Temperance cook book

A good rule for custard is five eggs to a quart of milk, and a tablespoonful of sugar to each egg. A small pinch of salt and two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, dissolved in a little cold milk, and added to the custard, improves it very much. Creams and custards that are frozen, must have at least one-third more sugar than those which are not to undergo this process. In heating the milk for custards, do not let it quite boil before adding the yolks. Take the scalding milk from the fire, and instead of pouring the beaten eggs into it, put a teaspoonful of the milk to them, beating well all the while, adding more milk as you mix, till you get it all in. Return all to the fire, and scald until the mixture is of the right consistency. Fifteen minutes should thicken a quart. Stir constantly. Custards are much nicer and lighter if the yolks and whites are beaten separately, the latter stirred in at the last. To WHIP CREAM. First, let the bowl and the whisk be not only scrupulously clean, but let them be cold. If a whisk has been hanging in the hot atmosphere of a kitchen, it is not fit to whip cream with. The whisk as well as the bowl should be rinsed in cold water before they are used. The old fashioned osier whisk is preferable to a tinned one. Let the operation be carried on in the pantry, or in a room where there is no fire, and when the weather is hot, place the bowl on ice, or in a larger bowl containing cold water. As to the mode of whipping, the whisk should be held lightly in the hand, and we know no better expression to describe the way to work than that the whisk should be used in a playful manner. Some cooks will put into the cream a small quantity of gelatine, dissolved in milk, or the white of an egg, or a pinch of gum tragacanth, all of which will, no doubt, help the frothing. SNOW CUSTARD. One quart of sweet milk, five eggs, pinch of salt, two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch; flavor with lemon. Set the milk on top of the stove in a clean vessel, then separate the eggs, beat the whites into a stiff froth; when the milk is scalding hot, slip the whites on top of the milk, turning them gently, so that they will not cook, then lift them out on a plate; whip up the yolks, with one cup of sugar, stir the scalding milk into the eggs gradually; set it on the stove, and let it come to a boil; add the salt and the cornstarch, stirring all the time the milk is scalding. The very moment it comes to the boiling point, lift it off — if it boils it will curdle — flavor to taste with lemon or vanilla; let it get cold, put it in a glass dish, and put the froth on top. BAKED CUSTARD. One quart of sweet milk, four eggs beaten separately, five tablespoonfuls of sugar, mixed with the yolks, nutmeg and vanilla. Scald but not boil the milk; add by degrees to the beaten yolks, and when well mixed, stir in the whites; flavor, and pour into a deep dish, or custard cups of white stone-china. Set these in a pan of hot water, grate nutmeg upon each and bake until firm. Eat cold, from the cups. STEAMED CUSTARD. Make the same as for baked, and steam until they are firm in the center. CREAM CUSTARD.