CUSTARDS, CREAMS AND DESSERTS. 345
Eggs should always be thoroughly well beaten separately, the yolks first, then the sugar added, beat again, then add the beaten whites with the flavoring, then the cooled scalded milk. The lighter the eggs are beaten, the thicker and richer the custard.
Eggs should always be broken into a cup, the whites and yolks sep- arated, and they should always be strained. Breaking the eggs thus, the bad ones may be easily rejected without spoiling the others and so cause no waste.
A meringue, or frosting for the top, requires about a tablespoon- ful of fine sugar to the beaten white of one egg ; to be placed on the top after the custard or pudding is baked, smoothed over with a broad-bladed knife dipped in cold water, and replaced in the oven to
brown slightly.
SOFT CARAMEL CUSTARD.
ONE quart of milk, half a cupful of sugar, six eggs, half a tea- spoonful of salt. Put the milk on to boil, reserving a cupful. Beat the eggs and add the cold milk to them. Stir the sugar in a small frying pan until it becomes liquid and just begins to smoke. Stir it into the boiling milk ; then add the beaten eggs and cold milk and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Set away to cool.
Serve in glasses.
BAKED CUSTARD.
BEAT five fresh eggs, the whites and yolks separately, the yolks with half a cup of sugar, the whites to a stiff froth ; then stir them gradually into a quart of sweet rich milk previously boiled and cooled ; flavor with extract of lemon or vanilla and half a teaspoonful of salt. Rub butter over the bottom and sides of a baking-dish or tin basin; pour in the custard, grate a little nutmeg over and bake in a quick oven. It is better to set the dish in a shallow pan of hot water reach- ing nearly to the top, the water to be kept boiling until the custard is baked; three-quarters of an hour is generally enough. Run a teaspoon handle into the middle of it ; if it comes out clean it is baked
sufficiently.
CUP CUSTARD.
Six eggs half a cupful of sugar, one quart of new milk. Beat the eggs and the sugar and milk, and any extract or flavoring you like. Fill your custard cups, sift a little nutmeg or cinnamon over the tops, set them in a moderate oven in a shallow pan half filled with
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