The girl's own cookery book

This cream is very good moulded by itself, and served with custard Creams. Sometimes jellies and creams are put into a mould which is fitted with a cylinder inside. Clear jelly is put into the outer portion of the mould ; and when this has set, the inner cylinder is taken out and the centre is filled with cream. Cylinder moulds are rather expensive ; but a cheap substitute may be made with a plain round mould and a gallipot, or a circular mould and a small basin. When these are used, the small mould is placed inside the other until the outer portion of jelly is set. It is then removed, and the vacant space is filled with cream. Blanc-mange, or as it means literally, white food, ought, strictly speaking, to be always flavoured with almonds. It is, however, very usually flavoured with laurel leaves, cinnamon, lemon, or essence. It may be made with calves’ feet stock, gelatine, cornflour, or arrowroot, and is generally named after the ingredient of which it is composed ; thus we have cornflour blanc-mange, ground rice blanc-mange, arrowroot blanc-mange, etc. When gelatine is used proceed as follows : Soak an ounce of gelatine in as much milk as will cover it, blanch and pound half an ounce of sweet almonds and four or five bitter ones, and moisten them every now and then with a few drops of water to keep them from turning to oil. Put with the paste rather less than a quart of new milk, and turn it into a saucepan with the soaked gelatine and a little sugar. Stir the mixture over the fire until the gelatine is dissolved, and strain it through a napkin into a jug ; and when it is almost cold mould it, and be careful to pour it off slowly and gently for fear any sediment still remains at the bottom. If the flavour is liked, a larger quantity of almonds may be used, but flavouring of any kind is like sugar. Some people like an abundance, and others are satisfied with a mere suspicion. A cook, however, should study the taste of those for whom she labours. If she satisfy them, and is able to lay the flattering unction to her soul that they have reason to be satisfied, she may disregard theories. Cream alone, or cream and milk, is sometimes used when a very rich blanc-mange is wanted. When this is introduced, the blanc-mange should first be made with milk, and the cream should be added afterwards unboiled. io8 The Girl's Own Cookery Book. Blanc-mange made with cornflour is very easily prepared. Take four even tablespoonfuls of cornflour, which has been mixed to a smooth paste with a little cold milk, pour gradually on it a quart of boiling milk, which has been sweetened pleasantly, and flavoured either with lemon, cinnamon, or essence ; stir it well to keep it from getting into lumps, put it back into the saucepan, and boil it for two or three minutes, or till it leaves the side of the saucepan with the spoon, stirring it briskly all the time. Pour it into a damp mould, and when cold and set, turn it upon a glass dish and serve it with stewed fruit. For the sake of appearance blanc-mange can, if liked, be coloured with a little cochineal, or a little bright-coloured jelly maybe set at the bottom of the mould before the blanc-mange is poured in.