sugar before baking. Or, when a thin coating of icing is desired, they are, when nearly baked, brushed over with well-beaten white of egg, and well-dredged with castor sugar.
Tarts, Tartlets, Etc.
1675.—ALMOND CHEESECAKES. (Fr—Tartelettes aux Amandes.)
Ingredients.—Short paste No. 1667, or 1668, 4 ozs. of ground almonds, 4 ozs. of castor sugar, ¾ of an oz. of cornflour, ½ an oz. of butter, 1 whole egg, 1 yolk of egg, raspberry or strawberry jam, nutmeg.
Method.—Beat the eggs, add them gradually to the cornflour, and stir until perfectly smooth. Add the sugar, almonds, butter melted, and a pinch of nutmeg. Line 9 or 10 patty pans with paste, spread about ½ a teaspoonful of jam on the bottom of each one, and fill with the mixture. Bake from 20 to 25 minutes in a moderately hot oven.
Time.—40 to 45 minutes. Average Cost, 10d. Sufficient for 9 or 10 tartlets.
Almonds.—Almonds are the fruit of the Amygdalus communis, cultivated throughout the whole of the south of Europe, Syria, Persia, and northern Africa; but England is mostly supplied with those that are grown in Spain and the south of France. There are two varieties, distinguished in commerce by the names of Jordan and Valentia almonds. The former are imported from Malaga, and are longer, narrower, more pointed, and more highly esteemed than the latter, which are imported from Valentia. Bitter almonds are a different variety and are principally obtained from Morocco, and are exported from Mogador.
1676.—APPLE AMBER.
Ingredients.—6 large apples, 3 ozs. of moist sugar, 2 ozs. of butter, 3 eggs, ½ a lemon, paste trimmings, or 4 ozs. of No. 1667, or 1668, ground cinnamon, ground cloves.
Method.—Peel, core and slice the apples, put them into the stewpan with sugar, and 1 tablespoonful of water, simmer gently until tender, then rub through a hair sieve. Return the apple pulp to the stewpan, add the lemon-rind, finely-grated, lemon-juice, and a good pinch each of cloves and cinnamon. Re-heat, then stir in the butter and yolks of eggs, and cook until the mixture thickens. Meanwhile line the edges of the dish with paste, and ornament the extreme edge with small leaves or rounds of the same, arranged to slightly overlap each other. Pour in the apple preparation, and bake in a moderate oven until set. Have ready the whites of eggs whisked to a stiff froth, and sweetened with a little castor sugar, arrange in a rocky form on the top of the pudding, sprinkle liberally with castor sugar, and, if liked, decorate with cherries or candied fruits. Replace in the oven until the meringue hardens and acquires a little colour, and serve either hot or cold.
Time.—About 1¼ hours. Average Cost, 1s., exclusive of the paste. Sufficient for 6 or 7 persons.
