Modern cookery, in all its branches

Ice Pail and Freezer. [chap. xxvm. When the composition which is to be frozen is ready, the rough ice must be beaten quite small with the mallet, and either mingled quickly with two or three handsful of powdered saltpetre, or used with a much larger quantity of salt. The freezing-pot must then be firmly placed in the centre of the ice, which must be pressed closely into the vacant space around it until it reaches the top. The cover of the ice* pot, or freezer, may then be removed, and the preparation to be iced poured into it. It should then be turned by means of the handle at the top, quickly backwards and forwards for eight or ten minutes ; then the portion which will have frozen to the inside must be scraped well from it with the ice-spoon and mingled with the remainder : without this the mass would be full of lumps instead of being perfectly smooth as it ought to be. The same process must be continued until the whole of its contents are uniformly frozen. The water-ices which are made in such perfection on the continent, are incomparably superior to the ice-creams, and other sweet compositions which are usually served in preference to them here. One or two receipts which we append will serve as guides for many others, which may easily be compounded with any variety of fresh summer fruit.* lied Currant Ice. — Strip from the stalks and take two pounds weight of fine ripe currants and half a pound of raspberries ; rub them through a fine sieve, and mingle thoroughly with them sufficient cold syrup to render the mixture agreeably sweet, and, — unless the pure flavour of the fruit be altogether preferred, — add the strained juice of one large or of two small lemons, and proceed at once to freeze the mixture as above. Currants, 2 lbs. ; raspberries, \ lb. ; sugar, f to 1 lb. ; boiled for 6 or 8 minutes in a pint of water and left till quite cold. (Juice of lemon or lemons at pleasure.) Strawberry and raspberry water-ices are made in precisely the same manner. To convert any of these into English ice-creams, merely mingle the juice and pulp of the fruit with sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten them, or with the syrup as above, and then blend with them gradually from a pint and a half to a quart of fresh sweet cream, and the lemon-juice or not at choice. The Queen s Custard , the Currant , and the Quince or Apple Custard of pages 481 and 482 may all be converted into good ices with a little addition of cream and sugar ; and so likewise may the Countess Cream of page 472, and the Bavarian Cream of page 477, by omitting the isinglass from either of them. * The ices for desserts should be moulded in the form of fruit or other shapes adapted to the purpose ; the natural flavour and colouring are then given to the former, but it is only experienced cooks or confectioners generally who understand this branch of ice-making, and it is better left to them. All the necessary moulds may be procured at any good ironmongers, where the manner of using them would be explaained : we can give no more space to the subject. [CHAP. XXIX.] CHAPTER XXIX. Syrups, Sirups, &c. Antique Wine Vase STRAWBERRY VINEGAR, OP DELICIOUS FLAVOUR.