NOTES FOR WOMEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20643, 15 February 1929, Page 17

NOTES FOR WOMEN

RECIPES FOR THE ELECTRIC REFRIGERATOR. By Thora. The first thing everyone asks is, “ How long will it take? ” and this is difficult to answer. Ice cream varies according to consistency, materials, temperature it starts from, temperature of freezer, load on shelves, and, very important, how often the doors are opened and how much hot air is let in. Machines differ in temperature settings. In _my own, starting from about freezing point in the special cool chamber (not an ice tray), and with current at “ full,” using a fruit and whipped cream mixture with a trace of gelatine, 1 should allow over two hours, and probably four, since once the cool chamber drops below 20 F. the ices freeze quicldy in the drawers, and, when set a medium ” or “ low,” will hold the temperature if the doors are not opened. If the cooling coils can be wrapped in a cloth to conserve cold, the process is accelerated. In any case, it pays to put ices in early and let them take their time. Thin custard or watery fruit ices should be stirred once or twice during the process to prevent formation of water crystals. The addition of a little gelatine does the same thing; also, it helps a set and gives peace of mind to the anxious experimenter. With thin custards a little cornflour or plaiu flour, say, two level tablespoonfuls to a pint of milk will give body and smoothness. Gelatine is not then necessary. FRUIT MOUSSE.

cups fruit pulp, free of lumps or seeds.

1 pint cream, Half teaspoonful vanilla extract. ~ Enough powdered sugar to sweeten thoroughly.

About one teaspoonful powdered gelatine.

Mix fruit and sugar well. Dissolve a full teaspoon of gelatine in a little fruit juice or water; cool, and add to fruit. Whip cream, mix all thoroughly, colour if necessary, pour into freezing trays, and freeze, tf no gelatine is used, this mixture takes ®“°urs to set unless a temperature of w-A: * c -? 01 chamber ”is attained. With stone fruits a few drops of essence ot almonds is an improvement unless the kernels are addded. Half custard, half whipped cream, is cheaper and sets easier. PLUM PUDDING GLACE. Make a very rich custard, well flavoured With chocolate. The chocolate should be grated and melted with a spoonful of water in a double boiler, as it catches easily. Prepare some seeded raisins, shred peel, a _ few crystallised cherries, some shred ginger and any other fruit liked, by soaking (marinading) for an hour or S?J? a little sherry and water till plump Cool the custard and put it in the freezmg tray, adding, if available, some whipped cream. When it is frozen to a batter, drain the fruit and stir in well. If your freezer holds a mould, this puddmg looks well moulded, and if used for Christmas can be made to look like a real hSlv P rL d “ e an , d . sel T ed with » sprig of ,° 1 J y TiT .,^ he usual hard sauce, well chilled and with a little extra brandy in it, is a good accompaniment. This is a very .I 3 . 1 ; 6 del,clous sweet. The original quantities were a quart of custard to fib ° ne has to be guided by the capacity of the trays to be filled. CHEERY MOUSSE.

Stalk and stone a pound of well-flav-oured cherries, preferably Morellas; sprinlde lavishly with sugar and add a little water. Cook 10 minutes or less, adding the juice of a lemon and the blanched kernels. (A hatpin is useful to ratract the _ kernels and two kitchen weights with flat surfaces make good breakers.) Rub through a fine sieve, taate, and add a few drops of essence of almonds if necessary, a few drops of vanilla to bring up the flavour, and, if Jiked, some cherry brandy. Mix this either with two parts whipped cream to one of pulp (having the pulp cool first) or one-part pulp, one-part custard, onepart whipped cream, or use all custard ®“ l , n ?. cre .“J n ; ? nJ y whipped cream is used, it Will be safer to dissolve a level dessertspoonful of powdered gelatine in the cherry pulp. If time is short and the freezer uncertain, the gelatine could be increased a little while, if the cream and the pulp are both thick it could be reduced. This ice should be served with a rtierry sauce, either hot or cold, made with stoned, sweetened cherries cooked in a syrup, flavoured with a little plain or* cherry brandy a little vanilla, and a few kernels. It is better not frozen too solid and if gelatine is used it will turn out safely. It is worth remembering that any fruit mousse that is not used up or does not freeze properly can always have .more gelatine added, when, if moulded, it becomes an ordinary "shape”' and can be used accordingly. COFFEE ICE.

