Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1109

Rh 1. Avoid putting warm mixtures into the freezing pot, for the heat, penetrating through the metal, would cause the ice to melt.

2. Add sweetening ingredients with discretion; too much sugar or sweet syrup prevents the mixture freezing properly.

3. Avoid, as much as possible, the use of tin and copper utensils; they are apt to spoil both the colour and the flavour of ices.

4. Carefully wipe the lid of the freezer before raising it, so as to prevent any salt getting into the mixture.

Moulding Ices.—The ice, in the semi-solid condition in which it is taken from the freezing machine, is put into dry moulds, and well shaken and pressed down in the shape of them. If there is the least doubt about the lid fitting perfectly, it is better to seal the opening with a layer of lard, so as to effectually exclude the salt and ice. In any case the mould should be wrapped in 2 or 3 folds of kitchen paper when the freezing has to be completed in a pail. 1 part of salt should be added to 3 parts of ice, and the quantity must be sufficient to completely surround the mould. It should be kept covered with ice and salt for 3 or 4 hours, when it will be ready to unmould. When a charged ice cave is available, the ice is simply moulded, placed in the cave, and kept there until sufficiently frozen.

Unmoulding Ices.—Ices should be kept in the moulds, buried in ice, until required. When ready to serve, remove the paper and the lard when it has been used, dip the mould into cold water, and turn the ice on to a dish in the same way as a jelly or cream.

Varieties of Ices.—Ices may be broadly divided into 2 classes, viz., cream ices and water ices. The former are sometimes composed almost entirely of cream, sweetened, flavoured and elaborated in a number of ways, but more frequently the so-called "cream ice" consists principally of custard, more or less rich according to respective requirements, with the addition of fruit pulp, crystallized fruit, almonds, chocolate, coffee, liqueurs, and other flavouring ingredients. Water ices are usually prepared from the juices of fresh fruit mixed with syrup, fruit syrup, or jam, sieved and diluted with water or syrup. In addition to these there are the demi-glacé or half-frozen compounds, now largely introduced into high-class ménûs under the names of sorbet, granite or granito, and punch. This variety is always served immediately before the roast, and always in small portions in sorbet cups or glasses, never moulded; and alcoholic liqueurs are more or less used in their preparation. Parfaits, mousses, and soufflés differ from ordinary ices, inasmuch as the cream preparation is at once moulded and placed on ice, thus omitting the ordinary preliminary freezing process. In these, as in dessert ices, new combinations and moulds of original design for their use are being constantly introduced, but as the principal constituents of the preparations remain unchanged, they present no difficulty to those who understand the general principles of ice making.