Page:Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management.djvu/1637

Rh 1 lemon, then beat it up thoroughly until it will stand up in the pan. Now take the cake and set it on an inverted plate, or if you have it, a regular turn-table used by confectioners for the purpose. Take up sufficient icing to cover the top with a spoon, and lay it upon the centre of the cake. Now take a large pliable palette knife and spread the icing level on top. Then take up small portions of the icing with the point of the palette knife, spread it smoothly round the side, and when the cake is completely enveloped, stand it aside in a warm place to dry. During the time the cake is drying and as soon as it is hard enough, a thin sheet of paper should be lightly laid over to prevent the dust from spoiling the colour of the cake.

Average Cost.—Icing sugar, 6d. per lb.

Ingredients.—Whites of 3 eggs, 1 lb. of icing sugar, lemon or vanilla flavouring.

Method.—Grind and sift the sugar, and add it to the well-beaten whites of eggs and the flavouring. Beat until the icing mixture is firm and stiff, then proceed as in preceding recipe.

Average Cost.—Icing sugar, 4d. to 6d. per lb.

Ingredients.—1½ ozs. of hops, 4 quarts of water, 1¼ lbs. of bruised or ground malt, ¾ of a lb. of flour, ½ a pint of liquid yeast.

Method.—Put the hops into a boiler, add the water, put on the lid, and set them over the fire to boil for about ½ an hour, or until all the hops have sunk to the bottom. Then strain the liquor into a clean wooden bucket, squeeze out the hops and throw them away. Let the resultant liquor stand for 5 or 10 minutes, or until the face can be seen reflected in it, then turn in the malt, stir up well with a clean spoon, cover over, and let it stand until lukewarm, or about 70° Fahr. Then put in ½ a pint of yeast and the ¾ of a lb. of flour, stir it well up with the hand, cover over with a cloth, and let it remain in a warm corner undisturbed for at least 8 hours. At the end of that time give it a good stir up, and strain away the grains, squeeze them dry, and put the whole of the liquor into bottles; after stirring it well up, tie over with string, and keep it in a cool cellar. ½ a pint of this yeast will be sufficient for about 20 lbs. of flour. When required for use, it is usual to first set what is termed a ferment, as follows:—first wash, clean, and then boil about 2 lbs. of potatoes, without salt; when cooked strain off and turn