Principles of cookery

Blend two tablespoons cornstarch with an equal bulk of milk, heat remainder of one cup milk in double boiler. Stir the hot milk into the moistened starch, return to double boiler, stir on stove till thick, put over water, cover and cook twenty to thirty minutes or longer. Add two tablespoons sugar, a bit of salt, flavor and put in moulds. Variations : For liquid use part thin cream and part strong coffee, or all fruit juice. Put layers of raw or cooked fruit alternately with the blanc mange in the moulds. Blend two tablespoons of cocoa with the sugar before it is added to the cornstarch mixture. Irish Moss Blanc Mange.* Soak one-half cup of Irish moss in cold water, pick over, wash and cook with one quart of milk in double boiler for about half an hour. Strain, add a teaspoon of vanilla or *From Home Science Cook Book. other flavor and one-fourth teaspoon of salt. Put in moulds. Or, cook moss in one pint of water, strain and add one pint of scalded thin cream. Use of Gelatine. One level tablespoon granulated gelatine will stiffen about one pint liquid. Different makes of sheet, shredded, granulated and powdered gelatine may be used interchangeably by weight. A larger proportion of gelatine is required for large moulds than for small. A little salt improves most gelatine combinations. Soak gelatine in cold water until soft, dissolve by adding boiling liquid, sweeten and flavor with coffee, lemon, or other fruit juices and pulp. Keep the proportions of gelatine and total liquid right. A little more gelatine is required in hot weather, unless ice is used. Such jellies may be served with whipped cream or boiled custard. Every package of gelatine is accompanied with directions for its use. Fruit Pudding. Make a jelly flavored with fruit juice, slightly increasing the proportion of gelatine. As it begins to stiffen, combine nearly an equal amount of fruit with it. With each half cup of jelly, may be used one date, one-half fig, two or three almonds, one-fourth orange, one-fourth banana, etc. Snow Pudding or Fruit Sponge. Beat one egg stiff and add one cup half stiffened jelly gradually. Or, beat the jelly till frothing and blend the stiff egg with that. Mould and chill. Serve with soft custard sauce made of the egg yolks. Bavarian Cream. Stiffen a soft custard, or fruit juice, or combination of the two, with .gelatine. As it begins to stiffen, fold in stiff whipped cream. Baked Custards. Scald one pint milk. Beat two eggs till smooth, add one-fourth cup sugar, a bit of salt, and blend with the hot milk. Strain into buttered molds, set in a pan of hot water and bake until firm. Put a thin knife blade in center of custard and if done no milk will adhere to the blade as it is removed. The same proportions may be used for custard pies, or may be combined with cooked rice for a pudding. Soft Custard. Use the same proportions as for baked custards, or three egg yolks in place of two whole eggs. Pour hot milk over the beaten eggs, stirring constantly. Sugar may be added before or after cooking the custard. Return milk and egg to the double boiler and cook, stirring all the time until the custard thickens and coats the spoon, three minutes or longer. If cooked too long the custard will curdle. Cool quickly. Flavor before serving. Egg Timbals.