COMPOTES OF FRUIT SIMPLIFIED.

As I usually make them when alone, or for a very homely dinner-party. The whole of the following must be done over a very slow fire.

888. PEARS.-Cut six ripe middling-sized pears in halves, peel neatly, cut out the cores, and put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, the juice of a lemon, the thin rind cut into strips, and a very little drop of water; set them upon the fire, stewing them until tender; they will form their own syrup; put them in a basin until cold, when they are ready to serve.

889. RIBSTON PIPPINS.-Peel and cut four apples into quarters, take out the cores, and stew them as directed for pears, but using the rind of an orange instead of the rind of a lemon.

890. ORANGES.-Prepare four oranges as directed (No. 886), which put into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and the juice of another orange; set them upon the fire, and when the syrup becomes sufficiently thick to adhere to the pieces of orange, they are done; when cold, dress them in a circle upon your dish, with strips of angelica between each.

891. APRICOTS.-Cut eight unripe apricots into quarters, which put into a stewpan, with four ounces of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and a drop of sherry, set them upon the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally, until the apricots are tender, but not broken; a very few minutes would be sufficient to stew them, and when cold, they are ready to serve.

For Peaches, proceed exactly the same; but if too ripe, they must be done as directed for compote of peaches.

892. GREENGAGES AND OTHER PLUMS.-Put twelve into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of sugar, the juice of a lemon and a little drop of water, set them over the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally until the fruit is tender, but not mashed; when cold, dress them in pyramid, and pour the syrup over.

893. CHERRIES.-Cut the stalks of a pound of Kentish cherries rather short, and put the fruit into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of sugar and the juice of a lemon; place

them over the fire (occasionally shaking the pan round), letting them simmer about two minutes, when take them out with a colander-spoon, and put them into a basin until cold, reduce the syrup, to which add sufficient isinglass to set it as a jelly, and pour it upon a large plate until set, when dress the cherries pyramidically, just dip the bottom of the plate containing the syrup into warm water, and turn it as a jelly over the cherries.

894. GREEN GOOSEBERRIES.-Put a pint of green gooseberries into a stewpan with two ounces of sugar and a little sherry, place them over a sharp fire, as the quicker they cook the better colour they will keep; when tender but not broken, pour them înto a basin, and when cold they are ready to serve.

895. RED RHUBARB.-The small forced rhubarb (Mitchell's Royal Albert) is by far the best. Cut about half a pound of it into pieces half an inch in length, which put into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar and a wineglassful of water; set it over a sharp fire, occasionally shaking the stewpan round, and when quite tender pour it into a basin until cold; when it is ready to serve, should the syrup be too thin, add sufficient isinglass to set it, and when cold dress it pyramidically upon your dish.

896. CURRANTS AND RASPBERRIES.—Pick the stalks from a pint of currants, which put into a stewpan with half a pint of raspberries and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar; set them upon the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally until boiling, when pour them into a basin to cool. Should the syrup be too thin, which would be the case if the fruit is too ripe, drain the fruit from it, reduce it by boiling, and when cold, pour it again over the fruit, which will be then ready

to serve.

897. ROYAL ICEING FOR CAKES.-Have ready a pound of the best white sugar, which pound well and sift through a silk sieve, put it into a basin with the whites of three eggs, beat well together with a wooden spoon, adding the juice of half a lemon, keep beating well until it becomes very light and hangs in flakes from the spoon (if it should be rather too stiff in mixing, add a little more white of egg, if, on the contrary, too soft, a little more sugar), it is then ready for use where required.

i

898. CHOCOLATE ICEING FOR CAKES is made similar to the last, but when finished have ready a piece of the common chocolate, which melt in a stewpan over the fire, keeping it stirred; when quite melted stir some of it in with the iceing until you have obtained the colour required, moistening the iceing with a little more white of egg, and use where directed.

899. SUGAR IN GRAINS is made by pounding a quantity of sugar in a mortar, and sifting off all the fine through a hair sieve, then again what remains in the sieve put into a rather coarse wire sieve, and that which passes through is what is meant by the above term.

900. HOW TO GIVE COLOUR TO SUGAR.-Prepare about half a pound of the sugar as in the last, which put upon a baking-sheet; have a spoonful of the essence of spinach, which stir in with the sugar until every grain is strained, then put them in a warmish place to dry, but not too hot to colour them red, use a little prepared cochineal or liquid carmine, instead of the spinach, and proceed exactly the same: sugar may be made of other colours by the use of indigo, rouge, saffron, &c.; but not being partial to such a variety of colouring, I have merely given the red and the green, which, with the white, I consider to be sufficient for any of the purposes for which they are used.

