CLARIFICATION OF CALF'S-FOOT JELLY, FOR GENERAL PURPOSES.
PREPARE the stock of four calf's feet into a stewpan with two pounds of sugar, the rind of four lemons, and the juice of eight; whip six whites and two whole eggs together, with half a pint of spring-water; throw this in with the stock, and whisk the whole together over the stove-fire, until it is on the point of boiling, then add the juice of another lemon and a little spring-water; withdraw the jelly from the stove, and set it down by the side, to continue gently simmering for about ten minutes longer, covered with the stewpan lid containing some live embers of charcoal. The jelly may then be passed through the bag in the usual way, and when it has run through perfectly bright, let it be kept in a cool place to be used as occasion may require.
This kind of foundation or stock-jelly, prepared without any decided flavour, may be used for making all kinds of jellies; it will then only be necessary to add to the quantity required to fill a mould, a gill and a half of any kind of liqueur; and if the jelly be too stiff, a little thin syrup may also be added. It may be used likewise for making fruit jellies, with the addition of a pint of the filtered juice of currants, raspberries, cherries, or strawberries, or half a pint of the clarified infusion syrup of peaches, apricots, or pine-apples.
ORANGE JELLY, MADE WITH CALF'S-FOOT STOCK.
To the stock produced from four calf's feet, add two pounds of loaf-sugar, the juice of six lemons and a dozen oranges, and the rind of eight oranges; put the stewpan on the fire to melt the stock, and then pour in the whipped whites of eggs, and continue whisking the jelly over the stove-fire until it begins to simmer; it must then be set down by the side of the stove-fire, covered with the stewpan lid, and allowed to continue simmering till the egg is set; the jelly must then be passed through the bag in the usual way, and just before putting it into the mould, a few drops of prepared cochineal should be added to give it an orange-pink tinge.
Note.—Lemon jelly is prepared in the same way as the above, substituting lemons for oranges.
CLARIFIED SYRUP, FOR JELLIES.
To every pound of the finest loaf sugar, whatever quantity may be required, add rather more than a pint of spring-water; and when the sugar is dissolved, add half the white of an egg whipped up with a little water; whisk the whole well together, set the stewpan on the stove-fire, and as soon as the syrup begins to boil, set it down by the side of the fire to continue gently boiling, until it has thrown up all the scum: remove this as it rises to the surface, and then strain the syrup through a napkin into a basin, and keep it in a cool place for use.
TO CLARIFY ISINGLASS.
FIRST wash the isinglass in cold water to free it from the dust that is apt to gather about it; then put it into a stewpan, and to every two ounces add half a pint of spring-water, and about one ounce of sugar; stir this on the stove-fire till it boils, then throw in the juice of half a lemon, and set the stewpan by the side of the stove, to continue gently boiling for about ten minutes, in order to dissolve the shreds of isinglass, and that it may thereby throw up all the scum, which should be removed as it rises to the surface; the isinglass may then be strained through a napkin into a basin, and used for the required purpose.
Isinglass may also be clarified by adding a very small quantity of whipped white of egg, after it has been dissolved in water as directed above, and then allowed to settle previously to mixing in the whites of eggs; it must then be allowed to boil gently by the side of the stove-fire, and when perfectly cleared of all the scum, should be strained through a napkin.
Note.—There are several kinds of gelatine in use which serve the same purpose as isinglass, with more or less success; all these may be clarified in the same way as the above.
PREPARATION OF PAPER FOR FILTERING ORANGE OR LEMON-JUICE, FOR JELLIES.
WASH several sheets of white blotting-paper (of the best quality) in cold water; then boil them in two quarts of water for about twenty minutes, strain the water from the paper and pound it in a mortar until reduced to a fine pulp; mix this with a spoonful of washed white sand, then add both to the juice intended to be filtered, and throw the whole into a clean beaver jelly-bag. Pass the juice through the filtering bag until it drops as bright as spring-water.
ORANGE JELLY, A L'ANGLAISE.
RUB the rind of six oranges upon twelve ounces of the best loaf-sugar and put this into a basin; then squeeze the juice from a dozen ripe oranges and four lemons, and add this to the sugar. Next, clarify two ounces of isinglass as directed in No. 1411, and mix this with the juice and sugar in a sugar-boiler, add six drops of prepared cochineal, and stir the whole over the stove-fire till the jelly becomes tepid; then strain it through a hair-sieve into a basin, and when it has become quite cold it is commonly to congeal on the surface and sides of the basin, stir it well together, and pour it into a mould previously imbedded in rough ice. When the jelly is set firm, dip the mould in rather warm water, wipe it with a cloth, and turn it out carefully on its dish.
LEMON JELLY, A L'ANGLAISE.
THIS is prepared in the same way as the above, substituting lemons for oranges; it will be necessary, however, to add four ounces of sugar, on account of the acidity of the lemons.
ORANGE JELLY, A LA FRANÇAISE.
PEEL off the rind from six oranges, as thin as possible, and put it into a pint basin. Then clarify one pound of the finest loaf-sugar with a pint of spring-water and half the white of an egg, and strain it through a napkin on to the rind; cover the basin down with a sheet of paper twisted tightly round the edges, to prevent the volatile essence of the essential oil contained in the rind from escaping. Extract the juice from twelve oranges and four lemons (by pressure) into a basin, remove the pips, and filter the juice as directed in No. 1412; this being done, strain the infusion syrup through a napkin into a basin, add the filtered juice, two ounces of clarified isinglass and six