The household cook book

FRUIT CHEESES. Fruit cheeses are somewhat like marmalades, and they are generally used for desserts. Stone fruits, like plums, quinces, etc., make the best. The method is usually to boil the fruit until it is soft enough to pass through a sieve, and then the pulp is boiled with sugar until it will solidify when cold. Cherries are often used, and berries sometimes. APRICOT CHEESE.— Wipe apricots, cut them into pieces, and take equal quantities by weight of apricots and sugar; wipe the inside of the preserving pan with fine salad oil, put in the fruit, and boil it to a pulp, stirring all the time: add the sugar, continue to stir, and boil sharply till it is a golden brown; it will cling to the spoon when done, and leave the pan clear. Pour it into small molds and cover. It takes about 6 hours to make. Some people blanch and shred the kernels and add them. 500 FRUIT PASTES The Apricot is a native of Armenia, and belongs to the same species as the plum. Its delicious fruit much resembles the peach. It only keeps a short time, and is either eateu fresh or is made into preserves or jelly. It has sometimes been condemned for its laxative qualities, but this may have been caused by eating the fruit when unripe, or in too great quantities. Delicate persons should use a liberal quantity of powdered sugar with them if they eat them uncooked. The kernels are sometimes used for the same purposes as almonds. Apricots contain rather less water, and more sugar and pectine than peaches. DAMASK CHEESE — Split 4 doz. plums, and take out the stones; pare, core, and slice 2 doz. pears and 2 doz. apples; put the whole in layers into a stone jar, and put them into a cool oven; when sufficiently tender press them through a coarse sieve into a preserving pan, and stir in 1 lb. of sugar to every pound of fruit. Stir them over a moderate fire until very firm. Cut into slices after it has become sufficiently cool. QUINCE CHEESE. —This is simply marmalade which has been boiled down very thick, and put into little jars. It will be as solid as cheese when turned out, and it can be served for tea or luncheon, cut into slices like cheese. PLUM CHEESE — Add enough water to keep from burning, and boil the i^lums; now mash them, strain, and add ^ lb. good brown sugar to 1 lb. plums; boil down until thick, with continual stirring, and i)ut in small jars. It will turn out firm as cheese, and can be served for tea or luncheon cut in slices. FRUIT PASTES. These are a kind of marmalade, consisting of the i)ulp of fruits, first evaporated to a proper consistency, and then boiled with sugar. The mixture is then poured into a mold, or spread on sheets of tin, and afterwards dried in the oven or on the stove until it assumes the form of a paste. Strips may be cut from one of these sheets and formed into any shajDC desired. Use only fine white sugar for these pastes. Use a wooden spoon to stir them with, and watch them carefully, as, if they burn in cooking it will spoil them. The cakes can be cut up and kept in tin or paper boxes with layers of paper between; they are fine with desserts.