The Book of Household Management
Chapter 192 : GREENGAGE JAM.1552. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit, weighed before being stoned,

GREENGAGE JAM.

1552. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit, weighed before being stoned, allow 3/4 lb. of lump sugar.

_Mode_.--Divide the greengages, take out the stones, and put them into a preserving-pan. Bring the fruit to a boil, then add the sugar, and keep stirring it over a gentle fire until it is melted. Remove all the sc.u.m as it rises, and, just before the jam is done, boil it rapidly for 5 minutes. To ascertain when it is sufficiently boiled, pour a little on a plate, and if the syrup thickens and appears firm, it is done. Have ready half the kernels blanched; put them into the jam, give them one boil, and pour the preserve into pots. When cold, cover down with oiled papers, and, over these, tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg.

_Time_.--3/4 hour after the sugar is added.

_Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Sufficient._--Allow about 1-1/2 pint of fruit for every lb. pot of jam.

_Seasonable_.--Make this in August or September.

TO PRESERVE AND DRY GREENGAGES.

1553. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of sugar allow 1 lb. of fruit, 1/4 pint of water.

_Mode_.--For this purpose, the fruit must be used before it is quite ripe, and part of the stalk must be left on. Weigh the fruit, rejecting all that is in the least degree blemished, and put it into a lined saucepan with the sugar and water, which should have been previously boiled together to a rich syrup. Boil the fruit in this for 10 minutes, remove it from the fire, and drain the greengages. The next day, boil up the syrup and put in the fruit again, and let it simmer for 3 minutes, and drain the syrup away. Continue this process for 5 or 6 days, and the last time place the greengages, when drained, on a hair sieve, and put them in an oven or warm spot to dry; keep them in a box, with paper between each layer, in a place free from damp.

_Time_.--10 minutes the first time of boiling.

_Seasonable_.--Make this in August or September.

PRESERVED GREENGAGES IN SYRUP.

1554. INGREDIENTS.--To every lb. of fruit allow 1 lb. of loaf sugar 1/4 pint of water.

_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water together for about 10 minutes; divide the greengages, take out the stones, put the fruit into the syrup, and let it simmer gently until nearly tender. Take it off the fire, put it into a large pan, and, the next day, boil it up again for about 10 minutes with the kernels from the stones, which should be blanched. Put the fruit carefully into jars, pour over it the syrup, and, when cold, cover down, so that the air is quite excluded. Let the syrup be well skimmed both the first and second day of boiling, otherwise it will not be clear.

_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the syrup; 1/4 hour to simmer the fruit the first day, 10 minutes the second day.

_Average cost_, from 6d. to 8d. per lb. pot.

_Sufficient._--Allow about 1 pint of fruit to fill a 1-lb. pot.

_Seasonable_.--Make this in August or September.

TO MAKE FRUIT ICE-CREAMS.

1555. INGREDIENTS.--To every pint of fruit-juice allow 1 pint of cream; sugar to taste.

_Mode_.--Let the fruit be well ripened; pick it off the stalks, and put it into a large earthen pan. Stir it about with a wooden spoon, breaking it until it is well mashed; then, with the back of the spoon, rub it through a hair sieve. Sweeten it nicely with pounded sugar; whip the cream for a few minutes, add it to the fruit, and whisk the whole again for another 5 minutes. Put the mixture into the freezing-pot, and freeze in the same manner as directed for Ice Pudding, No. 1290, taking care to stir the cream, &c., two or three times, and to remove it from the sides of the vessel, that the mixture may be equally frozen and smooth. Ices are usually served in gla.s.ses, but if moulded, as they sometimes are for dessert, must have a small quant.i.ty of melted isingla.s.s added to them, to enable them to keep their shape. Raspberry, strawberry, currant, and all fruit ice-creams, are made in the same manner. A little pounded sugar sprinkled over the fruit before it is mashed a.s.sists to extract the juice. In winter, when fresh fruit is not obtainable, a little jam may be subst.i.tuted for it: it should be melted and worked through a sieve before being added to the whipped cream; and if the colour should not be good, a little prepared cochineal or beetroot may be put in to improve its appearance.

_Time_.--1/2 hour to freeze the mixture.

_Average cost_, with cream at 1s. per pint, 4d. each ice.

_Seasonable_, with fresh fruit, in June, July, and August.

TO MAKE FRUIT-WATER ICES.

1556. INGREDIENTS.--To every pint of fruit-juice allow 1 pint of syrup made by recipe No. 1513.

[Ill.u.s.tration: DISH OF ICES.]

_Mode_.--Select nice ripe fruit; pick off the stalks, and put it into a large earthen pan, with a little pounded sugar strewed over; stir it about with a wooden spoon until it is well broken, then rub it through a hair sieve. Make the syrup by recipe No. 1513, omitting the white of the egg; let it cool, add the fruit-juice, mix well together, and put the mixture into the freezing-pot. Proceed as directed for Ice Puddings, No.

1290, and when the mixture is equally frozen, put it into small gla.s.ses.

Raspberry, strawberry, currant, and other fresh-fruit-water ices, are made in the same manner.

_Time_.--1/2 hour to freeze the mixture.

_Average cost_, 3d. to 4d. each.

_Seasonable_, with fresh fruit, in June, July, and August.

LEMON-WATER ICE.

1557. INGREDIENTS.--To every pint of syrup, made by recipe No. 1513, allow 1/3 pint of lemon-juice; the rind of 4 lemons.

_Mode_.--Rub the sugar on the rinds of the lemons, and with it make the syrup by recipe No. 1513, omitting the white of egg. Strain the lemon-juice, add it to the other ingredients, stir well, and put the mixture into a freezing-pot. Freeze as directed for Ice Pudding, No.

1290, and, when the mixture is thoroughly and equally frozen, put it into ice-gla.s.ses.

_Time_.--1/2 hour to freeze the mixture. _Average cost_, 3d. to 4d.

each.

_Seasonable_ at any time.

ICED CURRANTS, for Dessert.

1558. INGREDIENTS.--1/4 pint of water, the whites of 2 eggs, currants, pounded sugar.

_Mode_.--Select very fine bunches of red or white currants, and well beat the whites of the eggs. Mix these with the water; then take the currants, a bunch at a time, and dip them in; let them drain for a minute or two, and roll them in very fine pounded sugar. Lay them to dry on paper, when the sugar will crystallize round each currant, and have a very pretty effect. All fresh fruit may be prepared in the same manner; and a mixture of various fruits iced in this manner, and arranged on one dish, looks very well for a summer dessert.

_Time_.--1/4 day to dry the fruit.

_Average cost_, 8d. for a pint of iced currants. _Seasonable_ in summer.

MELONS.

1559.--This fruit is rarely preserved or cooked in any way, and should be sent to table on a dish garnished with leaves or flowers, as fancy dictates. A border of any other kind of small fruit, arranged round the melon, has a pretty effect, the colour the former contrasting nicely with the melon. Plenty of pounded sugar should be served with it; and the fruit should be cut lengthwise, in moderate-sized slices. In America, it is frequently eaten with pepper and salt.