Evening journal., 1897-09-01
cuRRANr PuoDlnes AND PIES.
some Points of Value to the Careful
Houscvyife.


Some Points of Value to the Careful |
Housewife.
The fruit of the currant bush is now |
at crimson perfection, and its hedges
radden the border of thousands of ru-
rsd gardens. We began TO appreciate
the luxury of this fruit when a num-
her of years ago the currant worm in
vaded the land and threatened to cut
short our supplies of jellies and sweet
preserves. The currant is, of course,
the preeminent fruit for jelly. A pret-
tier. and more delicate jelly is prepared
from half-white currants and half red
than from the pure crimson fruit.
Housekeepers frequently prepare their
crrrant jelly with a little less sugar
than it was formerly considered neces-
sary to use. The success of the proc
ess of reducing the Juice Of the cur
rant to jelly depends more upon the time
and circumstances under which the
fruit is gathered than upon the amount
of sugar used. II is not advisable, in
spite OF this. to attempt 10 make jelly
with less than three-quarters of
pound Of sugar TO a pound of currants.
IL is essential, however, TO gather the
fruit as early as few days after It
turns crimson, since the fruit becomes
thin and watery by hanging on the
vines. II is also desirable TO gather the
fruit on a clear day.
After currants have hung on the vines
for some time they are no longer 1T for
Jelly, but they possess a rich, lucious
tartneA that renders stliemexeellentf for
table fruit, and they are also in prime
condition for pies and puddings.
The currant is so abundant n fruit
that in some sections of the country
the surplus left on the bushes after
! the fruit has been gathered for Jelly
is allowed TO go to waste. The currant
makes an excellent baked or steamed
pudding. Sift large cup of -four with
a substantial teaspoonful Of baking
powder. Add q large teaspoonful Of
butter, and rub il through the flour
and baking powder; add a quarter Of a
cup Of sugar, two eggs and scant half
| cup of milk. Beat the batter hard and
stir in n cup of currants. Butter six
molds holding about two gills each,
1 urn u ltdN IlplilAul VI sugar AADih bAN
cup to another, until their buttered sur
faces are well coated with sugar; then
divide the pudding mixture between
the cups, steam the pudding about
three-quarters of an hour, setting them
IN a closely.covered steamer over ket
tie of boiling water. The same pudding
may be balSen in rather quick over
for half an hour instead of being
steamed Serve the puddings with I
hard sauce of butter and sugar.
Currants make delicious meringu'
pie Stew a quart of well-steamed rec
currants. adding a tablespoonful o
water, merely to prevent their burning
After cooking them ten minutes straii
out the seeds and skins, but let n
much as possible of the pulp pass witt
the juice through the puree sieve the.
, are strained in. Add a cup of suga
10 the currant pulp and teaspoonfu
) Of corn starch moistened with a littl
!. water. Let the thickened mixture bO
for ten minutes over the fire, stirring
constantly Line a tin pieplate wit
$ pastry and pour in the thickened cui
: rant pulp, and bake the pie for 40 or
. minutes. Make a meringue Of II
: whites Of two eggs and two tablespoon
q fuls of sugar. Spread it over the pi
r while it is siill warm. and return il
= the even Let it bake for 90 minutes
e turning Off the heat, so that it will b
t only family tinged with brown.
$ good currant pie is made of two cur
70 of ripened currants and a cup of 81
gar. Mix the currants and sugar tho
oughly together and fill n pieplat'
Scatter a few stoned raisins over III
currants. Cover the pie with nnrro
strips Of puff paste or with an entii
II cover Bake it 80 minutes; then remo'
=. it from the oven and dredge it wit
8. sugar Return it 10 the oven for a m'
# ment or two to melt the sugar enoug
= to make it cling TO the pie. - n.
n Tribune.