Ices are composed, it is scarcely necessary to say, of congealed
cream or water, combined sometimes with liqueurs or other flavouring
ingredients, or more generally with the juices of fruits. At desserts,
or at some evening parties, ices are scarcely to be dispensed with.
The principal utensils required for making ice-creams are ice-tubs,
freezing-pots, spaddles, and a cellaret. The tub must be large enough
to contain about a bushel of ice, pounded small, when brought out of
the ice-house, and mixed very carefully with either _salt_, _nitre_, or
_soda_. The freezing-pot is best made of pewter. If it be of tin, as
is sometimes the case, the congelation goes on too rapidly in it for
the thorough intermingling of its contents, on which the excellence
of the ice greatly depends. The spaddle is generally made of copper,
kept bright and clean. The cellaret is a tin vessel, in which ices are
kept for a short time from dissolving. The method to be pursued in the
freezing process must be attended to. When the ice-tub is prepared
with fresh-pounded ice and salt, the freezing-pot is put into it up
to its cover. The articles to be congealed are then poured into it
and covered over; but to prevent the ingredients from separating and
the heaviest of them from falling to the bottom of the mould, it is
requisite to turn the freezing-pot round and round by the handle, so as
to keep its contents moving until the congelation commences. As soon
as this is perceived (the cover of the pot being occasionally taken
off for the purpose of noticing when freezing takes place), the cover
is immediately closed over it, ice is put upon it, and it is left in
this state till it is served. The use of the spaddle is to stir up
and remove from the sides of the freezing-pot the cream, which in the
shaking may have washed against it, and by stirring it in with the
rest, to prevent waste of it occurring. Any negligence in stirring
the contents of the freezing-pot before congelation takes place, will
destroy the whole: either the sugar sinks to the bottom and leaves the
ice insufficiently sweetened, or lumps are formed, which disfigure and
discolour it.
ICES, to make Fruit-water.
_Ingredients._—To every pint of fruit-juice allow 1 pint of syrup.
_Mode._—Select nice ripe fruit; pick off the stalks and put it into
a large earthen pan, with a little pounded sugar strewed over; stir
it about with a wooden spoon until it is well broken, then rub it
through a hair sieve. Make a syrup, without white of egg; let it cool
add the fruit-juice, mix well together, and put the mixture into the
freezing-pot. Proceed as directed for Ice Puddings, and when the
mixture is equally frozen, put it into small glasses. Raspberry,
strawberry, currant, and other fresh-fruit-water ices, are made in the
same manner. _Time._—½ hour to freeze the mixture. _Average cost_,
3_d._ to 4_d._ each. _Seasonable_, with fresh fruit, in June, July, and
August.
[Illustration: DISH OF ICES.]
ICING, Almond, for Cakes.
_Ingredients._—To every lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar, allow 1
lb. of sweet almonds, the whites of 4 eggs, a little rosewater.
_Mode._—Blanch the almonds, and pound them (a few at a time) in
a mortar to a paste, adding a little rosewater to facilitate the
operation. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a strong froth; mix them
with the pounded almonds, stir in the sugar, and beat altogether.
When the cake is sufficiently baked, lay on the almond icing, and put
it into the oven to dry. Before laying this preparation on the cake,
great care must be taken that it is nice and smooth, which is easily
accomplished by well beating the mixture.
ICING, Sugar, for Cakes.
_Ingredients._—To every lb. of loaf sugar allow the whites of 4 eggs,
1 oz. of fine starch. _Mode._—Beat the eggs to a strong froth, and
gradually sift in the sugar, which should be reduced to the finest
possible powder, and gradually add the starch, also finely powdered.
Beat the mixture well until the sugar is smooth; then with a spoon or
broad knife lay the ice equally over the cakes. These should then be
placed in a very cool oven, and the icing allowed to dry and harden,
but not to colour. The icing may be coloured with strawberry or currant
juice, or with prepared cochineal. If it be put on the cakes as soon
as they are withdrawn from the oven, it will become firm and hard by
the time the cakes are cold. On very rich cakes, such as wedding,
christening cakes, &c., a layer of almond icing is usually spread over
the top, and over that the white icing as described. All iced cakes
should be kept in a very dry place.