mixed with it.
=Lemon Egg Cream=
Sprinkle a trifle of salt on to the white of an egg in a bowl and beat
with a revolving egg beater to a very stiff froth; then add 1 tablespn.
of sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Remove the egg beater, chop
in lightly 2 teaspns. of lemon juice and remove ⅓ of the beaten white
to a cold plate. Add the yolk and another teaspoon of lemon juice to
the white remaining in the bowl. Chop them in lightly and quickly, not
mixing very thoroughly. Drop this egg mixture into a cold glass and on
top of it lay the white which was taken out. Serve at once.
All of the white may be beaten with the yolk if preferred. The whites
of 2 eggs and yolk of one may be used.
A company of ladies to whom I once served this cream as a dessert
pronounced it “the most delicate boiled custard” they had ever tasted.
=Raspberry Egg Cream=
Beat the white of 1 egg to a stiff froth with 1 teaspn. of sugar, chop
in the yolk with 1 tablespn. of cream, drop a spoonful or two into a
glass, then pour over a little rich red raspberry juice or drop on a
few crushed or stewed berries. Continue this until all the egg is used.
Serve at once.
A little lemon juice may be mixed with the raspberry if desired. The
cream may be omitted. A part of the white may be left for the top.
Strawberry, grape, currant and other juices may be substituted for
raspberry. Pineapple and orange juices can be mixed with the egg: they
are improved by combining with lemon juice.
=Banana Egg Cream=
Combine 1 or 2 tablespns. of fresh banana pulp and 1 tablespn. of cream
with a beaten egg, leaving a part of the white on top if desired.
=Vanilla Egg Cream=
Beat the white of an egg with 1-2 teaspns. of sugar, reserving a little
for the top; chop in the yolk with 1 tablespn. of cream and a delicate
flavoring of vanilla; serve in a glass, with white on top of yolk
mixture.
Or, for a change, beat the white and yolk separately, add half the
sugar and cream to each, flavor yolk with vanilla, pile white in a
dainty glass dish and pour yolk mixture over it. A little of the white
may be chopped with the yolk.
=Almond Egg Cream=
Use 1 teaspn. almond butter, mixed to a thick cream with water, in
place of dairy cream, in preceding recipe. Vanilla may be omitted.
=Maple or Honey Egg Cream=
Beat the white of an egg, add ⅔-1 tablespn. of maple syrup or of honey
(malt extract sometimes); chop in yolk and if desired, 1 tablespn. of
cream.
=Caramel Egg=
Beat white of 1 egg, add 2 teaspns. of sugar, beat, chop in yolk; pour
over, stirring, the hot liquid made from boiling 1½-2 tablespns. of
cereal coffee in ¾ cup of water to which 1 teaspn. of melted cocoa
butter has been added. Liquid may be added cold, with a few drops of
vanilla instead of cocoa butter.
=Egg and Milk=
Take 1-2 teaspns. of sugar and 3 tablespns. of milk, with the beaten
egg in vanilla cream.
=Egg and Hot Milk=
Beat whole egg with 1-2 teaspns. of sugar until creamy; add a few drops
of vanilla and pour over ½ cup boiling milk, stirring.
=Carbonated Egg=
Beat an egg, all together, with salt, add 1-3 tablespns. of cream and
as much carbonated water as desired.
Fruit juices may be used, with or without dairy or nut cream.
The carbonated water may be used with the beaten egg only.
[Illustration: EGG POACHER]