Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Peach. — The peach is amongst the most delicious and most highly-esteemed of our fruits. It differs from the nectarine in being covered with a soft down. This fruit, both when fresh and when preserved, is excellent for the table. The young loaves and the kernels possess an agreeable flavour, and may be used in cookery for flavouring purposes. When a peach is of superior quality and in good condition the skin is thin, and ver)' lightly covered with down, the stone small, the pulp firm though full of a delicious juice, and the colour deep and bright on one side {sec also Nectarine and Peach). Peach. Cakes (a pretty dish for a Juvenile Party).— Divide carefully the yolks from the whites of four eggs ; beat the yolks thoroughly, and mix with them six ounces of finely-powdered and sifted loaf sugar, a small pinch of salt, and a few drops of almond flavouring. Beat these ingredients thoroughly , for a quarter of an hour, then dredge in gradually six ounces of fine flour, and afterwards the whites of the eggs, which have been whisked to a solid froth. Beat the mixture five minutes longer, then drop it, in small rounds of uniform size, either upon a buttered and floured bakingtin or upon a sheet of thick cartridge paper ; bake in a brisk oven until they are lightly browned. The cakes must be carefully watched or they will be too highly coloured. When they are sufficiently baked, spread a little peach jam upon the under parts, and stick the cakes together in two, so that they will resemble as nearly as possible a peach in size and shape. Cover them over very thinly with a little white icing, made by beating the whites of two eggs to a firm froth, and then mixing with them half a pound of finely-sifted loaf sugar and a few drops of lemon- juice, the whisking being continued until the liquid looks thick, smooth, and white. Let the icing diy, and, if liked, brush over one side of the Cakes with a little water, coloured with cochineal, to make them look more like peaches. Serve the cakes neatly arranged on a glass dish, with whipped cream in the centre. Time to bake, eight to twelve minutes. Probable cost, 2s. 6d. per pound. Peach Cream Ice.— Divide twelve ripe peaches into halves, blanch the kernels, and put them, with the fruit, into a stewpan, with a syrup, made by boiling six ounces of loaf sugar in half a pint of water until the sugar is dissolved. Stir the contents of the saucepan over the fire until the fruit is reduced to pulp, then press it through a hair sieve into a basin. Add three-quarters of an ounce of gelatine, dissolved in half a pint of water, a pint of whipped cream, and three or four drops of prepared cochineal. Put the cream into an ice-mould that has a cover, and when it begins to thicken PEA ( 520 ) PEA stir it well. When it is quite thick put on the cover, and spread some butter over the opening, so that no water may get into it. Let the ice and saltpetre he at least three inches thick around the mould. When quite firm the peach ice is ready for serving. Time to freeze, three hours. Probable cost, 2s. 6d. per pint, with peaches 2d. each. Sufficient for nearly three pints of ice.