901. SUGAR OF VANILLA.-Chop a stick of well-frosted vanilla very small, and put it into a mortar, with half a pound of lump sugar, pound the whole well together in a mortar, sift through a hair sieve, and put by in a bottle or jar, corking it up tight, and using where required.

902. SUGAR OF LEMON.-Rub the rind of some fresh lemons upon a large piece of sugar, and as it discolours the part upon which it is rubbed scrape it off with a knife; when you have obtained a sufficient quantity, dry a little in the screen, and bottle for use where required. Orange sugar may be made in the same manner, substituting very red oranges for the lemons.

903. HOW TO MAKE CLEAR SUGAR.-Break three pounds of fine white sugar, the hardest and closest grained is the best, put it into a sugar-pan, with three pints of clear spring water, set over a sharp fire, and when beginning to boil place it at the corner to simmer, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, skim well and reduce to two thirds, it is then ready to use for jellies.

If not able to obtain the best quality of sugar, it would be necessary to use white of eggs as an assistance in the clarification, by putting the white of one egg in a basin and whipping it well with a pint of cold water; add half of it to the sugar, whipping it well in, let simmer, adding the remainder by degrees whilst simmering, and passing it through a fine cloth into a basin. The boiling of sugar is divided into seven different degrees, which may be ascertained by the following directions:

The first degree is known by dipping a copper skimmer into it whilst boiling, turning it over two or three times; if the sugar falls from it in sheets it has attained the first degree.

The second is known by boiling your sugar rather longer, dipping your finger and thumb into cold water, then your finger into the boiling sugar, putting your finger and thumb together, and again opening them, it will form a kind of thread; if it is too weak boil a little longer; this is the most useful degree for fruit or water ices.

The third degree is attained by boiling it a little longer, and trying it in the same manner; upon the thread breaking, should it form a kind of pearl, it has attained the above degree; the sugar in boiling would also be covered with a quantity of small bubbles resembling pearls.

The fourth degree is attained by boiling it still longer; dip a skimmer into it, turn, take out, and blow it hard, when the sugar will form little bladders and float in the air; this degree is called the soufflé.

For the fifth degree boil still longer, trying it in the same manner, but blowing harder; the bladders will be larger and adhere together, forming feathers; this degree is called la plume, or the feather.

The sixth is called le petit casée, and is obtained by boiling the sugar a little longer: to know this degree, have a pint of cold water in a basin, into which you have put a piece of ice, dip your finger into it, then into the boiling sugar, and then into the water again, take the piece which adheres to the finger and bite, if rather crisp, but sticking to the teeth, it has attained that degree.

The seventh and last requires great attention: to attain it, boil rather longer, dip your finger in as before, if it cracks and does not at all adhere to the teeth in biting, it is done, take from the fire, and it is ready for use for making any kind of sugar orna

ment.

When intended for such purposes, however, add a little tartaric acid when it arrives to the degree la plume, and pour it into a smaller sugar-pan, allowing it to reach the rims, it will be then unable to burn round the sides as if in a larger pan; if such a thing should, however, happen in a larger pan, wipe the interior of the pan round with a sponge previously dipped in cold water, or it would discolour the sugar.

Ornaments of spun sugar I have a very great dislike to for a dinner; but, if required, the sugar must be boiled to the last degree. Should the sugar grain, it may be brought back by adding more water, and when dissolved, boiling over again; in spinning sugar you must keep the bulk of it in a warm temperature, having a little in a smaller pan for use, which keep in a melted state, by placing it in a bain-marie of hot water, or in a hot closet.

904. SILK THREAD, OR SPUN SUGAR. - Having boiled your sugar to the seventh degree, as in the last, oil the handle of a wooden spoon, tie two forks together, the prongs turned outwards, dip them lightly into the sugar, take out and shake them to and fro, the sugar running from them over the spoon forming fine silken threads, proceeding thus until you. have as much as you require, take it from the spoon and form it with your hands into whatever may be directed for the garnishing of any dish, not, however, too thick, or it would look heavy. An experienced hand would prefer doing it from the lip of the

sugar-pan.

Other kinds of ornaments from sugar are made in a similar manner by oiling a mould or shape and running threads of the sugar from the lip of the pan over it as tastefully as possible, but as I have not referred to it in this work I will not enter into its details. These are more fit for suppers than dinners.

905. VANILLA ICE CREAM.-Put the yolks of twelve eggs in a stewpan, with half a pound of sugar, beat well together with a wooden spoon, in another stewpan have a quart of milk, and when boiling throw in two sticks of vanilla, draw it from the fire, place on the lid, and let remain until partly cold, pour it over the eggs and sugar in the other stewpan, mix well, and place it over the fire (keeping it stirred) until it thickens and adheres to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammy into a basin, let remain until cold, then have ready a pewter