Evening star., 1941-06-26
From Near and Far Come Various Markings for Washington Menus
Making Soft
Custards
Is Easy
Tasty If Combined
With Fresh Fruits
Or Canned Types

Today we take up the subject of
soft custards, which in fashioned
cook books are described with the
adjective boiled" This is paradox
because the one thing that you can
not do to a soft custard is to boil it !
We have eggs and milk together
and low heat is in order. The cLstard
mixture must always be cooked in a
double boiler and stirred constantly
while it is cooking if curdling is to
be prevented. The final thickness
of the custard will depend upon the
number of eggs used in proportion to
the amount of milk. I have found
that when the mixture stops foam
ing it is time to do little testing.
To test a cuStard Of this sort, dip
q metal spoon into the mixture and
when a straight line will form across
the spoon it is time to take the upper
part of the double boiler away from
the hot water Immediately and to
set it in cold water. An extra beat
ing should be given at this point.
The cover should then be replaced
so that no scum will form while the
custard is cooling.
Sometimes -four or cornstarch is
used in addition to the eggs. This
produces a thicker mixture which
we like for some purposes, such as
filling for cream puffs, putting be-
tween layers of cake or filling pastry
shells. The thinner soft custard
when decorated with beaten, sweet
ened and favored egg whites is
known as floating island. When
pieces of cake or lady fingers,
sprinkled with sherry, are used with
soft custard we have what is known
as tipsy squire.
Another very good use for the soft
custard is in combination with fresh
fruits such as sliced oranges, pitted
sweet cherries, sliced bananas. 1t is
also particularly good with stewed or
canned pears, especially when they
have been sprinkled with a little
rum.
Just one more note. IF you have
been called to the telephone while
your custard is cooking and have
forgotten to remove it from the hot
water and it has curdled. set the pan
into ice water and beat vigorously
with the egg beater. 1t will be i'm
proved, although not perfect in tex
ture.
SOFT CUSTARD.
2 eggs or 4 egg yolks, slightly
beaten.
/. cup water
l. teaspoon salt.
2 cups milk, scalded.
y teaspoon vanilla extract.
Combine slightly beaten eggs or
double boiler. Add hot milk slowly
and stir until sugar is dissolved.
Cook over hot water, stirring con-
stantly. When custard coats a metal
spoon, remove at once from hot
water and place pan in cold water to
cool quickly Add vanilla extract.
Pour over fruits or sponge cake.
Ilelu. "a cups.
FLOATING ISLAND.
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten.
i cup sugar.
= teaspoon salt.
2 cups milk, scalded.
u teaspoon vanilla extract.
tablespoons sugar.
3 egg whites. stiff1y beaten.
Combine slightly beaten egg yolks,
sugar and salt in top of double
boiler, add hot milk slowly and stir
until sugar is dissolved. Cook over
hot water, stirring constantly. When
mixture coats metal spoon, remove
at once from hot water and place
in pan of cool water to cool quickly.
Add vanilla extract and chill. Pour
in serving dish. Fold sugar into stiff
fly-beaten egg whites and drop from
spoon in peaked" islands on Gus
tard. Garnish with current Jelly.
Yield: 6 servings.