Practical household cookery

Meringues, if put in a dry place, can be kept a long time, and may often be served with advantage as a sweet, if filled with either whipped cream or preserve ; therefore, whenever whites of eggs are to be had, they should be employed for the purpose. Whisk the whites of twelve eggs to a firm white froth ; then with a table-spoon mix veiy lightly one pound of sifted sugar, taking care not to work the froth too much, for fear of softening it. Cut some stiff white kitchen paper into strips two inches wide, and with a table-spoon gather the froth nearly full, by shaping it up at the side of the bowl in the form of an egg; and drop it upon one of the bands of paper, at the same time drawing the edge of the spoon sharply round the outer base of the meringue, so as to give it a smooth and oval appearance, in order that it may resemble an egg; proceed in this manner until the froth is all used up, keeping the meringues about two inches apart from each other. As each band is filled, place them close to each other on boards of about an inch thick, made for that purpose with well-seasoned wood, and cut, of course, to the size of the oven ; sprinkle some sifted sugar over the meringues, and put them in a very moderately heated oven to bake of a light fawn-colour. When done, each meringue must be carefully removed from the paper. Scoop out the white part of the inside with a demi-spoon, place them in neat order on a baking-sheet, and return them to a very dark oven to dry, taking care not to let them acquire any more colour. When cold, they can be stored away in a box in a dry place; and when wanted, whip some double cream, season it with a little pounded sugar and either a few drops of orange-flower water or a little pounded vanilla; garnish each meringue with a tablespoonful of this cream; join two together, dish them up in a pyramidal form on a napkin upon a dish, and serve. ^T'/f. — Corrant jelly or any kind of marmalade can be snbstitoted for whipped cream, bat a teaspoonfal of either will be found sufficient. 868. HOW TO FREEZE ICES. In order to be able to freeze ices, creams, &c, it is necessary to have at hand an ice-tab with a hole and peg to it, an ice-pot or freeeer, and an ioe-spaddla A freezer with two or three partitions is the best adapted for family use, as by that means two or three sorts of ices can be made at the same time, without extra tabs and rough ice. The freezer, properly cleaned, must be put in the centre of the tub, in a cool place, surrounded with roughly pounded ice, mixed with three or four handfuls of common or bay salt, within two inches of the top of the freezer. Pour in the mixture intended for freezing, lay a piece of white paper across the top, and put the lid on ; then begin to turn the freezer by the handle of the lid from right to left for about twenty minutes, when the lid must be taken off to see if the mixture begins to freeze at the sides ; work this with the spaddle by pushing it in the centre, and continue turning the pot every two seconds; put the lid on and repeat the taming until the mixture is firmly set ; then draw the water off by taking out the peg; replenish it with fresh ice and a handful of salt, place a damp flannel over the top, and keep it in a very cool | wanted. 869. LEMOM-WATEB ICES. Rub off the rind of two lemons on some lump! add the juice of ten lemons, a pint and a half i Ryrup (Xo. 856), and half a pint of plain wi thoroughly and Btmin through a hair sieve, anc previously described. 870. CHERRT-WATEB ICE. Pick oS the stalks of two pounds of cherr them in a mortar with their stones ; rub them tammy; then add the strained juice of three Ii pint and a half of clarified syrup, and half a pin Mix and freeze as in So. 868. 871. ICED VANILLA CBEAH.