SWEET OMELETS
OMELET A LA WASHINGTON
Put three eggs into a bowl, and three into another bowl. Add three tablespoonfuls of water to each, and beat. Have two omelet pans, in which you have melted butter. Grate an apple into one bowl, and into the other put a little salt and pepper. Stand two tablespoonfuls of jelly in a dish over hot water while you cook the omelets. Proceed as for plain omelet. The one to which you have added the apple, turn out on a plate. Before folding the other, put in the center the softened currant jelly, then fold it and turn it out by the side of the other omelet. Dust both with powdered sugar, and send at once to the table. Serve a portion of each.
OMELET WITH RUM
Make a plain omelet with six eggs, turn it on a heated platter. Dust it with powdered sugar, and score it across the top with a red-hot poker. Dip four lumps of sugar into Jamaica rum and put them on the platter. Put over the omelet four tablespoonfuls of rum; touch a lighted match to the rum, and carry the omelet to the table, burning. Baste it with the burning rum until the alcohol is entirely burned off.
SWISS SOUFFLE
Allow one egg to each person. Have everything in readiness. The maraschino cherries must be drained free from the liquor. Separate the eggs. Beat the whites until they are stiff. Add a level tablespoonful of powdered sugar to each white, and beat until dry and glossy. Add the yolks of three eggs. Mix quickly. Add the grated rind of one lemon and a tablespoonful of lemon juice. Heap this into individual dishes. Make a tiny little hole in the center and put in a maraschino cherry, leaving the hole large enough to hold a tablespoonful of the liquor when the omelet is ready to serve; dust it with powdered sugar, bake in a quick oven about three minutes, take it from the oven, pour in the maraschino juice and send _at once_ to the table. These will fall if baked too much, but when well made and served quickly, is one of the daintiest of desserts.
OMELET A LA DUCHESSE
This is a sweet baked omelet, and is served the same as one would serve an omelet souffle.
6 eggs
1/2 cupful of water
1/2 a lemon's yellow rind, grated
1/2 cupful of thick cream
1/2 cupful of granulated sugar
1 teaspoonful of vanilla or orange flower water
1 small bit of cinnamon
Put the sugar, water, cinnamon and lemon rind over the fire, boil until it spins a thread and stand aside to cool. Separate the eggs; beat the yolks until creamy, and add the cream, then the strained syrup. Add the vanilla, and when cool fold in the well-beaten whites. Turn at once into a shallow silver or granite dish, dust thickly with powdered sugar and bake in a quick oven until brown.
OMELET SOUFFLE
This is, perhaps, one of the most difficult of all dishes to make. When, however, you have accomplished the art, you have one of the most satisfactory desserts. Like the preceding recipe, it must be made at the last moment and sent from the oven directly to the table. The eggs must be beaten to just the right point and the oven must be very hot. Get everything in readiness before beginning to make the souffle.
Select a bowl, perfectly clean, and arrange the star tube and pastry bag, if you are going to use one. If not, get out a baking dish. Sift six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. Separate six eggs. Put three of the yolks aside (as you will only use three), and beat the other three until creamy. Beat the whites until they are very stiff but not dry or broken. Now add three tablespoonfuls of the sifted powdered sugar. Beat for fully ten minutes. Then add the beaten yolks, the grated rind of a lemon and at the last a tablespoonful of lemon juice. Mix carefully and quickly, but thoroughly. Put four or five tablespoonfuls of this in the bottom of a platter, or baking dish. Put the remaining quantity quickly in the pastry bag, and press it out into roses. It is easier to make it in small rosettes all over the foundation. Dust quickly with the remaining three tablespoonfuls of sugar. Bake in a quick oven until golden brown. This will take about five minutes. Serve immediately. To be just right, this must be hot to the very center, crisp on top, moist underneath. If baked too long, the moment the top is touched it will fall, becoming stringy and unpalatable.
Omelet souffles are frequently flavored with rum, which must be mixed with the sugar. Sometimes they are sprayed with sherry just as they are taken from the oven. They may be built up into different forms, and garnished with candied or maraschino cherries, or chopped nuts.