Cookery for every household

\ glass brandy. | lb. sweet almonds. 3 gills good custard. 3 or 4 gills double cream. Sugar and flavouring. Decorations. Split the sponge cakes, spread them with jam, and then cut them in slices about an inch thick. Lay these pieces at the bottom of a glass dish, mixing with them the macaroons broken in pieces, about half the ratafia biscuits, and half the almonds blanched and shred. Pour the sherry and brandy over, and let all soak for J hour. Meanwhile make a good custard (see Recipe 794). Sweeten and flavour it to taste, let it cool, and then pour it over the sponge cakes, &c. A short time before serving, whip the cream until thick, adding to it, if wished, 1 or 2 whites of eggs. Sweeten and flavour, and pile this on the top of the trifle. It will look better if it is put through a forcing bag with a large rose pipe. Now decorate the trifle prettily with the remainder of the ratafias and almonds, and some pieces of bright -coloured preserved fruits, or pistachio nuts. The decoration is very much a matter of taste, and can be more or less elaborate according to fancy. Small fancy biscuits or fancy sweets may be used, or the plain ratafia biscuits may be piped prettily with coloured icing, or spun sugar will make a very light and dainty decoration. Sufficient for 8 or 10 persons. Probable cost, 4s. or 5s. the sides, and sprinkle with chopped pistachio nuts. Sufficient for 6 or 7 persons. Probable cost. Is. 8 d. 2030. Vanilla Cream (Creme a la Vanille) \ pt. double cream. H oz. sugar. | pt. custard. Custard. Vanilla flavouring. 3 yolks of eggs. § oz. sheet gelatine. 1 white of egg. 2 table-sps. water. £ pt. of milk. Decorations. — A little lemon jelly, a few glace cherries. Ornament a lj-pint mould with the above decorations, and put it aside to set (see p. 432). (Any preserved fruit, that will make a pretty contrast to the pale colour of the cream, may be used for decorating, or the jelly may be coloured pink with a little carmine or cochineal.) To Prepare the Cream. — First make the custard. Pour the milk into a saucepan that has been rinsed out with cold water, and bring it almost to the boil. Put the yolks and white of egg into a basin with the sugar, and mix them well together with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk gradually on to them, stirring all the time. Return all to the saucepan, and stir carefully over the fire until the custard begins to thicken. Then strain into a basin. Cut the gelatine into pieces with a pair of scissors, put it into a small saucepan with the water, and stir over the fire, letting it dissolve slowly. Then strain into the custard, being careful not to lose any, and mix well. Put the cream into a separate basin, whip it until thick, add the sugar, and flavour with vanilla essence. When the custard has cooled a little, add the cream to it, and stir occasionally until the mixture shows signs of setting. Then pour into the prepared mould, and set aside in a cool place or on ice until cold and firm. When wanted, turn out on a glass or china dish, and decorate with preserved fruits or chopped jelly. A lace-edged paper may, if liked, be put on the dish first.