Domestic

New Zealand Tablet, 24 June 1915, Page 57

Domestic

(Bi Maureen.)

;-AV ■ :-y' r ' ' -•- ■...-,;r-'A-v-?:’■ Or--. ■ ■.- V • . ' ' " ... ' Making Sweets.’ ■ ... First prepare the cream. - Take l£lb best icing . sugar,' sixpennyworth of thick cream, and half a tea-,, spoonful' of 'cream of tartar. Rub the sugar through a % fine wire sieve into a howl, add the cream of tartar; mix well and make into a stiff paste with the cream, adding a little at a time; mix very thoroughly with . a : wooden spoon. Allow this to stand for an hour before using. ■ This cream is the foundation of a great variety of sweets,' therefore it is best to prepare a fairly large quantity if many are to be made. -f • ?; Creme de Menthe, or, peppermint creams, are made thus: Take £lb prepared cream and six drops of best oil of peppermint. Work the oil of peppermint well into the cream roll out on a sugared board to about £in in thickness. Cut out into rounds with a small-sized cutter dipped into castor sugar between each cut. The pieces can be pressed together and rolled out several times until every scrap is used up. Place on wire tray to dry, well sprinkled with castor sugar. Turkish Delight.—-11b loaf sugar, loz French leaf gelatine, 1 orange and 1 lemon, cochineal to color, onethird pint of water. ? Cut the rind of the orange and the lemon off as thinly as possible; squeeze the juice of both,. and strain* it into a small double saucepan add to this two tablespoonfuls of warm water, and the leaf gelatine, and set on the side of the fire to dissolve. Put the sugar and the rest of the water into another saucepan, and when it lias dissolved, put it nearer the fire, and let-it boil for ten minutes: add the gelatine solution, with the rind of the fruit. Stir well, and allow to simmer for about ten minutes. Wet two plates,- or flat dishes, in cold water and strain half the mixture on to 'one of them : color the remainder with the

— cochineal,, and strain it - on, to the :■ other -plate.; Allow ; • :' them stand.: until ' the i next day Loosen the edges, . and pull the sweetmeat off, using a little cornflour to? V prevent it sticking to the fingers. Cut it into pieces,, dust well with cornflour - and j spread on a wire tray 'to * dry for-several hours. - Keep it ;in a tin or it will ' ■.become -sticky. 'c Black currant juice may be : substituted ** for other juices/ ‘ The two colors may be put: one on the s. top of the other before cutting up and finished as above. , , Marrons Glace, or Glace'Chestnuts. lngredients; 12 chestnuts, lib'loaf sugar,- crushed, 1 pint of water. . Remove the shells from as many chestnuts as required, and pour boiling water over them : after a few minutes the skins can be easily removed. Throw them into boiling water, and simmer slowly until tender. Put the sugar and water into a good-sized saucepan, place, on ■ the side of the fire, and stir until dissolved ; then put in the chestnuts one by one, and cook until clear. Place them carefully on a sieve, and drain until cold. Dip them into the hot glaze quickly one at a time with a wire fork or ring, and place on a sheet of tin which must be slightly oiled with/sweet oil to prevent' them sticking. ■' It is best to make this glaze in small quantities only, as it candies quickly after it has been removed from the fire. , „ _ ~./ ' '- "~ , -5 Steaming of Fish. * . > Fish may be cooked by steam instead of boiling it. It is a slower process, but the flavor of the fish is retained better than by boiling. The fish is placed in a steamer which fits on to a saucepan, and success depends upon keeping plenty of water boiling under it. Small pieces of fish may be steamed in ,a covered plate,, placed over a pan of boiling water. - ’ • Keeping Food Hot. ■,/.,//? To keep food hot for a late comer, arrange the,meat? and vegetables on a large dinner plate, then set a soup plate on the back of the stove, fill with boiling hot water? set the dinner plate over it and cover with a plate, a deep one preferred. This will keep the food hot and fresh. If gravy is to be served, set it in a deep saucepan of boiling water and cover.