This is nicest if the coffee is infused in milk instead of water, strained through a cloth, and the milk used as the foundation of a custard. Sweeten to taste, remembering that sugar loses its strength in freezing. If possible, add up to eaual quantity of whipped cream. If using a thin custard, dissolve a little gelatine in it. Always cool well before adding whipped cream or putting in freezer. VANILLA ICE. This is a useful ice to serve with hot or cold sauces of various kinds. Use any custard, the richer the better natur*ii y ’ Possible, some whipped cream added, sweetened and well flavoured made with ™ ey cheap ire can be 1 pint milk. loz cornflour or plain flour (2 level tablespoons). 3oz sugar. Flavouring 1016 r a r ' cber custard). Mix the flour smooth with two tablespoons of cold milk.

pin } °J T ilk -. s , tir in the blended cornflour, and boil with the sugar five minutes. Beat the egg, cool I l ii ’ 5? i P°’ ,r ,° n to the egg, beating boil ’ aXi* fl’ 14 . tbicken s~it must not bo il;. Add the vanilla cool and freeze. au 3 ,P lx * ure does not require gelatine as the flour or cornflour acts as a binder. It is vastly improved by the addition of whipped cream, but even plain, specially l{A 18 W se e d by a fr Hit sauce and frozen hard (it freezes easily), is qll it e a good econommal sweet, and is, in fact, a standard American foundation recipe. Crushed pineppla, mashed bananas, with demon added, apricots, currants, raspberries, strawberries, all make good ices if sieved free from seeds (which seem to increase in size if frozen), always remembering that vanilla improves the flavour, and that whipped cream makes the most delicate ices, though if custards ar e whipped while cooling it adds greatly to their smoothness of texture. '

HOT CHOCOLATE SAUCE. 4oz sugar, 1 gill water; boil five minutes. i. lr slowl y oz beet vanilla cooking chocolate grated. Dissolve smoothly standing pan m another of hot water five or six minutes. Stir in at end 1 gill thick cream end a little vanilla. This will do a large party. Half is enough for a small family. Serve with vanilla ice cream, FRUIT SAUCE. * Any fruit, stoned, if necessary. Stew with a strong syrup, or if ready cook°d. cook the syrup till thickish. Flavour with a little almond or vanilla, or both or a little brandy to take off the excessive sweetness. Serve hot or cold with ices. With stone fruits som-a kernels improve the flavour. JELLIES,

Smart jollies can bo made by using two or more colours, letting each layer set before adding the next, which should he just at setting point. A refrigerator is a great help with these. ■ DRINKS.

Mostly fizzy drinks and wines are' improved by chilling. No not put still Wines in the freezer without consulting the man of the house. Cool beer is popular, frozen claret is not. In any case put bottles on the warmest' shelf or the corks may fly out too soon. If your freezer makes water ice in Quantity and easy, but refusee to freeze creams, you can always manage by putting the cream mixture in a tightfy-lided mould, sealing it with grease and burying it id a bowl containing alternate layers of ice and salt. The salt should be proper freezing salt or rough dairy salt, and the process is hastened by increasing the Quantity of salt. Allow from one part salt to four parts ice for fairly slow freezing, or one part salt to two parts ice for quicker or more difficult freezing. Time depends on the thickness of

tli® mould, and the quantity of ice avail* able, but most recipes advise about five hours, stirring the mixture once or twice, but being careful to wipe away any trace of salt before opening the mould. It is better to begin with a layer of ice, then salt, then ice, etc., and when the container is full, half a cup of cold water poured over will start the ice melting and so hasten the work. The brine formed should be poured off occasionally, but enough ice and salt must be available to ■Yfl parts of the mould in contact IT? ui l *’, includin S top and bottom. If the blocks of ice are large they should be broken up finely. One of the “ vacuum freezers can be charged with the ice from the refrigerator if enough is available to fill it. A layer of paper put over the cream before the lid is fastened down is a precaution against salt. Too quick freezing gives a rough texture, so does too little sweetening, while slow freezing 81Y e a smooth ice. Mixtures containing chiefly whipped cream with gelatine do not need stirring. These do not freeze very solid unless great cold is available, and care must be taken in turning out. they should be served on a well chilled plate and eaten swiftly. To turn out it, hard, turn upside down, and run the cold tap over them for a second, loosen the edges, and they will fall out, or, wipe over with a just tepid cloth, stand for a moment in the air, and loosen the edges. Moulds which have been in ice aind salt « i c ve the salt very carefully wiped pit before the seal of lard or dripping is undone. A pinch of salt improves most l 9 e ?’ j u^ T a PJ 0M thful, of it is not appreciated. Lastly, paper cups can be used as moulds and frozen in the trays, but they take up space which is generally precious and square ones made of rather strong paper at home may be hotter.