New-York tribune., 1907-10-07
THE CUSTARD FOUNDATION.
It's Various Uses in Puddings and Pies-A
Good Recipe.

plain custard is the real foundation of large
number OF puddings and desserts--one might almost
say OF nearly all OF them. Even French ice cream
is nothing but boiled cusard that has been frozen
upon the addition of cream. In fact a custard foun-
dation extends pie filings. Cocoanut, pump
kin. squash and sweet potato pie are only forms Of
custard. each strongly favored IN It's way Pud-
dinGs, like rice. and tapioca creams. moth
Ing but custards with these ingredients attractive
additions. and good cornstarch pudding which
properly calls for the yolks OF eggs, is only a
Custard after all, made thick and firm with the ad
diton of cornstarch. Other forms OF custard are
hardened with gelatine and are known under the
name OF Jelly or blanc mango. Still others
ornamented with fluffy egg whites and known as
floating Islands, snow eggs etc.
one rule for this foundation may be used with
occasional mild variations for all these forms OF
dessert For ice cream this foundation with. OF
course. the addition OF two other ingredi-
ents) IS For other dishes II is baked.
boiled steamed. the may be. After the
novice In cooking has mastered the art OF custard
making she need have no fear OF failure in any
OF these desserts and. after experience, she
can even invent new recipes or improve old
ones To make a perfect Gustard and TO under
stand the subject is not easy might
imagine. however. and unless one does not object
TO the wanton waste or good materials II would
be advisable for the teur 20 concoct
dishes Of this kind all fruits and havors do
combine well with custard There are already too
many failures in this respect printed in cookbooks
along with the really good recipes For instance.
some apples are often combined with custard A
worse combination could hardly be imagined. for
the tartness OF the apples the oustard. Such
recipes have evidently been copied from book
TO another without testing. Bananas, TOO. are
casionaily recommended In A baked custard; while
the combination Is not positively uneatable. each
article Is more agreeable served by itself
When custard is frozen as in ice cream certain
havors may be used which would not be suitable in
ordinary pudding pie. a fruit will not
curdle a custard when the custard is at the freez-
ing point and the fruit added just a the right
time.
The proper rule for this general custard founda-
tion calls for four yolks. four cupfuls of milk
four tablespoonfuls Of sugar and a fourth OF
a teaspoonful Of salt. This is an easy rule to
member.
Sometimes five or six egg yolks used. but this
IS not necessary under ordinary conditions In
fact, so many eggs are likely to give the custard
"eggy' flavor. For a simple baked custard that
is to stand alone on a platter I'm moulded form six
eggs. both yolks and whites. will be needed, as a
custard will be likely to crack II fewer eggs are
used. Never the whites OF the eggs. however,
in any custard foundation or ordinary custard pud-
ding unless they whipped up in special
way meringue or something similar. The
tard will be fully as good without them and much
easier to prepare. the whites. unless great
is taken. likely form in strings harden at
the bottom of the pan in Jumps
The process OF making custard is simple that
a child can accomplish IT, yet II is common to
this dish put the table wheyed and spoiled be-
cause of the slight neglect of some essential in
making It, 1t is. Of course. necessary that all the
ingredients be OF the best and freshest quality The
yoks should be beaten with the sugar and salt
Then the milk should be gradually stirred into
them.
The great secret OF baked. boiled or steamed
custard is slow cooking. In order to attain this
]
set in hot water During the baking of a custard
Chis applies TO all baked puddngs with founda-
ton of this kindl should be taken that the
water around the moulds. cups pudding dish
does not boil. the custard will whey. ALI such
puddings should bake very slowly for the same
reason. II your custard foundation is cooked on
the top OF the stove. II should be stirred thor
oughly to prevent curdling. and for the same rea-
son il should be cooked only long enough TO
thcken. II II does curdle while boiling. set the
pan holding the custard IN a dish OF cold water
and beat we'll with egg beater with fork
until smooth.
Do not flavor q boiled custard with essences. wine
or brandy until after it is cooked A vanilla bean
or peach leaf however. II u6ad for fiavoring. may
be cooked with the custard. and If nutmeg any
spice is used let It heat in the milk before
pouring the milk over the eggs.
BAKED CUSTARDS.
These are perhaps the simplest form of custard
desserts Simple custards baked 10 individual cups
can be varied indefinitely with many good fiavors
Where a cup custard is TO be turned out Of the
cup and served with a sauce, remember to butter
the custard cups.
Following are a few novel havors: BY grating a
little chocolate the to9s OF the custards just
as they are set in the has unique choco-
late custard. an Improvement on the ordinary
chocolate custard When the custards come from
the oven the grated chocolate will have risen to