Mrs Beetons Puddings and Desserts Revisited
Blanc-Mange
(A Supper Dish)
600ml (1 pint) Milk
600ml (1 pint) Cream
110g (4oz) Sugar
35g (1¼oz) Isinglass [Gelatine]
15g (½oz) Sweet Almonds
½ Lemon, rind only
10 Bitter Almonds
Put the milk into a saucepan, with the isinglass [gelatine], lemon rind.
Place over a very low heat until the milk is well flavoured.
Add the almonds, which should be blanched and pounded in a mortar to a paste.
Allow the milk just boil.
Strain through a fine sieve or muslin into a jug.
Add the cream and stir the mixture occasionally until nearly cold.
Let it stand for a few minutes.
Pour into the mould, which should be previously oiled with the purest salad oil or dipped in cold water.
There will be a sediment at the bottom of the jug, which must not be poured into the mould, as, when turned out, it would very much disfigure the appearance of the blancmange.
This blancmange may be made very much richer by using 900ml (1½ pints) of cream and melting the isinglass [gelatine] in 285ml (½ pint) of boiling water.
The flavour may also be very much varied by adding bay leaves, laurel leaves or vanilla essence, instead of the lemon rind and almonds.
Noyeau, Maraschino, Curaçoa or any favourite liqueur, added in small proportions, very much enhances the flavour of this always favourite dish.
In turning it out, just loosen the edges of the blancmange from the mould, place it on a dish and turn it quickly over.
It should come out easily and the blancmange have a smooth glossy appearance when the mould is oiled, which it frequently has not when it is only dipped in water.
It may be garnished as fancy dictates.
Time: About 1½ hours to steep the lemon rind and almonds in the milk.
Sufficient to fill a 1.1lt (2 pint) mould.
Seasonable at any time.
Foody Note: In the original recipe uses isinglass but this can be substituted for gelatine, following the instructions given.
BLANC-MANGE
(A Supper Dish)
1408. INGREDIENTS - 1 pint of new milk, 1-1/4 oz. of isinglass, the rind of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 lb. of loaf sugar, 10 bitter almonds, 1/2 oz. of sweet almonds, 1 pint of cream.
Mode - Put the milk into a saucepan, with the isinglass, lemon-rind, and sugar, and let these ingredients stand by the side of the fire until the milk is well flavoured; add the almonds, which should be blanched and pounded in a mortar to a paste, and let the milk just boil up; strain it through a fine sieve or muslin into a jug, add the cream, and stir the mixture occasionally until nearly cold. Let it stand for a few minutes, then pour it into the mould, which should be previously oiled with the purest salad-oil, or dipped in cold water. There will be a sediment at the bottom of the jug, which must not be poured into the mould, as, when turned out, it would very much disfigure the appearance of the blanc-mange. This blanc-mange may be made very much richer by using 1-1/2 pint of cream, and melting the isinglass in 1/2 pint of boiling water. The flavour may also be very much varied by adding bay-leaves, laurel-leaves, or essence of vanilla, instead of the lemon-rind and almonds. Noyeau, Maraschino, Curaçoa, or any favourite liqueur, added in small proportions, very much enhances the flavour of this always favourite dish. In turning it out, just loosen the edges of the blanc-mange from the mould, place a dish on it, and turn it quickly over; it should come out easily, and the blanc-mange have a smooth glossy appearance when the mould is oiled, which it frequently has not when it is only dipped in water. It may be garnished as fancy dictates.
Time - About 1-1/2 hour to steep the lemon-rind and almonds in the milk.
Average cost, with cream at 1s. per pint, 3s. 3d.
Sufficient to fill a quart mould.
Seasonable at any time.
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