The "Queen" cookery books: Ices

30 deg. ; at tlie end of twenty-five minutes, 32 deg. ; at the end of thirty-five minutes, it reaches 34 deg. ; gaining a degree with each five minutes’ boiling. Sugar to Spin. — For this dissolve a pound of best cane loaf sugar in half a pint of water, and then boil it to the “ crack ” ; as soon as it has reached this stage, when it looks thick and bubbled all over, test it by lifting a little and dropping it into cold water ; if it is quite brittle, and drops clear of whatever it is lifted with, it is ready ; if, however, it is the least soft or elastic, continue the boiling. When it is ready lift some of the sugar in a spoon and let its contents drop back into the pan till it forms a fine thread ; now hold a slightly oiled rolling pin out shoulder-high with your left hand, and move your spoon first right then left over the pin, keeping the spoon vertical (so that as you spin it the sugar thread will rest on the pin) till you have enough for your purpose. If put away in an air-tight tin, you can keep spun sugar for a little time. Be careful during your spinning not to work in a draught ; also remember to put some clean tins or sheets of paper on the door, that the ends of the threads may not touch the floor. If the sugar gets too cool to spin properly, just melt it over the fire again. The illustration (Fig. 10) shows the process, which is, however, not so easy as it looks, but requires a good deal of practice. Meringue. — This is the name given in France to a mixture made by beating the whites of eggs to a stiff froth with a tiny pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful or two of caster sugar for each egg-white ; this is. used sometimes by the unconscientious to increase the bulk of whipped cream while sweetening it, and is frequently added to sorbets, as it gives lightness, smoothness, and substance to the ice. It is also added to water ices for the same reason, but in that case is better as Italian Meringue, which is made thus: bod one pound of best cane loaf sugar and a pint of water to the ball, then pour it slowly and gently on the whites of six eggs (previously beaten to a stiff froth), and mix it all smoothly toorether. It is well to remember in V O beating egg-whites for meringue, that they should be beaten till quite stiff and standing up in points, then mix in the sugar quickly and lightly without beating it. Fruits Frappes. — Choose sound, ripe fruit, of as many kinds as you please (either fresh or canned, but drain the latter well), halving, quartering, or shcing them, as is most convenient to get them into neat pieces ; have ready a syrup for macedoine, flavoured with lemon- juice and a little brandy to taste (not too much), and pour this over the fruit, mixing it all gently, as you would salad, being careful not to break the fruit. Stand the bowl containing it in ice and salt, and cover it with a bright tin or stewpan lid, on which you pile more of the ice and salt, and let it stand until the syrup has almost set and glazed the fruit, which it should do in from twenty to thirty minutes ; there should be just enough syrup to moisten the fruit without being sloppy. It can then be served as it stands, with or without an accompaniment of whipped or frozen cream, lightly flavoured with vanilla, when it is known as fruit salad, or macedoine de fruits.