Cookery for every household

The simplest way of serving ices is to put portions sufficient for one person on little ice plates. A tiny lace-edged paper should be laid on the plate first. Little cone-shaped servers are sometimes used to give the ices a more attractive shape. The iced mixture is pressed into the server, then reversed on the plate, when a turn of a key loosens the ice and it slips out. Another simple way of serving ices is to put them in pretty glass cups or in little fancy paper cases ; these latter might match the flowers, in colour at least, that are decorating the table. The top of the ices may be daintily de- corated with a few crystallised flower petals, such as rose leaves or orange blossom, or even a light sprinkling of finely-chopped pistachio nut, but the decoration must on no account be overdone. A Ice-Server small sprig of maidenhair fern, or one or two lovely rose petals, make a very dainty decoration for an ice when they can be procured. Wafer biscuits should always be served with ices. For serving moulded ices (see p. 485.) SIMPLE ICES 1. WATER ICES Water ices may be divided into several different classes, according to whether they are made with fruit juice, fruit puree (made from fresh fruit, tinned fruit, or jam), and a syrup, liqueur, or perfume. Perfumed ices are seldom used alone, but generally as an accompaniment or filling to another ice. In the making of all water ices, a syrup of sugar and water is required. Plain sugar and water may be used, but it is better to prepare the syrup first as below : If a water ice has to be moulded it is a good plan to add two or three sheets of dissolved gelatine to the hot syrup. 2178. Syrup for Water Ices 1 pt. water. | lb. loaf sugar. The juice of \ lemon. Put the sugar and water into a lined saucepan, bring to the boil, and boil for 10 minutes, removing any scum that rises. Add the lemon juice and strain through fine muslin. Sufficient for about 1| pints syrup. 2179. Apple Water Ice (Glace aux Pommes) 1 lb. apples. J pt. water. 1 inch cinnamon stick. Rind and juice 1 lemon. 2 oz. sugar. Syrup for ices. Rum. Choose good sound apples, peel, core, and slice them. Put them into a jar with the water, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon rind and stew them until tender. Then rub them through a hair sieve and strain in the lemon juice. To \ pint of this puree add | pint syrup for ices (see above) and i glass rum or a little liqueur. Stand till cold and then freeze. 2180. Apricot or Peach Water Ice (Glace aux Abricots ou aux Peches) | pt. apricot or peach puree. \ pt. syrup for ices. 2 or 3 drops carmine. Juice of 1 lemon. A few drops essence of almonds or 1 dessertsp. of noyeau. Tinned fruit may be used. Rub it through a hair sieve until a sufficient quantity is obtained. Some of the syrup must be used along with the fruit as the puree must not be too thick. Make the syrup (see above), add it to the fruit puree along with strained lemon juice in the above proportions, and the flavouring. Make the mixture a peachy colour with a few drops of carmine, and, when cold, freeze in the usual way. 2181. Banana Water Ice (Glace aux Bananes) 1 gill banana pulp. \ pt. syrup for ices. 1 gill orange or lemon Yellow colouring, juice.