Fruit recipes

Line sides of baking-dish with pastry and fill middle of dish with fresh or soaked, pitted prunes. Sprinkle over them sugar with a tablespoon of flour and bake. When fruit is tender and juicy pour over it the yolks of three eggs, beaten with a spoonful of cream, one-half cup each of sugar and cake crumbs. Bake till done when place on top a meringue made with the whites of the eggs and half a cup of sugar flavoured with vanilla. Let brown. SHERRIED PRUNES Wash, then soak prunes over night, simmering next day, in very little water, till tender enough to pit. Have soaking a half-box of gelatine (this quantity to each original quart of prunes put to soak) and place prunes with the gelatine in stewpan till gelatine is thoroughly melted. Add a heaping teaspoon of sugar, the grated juice and rind of two oranges and one-half cup of sherry; remove from fire; let cool, then place on ice to chill. This will not make a solid form but should be of the consistency of thick custard. PRUNE SPONGE This may be made with the prune pulp instead of the whole fruit. (See Introductory Recipes.) PRUNE GELATINE Allow one-half box of gelatine to each pound of prunes which should be soaked over night (after thorough washing), simmered fifteen minutes, and pitted. Have the gelatine soaking in cold water—one-half pint of water to each half box of gelatine—and when soft pour on it one pint of boiling water with juice of two lemons and one and onehalf cups of sugar. Let cool, stirring till it thickens slightly when place half of this in a wet mould. When firm lay on it the prunes and pour over them the rest of the jelly. The gelatine may be made into plain lemon or wine jelly. instead of being merely flavoured with lemon. Serve with whipped cream. PRUNE SOUFFLE Take one-half pound stewed prune pulp (prepared as for soup); add juice of one lemon, three-fourths cup of sugar, and the stiff-whipped whites of four eggs. Turn into the soufflé dish, sprinkling sugar over the top and baking in brisk oven ten minutes, or till brown. INDIVIDUAL PRUNE PUDDINGS Make as above but bake in cups or ramekins, serving cold with whipped cream. “PRUIN SAUCE” (Squire Hardcastle) “"Certainly there is no better relish for game, mutton, lamb,fowls of every sort, even roast pork, provided it be tender and crisp enough. Wash a pound of small prunes and put them on in plenty of cold water with the juice of two lemons and their thin yellow peel, four blades of mace, two dozen whole cloves, and a bunch of whole allspice, reinforced with a single peppercorn. Cook for two hours, simmering gently and filling up as the water wastes. Then put in two cups of sugar and simmer another hour until the syrup is thick and rich. Then add a half cup of cider vinegar, let boil five minutes, and your sauce is done. It is in truth a very rich, sweet pickle, which will keep indefinitely. Martha McCulloch Williams.’ PRUNE SNOW This is made as for Prune Soufflé but served at once, uncooked. PRUNE ICES For a simple ice simmer one pound of prunes till tender, remove pits, and put through coarse sieve. This may be used with the foundation syrup for water ices, adding juice of one lemon for each pint of the mixture. It may also be added to the foundation ice cream or custard (see Introductory Recipes), or the stewed prunes, pitted, may be packed and frozen (whole) with the addition of any tart fruit juice. For custards, tapioca, etc., see Introductory Recipes. CHAPTER VIII THE NORTHERN PAPAW (Asimina triloba)