Paul Richards' book of breads, cakes, pastries, ices and sweetmeats

1 156.— STUFFED DATES. Select choice dates and remove the seed; fill the opening with half a walnut or pecan-nut; or make a roll of cream fondant and use for filling. 1137.— TO CLEAN RAISINS and CURRANTS. Place them in a coarse sieve and rub with a little flour to break off the stems; after this take them on the table, with one hand push aside the raisins, with the other hand the loosened stems and gravel. Currants require washing. Place the currants in a sieve and set the sieve in a pan of water; soak and wash, changing the water till i t remains clear; the sand will fall through the sieve into the pan. Let the currants dry, and pick over carefully to remove the pieces of gravel which have not been removed in the water. 1158.— COCOANUT ICE OR SHERBET. Take the grated meat and milk of two fresh cocoanuts; add three quarts of water and let slowly come to a boil; set aside and let simmer for fifteen minutes; place in a stone jar and let cool When about lukewarm, strain through a clean towel and add two pounds of sugar, stir till dissolved and add two or three beaten egg whites. Freeze as usual. Desiccated cocoanut may be used if fresh cocoanut cannot be had. Take four to six ounces of the cocoanut to each quart of water and let simmer on the fire for fifteen minutes; cool and strain. Add for each quart, eight ounces of sugar and one white of egg, and freeze. The juice of some lemons or oranges may be added; also the flavor of orange flower water or vanilla extract. 1139.— SPAGHETTI PUDDING. MACARONI PUDDING. Break one pound of spaghetti in one-inch pieces, put in a pan and pour over one quart and one pint of boiling milk; let simmer slowly till soft. Take off the fire and add four ounces of butter and six ounces of sugar and mix together; let cool. Then add twelve eggs: Separate the yolks and mix with four ounces of chopped almonds. Beat the whites firm and draw in carefully. Add a pinch of mace and half a grated lemon rind and bake in buttered mold. Serve with cream sauce. MACARONI PUDDING may be made in the same manner. 1160.— CRUMB GRIDDLE CAKE. To use left over stale bread : Soak the bread in soar milk over night. For each pound of bread take one quart of milk. In the morning rub through a sieve or colander, add four eggs, one ounce of melted butter, and two teaspoonfuls of soda dissolved in water, add a little flour or cornmeal to make it like ordinary griddle cakes. Another way is to grate the bread, or trim off the crust, and soak it in milk or water; add to each pound of it, eight ounces of flour sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder; add three eggs, a little melted butter, salt, and more milk to make a smooth batter, and bake like other griddle cakes. 1161.— ENGLISH CARROT PUDDING. One pound of grated carrots, twelve ounces of finely-chopped suet, one pound of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of boiled potatoes (grated when cold), one pound of brown sugar, one pound and eight ounces of flour, one teaspoonful of soda, a little salt. Mix all the ingredients together dry. Steam or boil in cloth for three hours. When done, take from the cloth; put in the oven to brown and bake for twenty minutes. Serve with wine sauce. 1162— USE OF CONDENSED CREAM AND MILK. For ice cream, use even quantities of condensed cream and water. To each gallon of the mixed cream and water add one pound and twelve ounces of sugar; heat and let cool. Flavor and freeze as usual. Condensed milk contains sugar; to use it, dilute one part of the milk with two parts of boiling water, let cool, flavor and freeze. For richer creams the yolks of eggs may be added in the same manner as for other ice creams. If fresh milk can be used with the condensed cream or milk in place of water, it will make a still richer mixture.