Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Norfolk Biffins, Dried.— The Norfolk biffin, or biffin, is the name given to a hard, sweet apple well known in Norfolk, which is remarkable for being rosy coloured both inside and out, and which is prepared by being baked gently in the oven, flattened into the form of a round cake, and so preserved. Biffins may afterwards be stewed, like Normandy pippins, or made into pies. They may be purchased ready dried, but if prepared at home should be baked very gently, taken out every now and then to cool, slightly flattened, and then put into the oven again. if great care is not taken they will burst, and so be spoilt. Probable cost, uncooked, 2s. per pound. Norfolk Dumplings.— Beat two eggs thoroughly. Add a cupful of milk, a pinch of NOR (458) NOT salt, and as much flour as will make a stiff batter. Have ready a pan of fast-boiling water. Drop the batter into it, in small lumps, and when boiled enough, serve immediately ; if allowed to stand, the dumplings will become heavy. Time to boil, ten minutes. Probable cost, 4d. Sufficient for four persons. Norfolk Dumplings (another way).— When bread is made at home, take a little of the dough just ready for the oven, make it up into small balls about the size of an orange, drop them into fast-boiling water, and when done enough, drain them, and serve immediately. Send melted butter, sweetened and flavoured with lemon juice, to table with them. The dumplings should be torn apart with two forks when they are eaten, or they will be heavy. To ascertain if they are done enough, stick a fork quickly into them ; if it come out clear, they are sufficiently cooked. Time, about a quarter of an hour. Probable cost, 3d. Sufficient, one pound of dough for about four people. Norfolk Punch. — Take the rind of sixteen fresh lemons and sixteen Seville oranges, pared so thinly as to be quite free from white. Put them into an earthenware jar, pour over them two quarts of brandy, and let them infuse for forty-eight hours. Strain the brandy, mix with it a syrup made by boiling two pounds of loaf sugar with three quarts of water until quite clear. The syrup must have become cold before it is added to the brandy ; add the strained and filtered juice of the oranges and lemons; mix thoroughly, put the liquor into a perfectly clean spirit-cask, or into a jar ; let it remain for six weeks, when it may be bottled or not, as is most convenient. This punch will improve with keeping : some persons add a pint of new milk before putting it into the cask. Probable cost, 3s. 6d., exclusive of the brandy. Sufficient for a gallon and a half of punch. Norfolk nice. — Pick off the white meat from a dried haddock. Tear it into shreds with two forks, and mix with it the whites of three hard-boiled eggs, a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, and an equal quantity of rice boiled as if for curry, and shaken over the fire with a little fresh butter until quite hot. Pile high on a hot dish ; mix the yolks of the eggs with a little grated Parmesan, and strew the mixture over the rice and fish. Put the dish in the oven, or hold a hot iron shovel over it, to brown it slightly, and garnish with fried sippets. Serve as hot as possible. Time, five minutes to colour the rice. Probable cost. Is. 3d. Sufficient for four or five persons. Norfolk's Pudding, Duke of (see Duke of Norfolk's Pudding) ;