=PUReE OF FRUIT SAUCES=

Strawberries, raspberries, peaches and apricots make excellent pudding sauces. Mash the fruit and press it through a colander or coa.r.s.e sieve; sweeten to taste; serve hot or cold; if hot, let it come to the boiling-point and thicken with arrowroot, using one teaspoonful to a cupful of puree.

=PINEAPPLE SAUCE=

Chop the pineapple (fresh or canned) fine; sweeten and thicken with arrowroot. Serve with fritters, corn-starch, rice, or batter puddings.

=BOILED CUSTARD SAUCE=

Yolks of 2 eggs.

1 cupful of milk.

2 tablespoonfuls of sugar.

1/4 teaspoonful of vanilla.

Beat the yolks and sugar to a cream; pour over them the scalded milk; return to the fire to cook the eggs, but let it only slightly thicken; remove; add the flavoring and beat with a wire whip to make it light and foamy. When served with plum pudding add rum or brandy to flavor it.

Almonds chopped fine improve it for hot puddings.

=CHOCOLATE SAUCE=

Put a half cupful each of sugar and water in a saucepan and let boil five minutes. Let the syrup cool, then stir it slowly into four ounces of unsweetened chocolate melted; add one half teaspoonful of vanilla.

Let it stand in a pan of hot water until ready to serve; then add one half cupful of cream or of milk.[447-*]

FOOTNOTES:

[447-*] This sauce should be smooth and of the consistency of heavy cream. If it is to be used with ice-cream, omit the cream or milk and make it of the right consistency with water. See also page 435.--M. R.

=BISCHOFF SAUCE=

Put in a saucepan one cupful of white wine, one cupful of hot water, and sugar to taste; add the zest of one half of an orange and one half of a lemon; let it come to the boiling-point; remove from the fire; take out the orange and lemon peel and add one half cupful of seedless raisins, one tablespoonful of shredded almonds, and a tablespoonful of finely shredded candied orange and lemon peel; cover and let stand a half-hour.

When ready to serve let it again come to the boiling-point. Serve with cabinet puddings.

=RICHELIEU SAUCE=

Put one cupful of sugar into a saucepan with one cupful of boiling water; let it boil five minutes; add one teaspoonful of arrowroot moistened with a little water, and cook until clear; then remove from fire. Flavor with one tablespoonful of kirsch and add two tablespoonfuls of shredded almonds and candied cherries cut into small pieces.

=MERINGUE SAUCE=

Whip the whites of two or three eggs to a very stiff froth. Take as many tablespoonfuls of sugar as you have egg-whites; add a little water and let it cook to the ball (see page 512), or so that when dropped into water it will roll into a ball between the fingers. Turn this hot syrup slowly onto the whipped eggs, beating all the time; then beat it over the fire for a minute where the heat is moderate. This is called Italian meringue. Remove it from the fire and add a little lemon-juice or kirsch to take away the excessive sweetness; or a little currant jelly can be used, also grated orange-peel and shredded candied peel; serve it at once. This is a good sauce for souffles or light puddings.

=HARD SAUCE=

Beat together one half cupful of b.u.t.ter and one cupful of sugar until they are very white and light; flavor with vanilla, wine, or brandy. The success of this sauce depends upon its being beaten a long time. It may be varied by beating with it the yolk of an egg, or adding the whipped white of an egg after the b.u.t.ter and sugar are beaten. Let it stand on ice to harden a little before serving.

=STRAWBERRY SAUCE=

Make a hard sauce as directed above; add the whipped white of one egg and a cupful of strawberries mashed to a pulp. Any fruit-pulp may be added in the same way and makes a good sauce for fruit puddings.

=COCOANUT SAUCE=

Make a hard sauce as directed above; add the yolks of two eggs; when it is very light and creamy add the whipped whites and a cupful of grated cocoanut.

=COLD JELLY SAUCE=

Stir a half gla.s.sful of grape, currant, or any jelly until smooth; then beat into it lightly the whipped whites of two eggs. Serve with any light pudding or with jelly.

CHAPTER XX

PIES AND PUFF-PASTE

[Sidenote: Seasons.]

The American pie is perhaps the most ridiculed of all dishes.

It has, however, great popularity and undoubted merits. Were the crust, especially the under one, always right, it would remove the most salient point of criticism. The tart pies, made with puff-paste, are a temptation to the most fastidious taste. The mince pie, probably the most indigestible of all, is the one universally accepted as a treat, and seldom refused by the scoffer. Pies have their seasons, like other good things, the apple pie being the only one served the year round. The berries and fruits, each one in their time, make most acceptable and delicious pies and tarts, while rhubarb introduces the spring, and pumpkin announces the autumn. In this day of canned and dried fruits the season need not be so strictly observed, but fresh fruits will always be preferable to preserved ones, and tradition goes far to hold the place for pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, and mince pie at the Christmas feasts.

=PIES=

PLAIN PASTRY FOR PIES

1 quart of flour.

1 cupful of b.u.t.ter.

1 cupful of cold water.

1 teaspoonful of salt.

Or use one-half b.u.t.ter and one half lard or cottolene.

This quant.i.ty gives enough for three or four pies. Cottolene makes good pastry. The shortening may be mixed, but the flavor is better where b.u.t.ter alone is used. The richness of pastry depends upon the amount of shortening used.

Sift the salt and flour together, reserving a little flour for the board. With a knife, cut the b.u.t.ter into the flour. Add the water a little at a time, and mix it in lightly with the knife; turn it onto the board, and roll it twice--that is, after it is rolled out once, fold it together and roll it again. If the paste is wanted richer for the top crust, put bits of b.u.t.ter over the paste when rolled; fold and roll it again several times. Fold the paste, and put it in the ice-box for an hour before using, keeping it covered. In making pastry everything should be cold, the handling light, and the hands used as little as possible. Paste will keep several days in a cool place, but should be rolled in a napkin, so it will not dry and form a crust.

_To Put a Pie Together._--Roll the paste one eighth inch thick, and a little larger than the tin. Dust the pan with flour; place the paste on it, letting it shrink all it will. Lift it from the sides to fit it into place, and press it as little as possible. Cut a narrow strip of paste, and lay around the edge; moisten it so it will stick. Brush the top of the bottom crust with white of egg, so the filling will not soak in and make it heavy. Put in the filling, and cover with another sheet of pastry. Moisten the top of the strip of pastry so the top crust will adhere to it; this gives three layers around the edge. Trim and press them lightly together. Cut several slits in the top crust to let the steam escape in cooking.

A thin piece of paste cut into fancy shape can be placed in the center for ornament if desired.