The encyclopædia of practical cookery

caster sugar, a piece of lemon-zest, and 1 pinch of salt ; add to this 1 wineglassful of milk. Put the pan on a moderate fire, and stir it well. When it commences to bubble put it back, and add the whites of four eggs well whipped, stirring continually until it is nearly cold. The crust of the Cake being baked and cold, dip the little choux into sugar icing, one at a time, then place them close together, side by side, round the top circle of the choux paste, and upon each of these little choux place a preserved cherry also dipped in the icing. Put the Cake on a dish, fill the hollow with the cream mixture, and let it stand for twenty minutes, when it will be ready to serve. (4) Put 2oz. of butter into a lined saucepan with 1 breakfastcupful of cold water, place it over the fire until hot, then throw in Jib. of flour in which £ teaspoonful of sugar has been added, and stir the whole rapidly until thoroughly mixed. Take the saucepan off the fire, continue stirring the contents for a minute or two, let the paste stand for a minute or two, then mix in four eggs, one at the time, stirring well after each egg is added ; then let the paste stand for half-an-hour. Put 2oz. of flour on a paste-board with 2 table-spoonfuls of sugar, loz. of butter, 1 saltspoonful of salt, and a small quantity of powdered cinnamon. Add one beaten egg, and work the whole until quite smooth. Roll the paste out Jin. in thickness, and trim it to a round shape ; lay it on the bottom of a buttered baking-dish, and spread a thin layer of the first prepared paste over it. Put more of the paste into a pastrybag, and squeeze it out all round the Cake, making a border. Prick the centre of the paste in several places with a fork and inside of the border. Brush the border over with a paste-brush dipped in beaten egg, and bake it in a brisk oven. Put the remainder of the paste in small quantities on a buttered baking-dish, and bake them also. In the meantime prepare the following cream : Put the yolks of five eggs into a saucepan with 5oz. of caster sugar and 1 teacupful of milk, and beat them well ; place the saucepan over a slow fire, and stir the contents with a wooden spoon until rather thick, then take it off the fire before boiling, or the eggs will curdle ; flavour the mixture with any kind of essence, and turn it on to a plate to cool. Beat the whites of the five eggs to a stiff froth, and mix in 2 table-spoonfuls of the mixture while still beating ; then let it rest a little before mixing in the remainder of the cream mixture ; it will not require any more beating, but it should be very lightly stirred. If stirred too much the cream is in danger of becoming too liquid. When the Cakes are cooked, take them out of the oven, pile the cream in the centre of the large Cake, raising it in a pyramid form, and smoothing it over with the blade of a knife. Put 2oz. of sugar into a saucepan with 2 tablespoonfuls of water, and place it over the fire until reduced to a syrup that when tried in cold water will immediately become brittle (see Sugar-boiling). Do not stir the syrup much. Dip the top of each of the small Cakes or choux into it, holding them on the point of a fork or skewer ; place a small candied plum on the top of each, then arrange them around the cream on the border of the Cake (see Fig. 292). Serve the Cake when cold.