Cookery for every household

1817. Apples and Semolina au Gratin (Pommes Gratinees a la Semoule) 4 large apples stewed in syrup. 3 cupfuls of milk. 2 table-sps. semolina. Sugar. 2 or 3 yolks of eggs. Vanilla. 3 macaroon biscuits. A little butter. Peel the apples, cut them in quarters, and cook them in syrup according to directions given in Recipe 2083, then drain them well. Put the semolina into a saucepan with the milk and cook it until soft; sweeten it to taste, and flavour with vanilla or any other flavouring preferred. Then stir in the yolks of eggs without letting the mixture boil again. Grease a fireproof dish or pie dish, and arrange the semolina smoothly at the bottom. Place the apples on the top, in a circle or according to fancy. Crush the macaroons to crumbs and sprinkle them on the top. Put a few pieces of butter here and there, and bake in a moderate oven until thoroughly hot throughout. Serve in the same dish. Apricot or orange sauce may be served separately. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Probable cost. 1s. 1818. Baked Apricot Pudding | tin apricots. 2 oz. potato flour. 1 oz. butter. 1 gill apricot syrup. 3 gills milk. 2 eggs. 1 or 2 table-sps. sugar. Strain the apricots from their syrup and cut them in small pieces. Mix the potato flour smoothly with a little of the milk, and put the remainder into a saucepan to heat. Pour the hot milk over the potato flour, and return all to the saucepan. Stir until boiling, add the pieces of apricot, the apricot syrup, butter, and sugar. Mix all together and cook a few minutes. Then remove the saucepan from the fire, and stir in the yolks of eggs and lastly the whites beaten to a stiff froth. Put the mixture into a greased pie dish, and bake in a moderate oven. Time to bake, about 20 minutes. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Probable cost, lOd. 1819. Croutes of Apricot Fresh apricots. Bread. Butter. Sugar. Wipe some fresh apricots, cut them in halves and remove the stones. Have ready some round or oval-shaped croutes of white bread, cut rather more than £ inch in thickness. Spread them with butter and arrange them on a greased fireproof dish. Place one or two pieces of apricot on the top of each with the cut side uppermost, lay on a few small pieces of butter, sprinkle with sugar, and bake in a moderate oven until the fruit is cooked and the bread nicely browned. When ready, sprinkle again with sugar and serve hot with cream. Note. — Peaches and large plums may be prepared in the same way. Time to bake, about 20 minutes. 1820. Aunt Elizabeth s Pudding 1 large cupful stale bread. 1 pt. milk. 1 dessert-sp. sugar. Grated rind \ lemon. 2 yolks. 2 table-sps. jam. 2 whites of eggs. 1 table-sp. castor sugar. A few glace cherries. Break the bread in small pieces and put it into a greased pie dish, heat the milk to boiling point and pour it over it. Allow this to soak for half an hour, then stir in the yolks of eggs, grated lemon rind, and dessert-spoonful of sugar beaten together. Bake in a moderate oven until firm to the touch. Now remove the pudding from the oven and spread the jam on the top. Beat up the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, stir in the castor sugar and pile it over the jam. Decorate with a few small pieces of cherry, dredge with sugar, and return to the oven to dry and slightly brown the meringue. Time to bake, about £ hour. Sufficient for 4 persons. Probable cost, 7 d.