Soyer's standard cookery

INGREDIENTS. — Twelve ounces of chestnuts (weighed after the skins are removed), two ounces of chocolate, four ounces of cakecrumbs, four ounces of flour, four ounces of butter, two ounces of castor sugar, eight eggs, one pint of milk, one teaspoonful of essence of vanilla. METHOD. — Bake or roast the chestnuts, remove both skins, put them into a stewpan with a very small quantity of water, cook until tender, then rub through a fine sieve. Break the chocolate into small pieces, put it and the milk into a stewpan, and simmer until dissolved. In another stewpan melt the butter, stir in the flour, cook for two or three minutes, then add the milk, and stir until it boils. The cakecrumbs must now be added, and the mixture stirred and cooked until it leaves the sides of the stewpan clear. Allow it to cool a little, then beat in the yolks of the 'eggs, and add the chestnut puree and the vanilla essence. Whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, stir them lightly into the mixture, pour into a well-buttered mold, cover with buttered paper, and either steam for one and a half hours or bake in a moderately hot oven for one hour. Serve with vanilla or custard sauce. Chestnut Amber. INGREDIENTS. — One pint of chestnuts, one pint of milk, four ounces of breadcrumbs, two ounces of castor sugar, two ounces of butter, four eggs, two lemons, vanilla essence, puff paste. METHOD. — Bake or roast the chestnuts for about twenty minutes and remove the skins. Put them into a stewpan, with just* sufficient water to cover the bottom of the pan, simmer gently until tender, and rub through a fine sieve. Simmer the thinly-cut rind of the lemon and the milk for fifteen to twenty minutes and strain it over the breadcrumbs. Cream the butter and sugar together, until thick and smooth, add the yolks of the eggs, the juice of the lemon, a few drops of vanilla essence and stir in the chestnuts, breadcrumbs and milk. Have the pie-dish ready lined with paste, as directed for Apple Amber, pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderately hot oven from twenty-five to thirty minutes, or until the mixture is firm and brown, and the paste sufficiently cooked. Whip the whites to a stiff froth, sweeten with a little sugar, pile lightly on the top of the pudding, and dredge well with castor sugar. Return to the oven until the meringue is set and acquires a little color. Chestnut Pudding. Parboil and peel a quart of chestnuts and then let them cook very gently for an hour with a cupful of milk. Next rub the whole through a fine sieve and add a cupful of sifted sugar, half a teaspoonful of vanilla, a small pinch of salt, and a little powdered mace. Now stir in the whisked yolks of five eggs, after which beat the whites to a very stiff froth and add to the other materials. When thoroughly blended place the whole in a dish and bake for a quarter of an hour. It may be eaten either hot or cold and is generally served with jam or whipped cream. Chocolate Pudding. INGREDIENTS. — Eight ounces of chocolate, four ounces of cakecrumbs, four ounces of flour, four ounces of butter, two ounces of castor sugar, eight eggs, one pint of milk, one teaspoonful of vanilla essence.