Cassell's dictionary of cookery

crust [see Crust, Suet). Before moistening it mix half a pound of diied currants with every pound of flour. Add milk to make a light batter, and boil either in one large diunpling tied in a floured cloth, or in half a dozen without cloths. In the latter case the dumplings should be dropped into boiling water, and be looked after at first to see that they do not stick to the pan. Serve with lemon-juice and sugar. Time to boil, one hour and a half with a cloth ; half an hour without. The dumplings will rise to the top when done enough. Probable cost, lOd., for half a dozen small dumplings. Currant Fool.— Strip some fresh, ripe red currants from the stalks, and stew them gently with three table-spoonfuls of sugar to every pint of fruit. Press them through a sieve, and when nearly cold mix with them finely-grated bread-cruml s and cream or new milk. Time to stew the currants, half an hour. Probable cost, 6d. Sufficient for four or six persons. Currant Fritters.— Whisk three eggs thoroughly, and mix with them gradually six table-spoonfuls of fine flour and a pinch of salt. Beat the mixture until quite smooth, then add CUR ( 172) CUR one pint of milk. Put a little lard or dripping into a frying-pan. AVhen quite hot, stir a handful of picked and dried currants into the batter, and drop it into the pan in fritters about the size of a penny bun. Three or four may be cooked together, but they must be kept apart. When lightly browned on one side turn them over on the other. Drain the fat from them, and serve them on a hot napkin. Time to fry, a few minutes. Probable cost, 8d. Sufficient for four persons. Currant Fritters without Eggs.— Mix a pint of mild alo with as much Hour as will make a thiclc batter. Take care that it is perfectly smooth and free from lumps. Add a few currants, a little sugar and grated nutmeg, and fry as in the last recipe. Sufficient for four persons. Time to fry, a few minutes. Probable cost, od. Currant Jam, Black. — Take equal weights of pounded lump sugar and picked fruit. Put the fruit in the preserving-pan, and pour into it two table-spoonfuls of water for every pound of fruit; boil and skim. When the fruit has boiled for twenty minutes, add the sugar. Stir the fruit well to keep it from burning, and boil it half an liour longer, counting from the time when it simmers equally all over. Put a spoonful of the juice and fruit to cool upon a plate. If the juice runs off, the jam must be boiled longer, if it jellies it is clone enough. The jam will not keep unless the fruit was gathered when dry. Probable cost, 8d. per pound. Sufficient, a pound of fruit with sugar for a pound of jam (see also the close of the recipe Currant Jelly, Black). Currant Jam, Black (superior) .—Boil two pounds of black currants until the juice flows freely. Put the fruit through a sieve, leave behind whatever will not pass through. Boil the pulp for five or six minutes, lift it from the fire, and stir into it a pound of powdered loaf sugar. Boil it again until it thickens, and pour it into jars for use. Time to boil the pulp with the sugar, a quarter of an hour. Probable cost, currants 4d. per quart. Currant Jam, Red and White.—