Observations. – Pies of every kind require particular care that the heat of the oven be proportioned to the articles baked, both as to size and quality. A light, or puff paste, requires a moderate heat. Pies, when large, must have time to soak thoroughly; they should be well covered with paper, to preserve the colour of the crust of a nice light brown. Raised pies require a quick oven; they should be well closed up, otherwise they will fall down and their shape be spoiled.
Apple Pies.
Put a layer of sugar in the dish, then of apples, pared and cored, alternately, until the dish is full. Cut in small strips some candied lemon and orange peel, pound a few cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon, which intermix to season it, as you incline. Or, in place of peel, add two or three spoonfuls of marmalade, and a small bit of butter; then boil the parings and cores in a little water for fifteen minutes, and pour over the apples. Having made a rich puff paste roll it out to ⅛ of an inch in thickness, put the plate on the middle of it, and with a long knife, go round the outer edge of the plate, cutting the paste, which forms the cover; then cut a strip the breadth of the rim of the dish, round, out of the paste; wet the rim and lay this round, then wet the paste upon the rim, and lay over it the cover; press it gently down with your thumbs all round, take the back of a knife and scollop the edges; roll out a little of the paste, and with the runner cut a long narrow slip, which roll up; make a hole in the middle of the cover, roll out more paste, and, with the paste knife and runner, form it into leaves of trees, make the ends fall into the hole on the top; then fill it up with the piece of paste rolled up, or made in the shape of a crown, &c., then ornament the cover with festoons, &c. of paste. Make four small holes with the handle of the paste knife, glaze it over with the yolk of an egg and send it to the oven. Before serving it, after you take it out of the oven, beat up a few yolks of eggs and cream, according to the size of the dish, put it in a pan over the fire and continue stirring till near boiling; take out the crown, and, with a funnel, pour in the custard; or, take off the lid, and pour it over the dish, cut the paste into corner pieces and make them stand upright on the top of the pye.
Or,
The apples may be stewed, seasoned, marmalade, &c. added, and covered as directed for a prune tart, p. 189.
Pears
Are done in the same manner.
Cherry Pies.
Lay fruit, sugar, and spices, alternately, with a few red, white, or black currants, and a proceed as already directed in making apple pies.
Gooseberry Pies,
Are made in the same manner. Use raw sugar, they require a good deal of it; when ready, serve with cream.
Mince Pies.
Stone eight ounces raisins; eight ounces currants, clean picked and washed; eight ounces potatoes, boiled, skinned, and pounded; four ounces almonds, blanched and cut cross-ways in slices; eight ounces apples, pared, cored, and minced small; six ounces suet, shred very small, and four ounces raw sugar. Mix all together, adding one gill brandy, one gill port wine, pounded nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon, to flavour it richly. Make a puff paste, line the patty pans, or shapes, fill and cover, then ornament and glaze them with an egg. The above mixture, pressed hard into a pot, will keep good some weeks.
Mince Meat Pies.
Make ready the ingredients as directed in mince pies, (the potatoes may be left out) and one pound beef finely shred, or part of a tongue boiled and shred down; mix together and fill the shapes. The squeeze of a lemon may be added; or, in place of the almonds substitute orange and lemon peel shred small.
☛ For Meat Pies, vide Cookery.
An Orange Fool.
Beat light six eggs, mix in the juice of six oranges, two gills cream, four ounces sugar, a little pounded cinnamon and nutmeg; put it into a pan, stir it over a fire, till thick, put in a little bit of butter, and stir till cold, then dish it.
A Westminster Fool.
Cut a penny loaf in thin slices, wet them with wine, lay them on the bottom of a dish; beat light six eggs and two spoonfuls rosewater, mix into it two pints (a choppin) of cream, with spiceries and sugar to your taste; put it into a saucepan, stir it constantly over a slow fire, as it is apt to curdle; when it begins to grow thick pour it over the bread, when cold serve it.
Gooseberry Fool.
Take one quart (choppin) of gooseberries, set them on the fire with two pints (2 mutchkins) of water; when they begin to simmer and turn yellow and plump, throw them into a cullender, to drain; then force the pulp through, with the back of a wooden spoon, into a dish; sweeten it with sugar when cold. Take a pint of milk and the yolks of four eggs, half a nutmeg, grated, and a little pounded cinnamon and cloves; stir it softly over a slow fire. When near boiling take it off, stir it into the gooseberries; serve it when cold. If made with cream it does not require the eggs, and if not thick enough add more fruit.
An Apple Fool
Is made in the same way, stewing the apples and making use of the pulp as directed above.
French Puffs.
Boil one pint (mutchkin) of water, with one ounce butter and a little salt, then stir in as much flour as render it as thick as hasty pudding; take it off the fire, and when cold beat two eggs and mix with it; put in a large piece of fat, or lard, into the frying pan, then drop in the batter in spoonfuls, and fry them brown; lay them one above another as you do them, and serve with sugar betwixt each.
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