Royal Paste, Dite Au Choux

This paste is the basis of many sorts of pastry ; it is used to make an infinite number of entremets of various forms, and of different denominations. I shall first explain the manner of making it; next I shall enumerate briefly its various appellations.

Take a stew-pan large enough to contain four pints of Water; pour half a pint of water into it with a quarter of a pound or a little more of fresh butter, two ounces of sugar, ft little salt, and the peel of a lemon : let the whole boil till the butter is entirely melted. Then take some very fine dry flour, and shake it through a sieve. Take the lemon-peel out with a ladle, and throw a handful of flour into the preparation while boiling; pay attention, however, not to put mote flour than the liquor can soak up. Stir with a wooden spoon till the paste can easily be detached from the stew-pan, and then take it off the fire. Next break an egg into this paste, and mix it well; then break a second, which also mix; do not put more eggs than the paste can absorb, but you must be careful not to make this preparation too liquid. It is almost certain, that about five or six eggs will be wanted for the above quantity; then form them en choux, by which is meant, in the shape of a ball an inch in circumference. As this paste swells very much, you must dress it accordingly. Abroad, we use the technical word toucher, and we say coucher les choux, les biscuits, etc. but in a foreign country we must as much as possible adopt the expressions there in common use; I therefore say, dress, which is to put the choux on a baking sheet, at an inch distance from each other, in order that they may undergo a greater effect in the oven. Brush them over as usual with the dorure, to which has been added a little milk. Put them into an oven moderately hot, but do not open the oven till they are quite baked, otherwise they would flatten, and all attempts to make them rise again would be useless: next dry them. Sometimes you may glaze them; at other times you may send them up without being glazed. To detach them from the baking sheet, apply the sharp edge of your knife, and take them off gently. Then make a small opening on the side, into which put with a tea-spoon, such sweetmeats as you think proper, and send them up dished en buisson.

N. B. - Be cautious to smell every egg before you use it, for a bad one would spoil them all.

Dry Meringues

It is to be observed, that meringues, to he well made, require the eggs to be fresh, and that you are not to break them till the very moment you are going to use them. Have some pounded sugar that is quite dry, break the white of the eggs into a clean and very deep pan, beat them without loss of time, till they are very firm, then take as many spoonfuls of sugar as you have whites, and beat them lightly with the eggs till the whole is well mixed. Observe that you are to be very expeditious in making the meringues, to prevent the sugar from melting in the eggs. Have some boards thick enough to prevent the bottom of the meringues from getting baked in the oven. Cut slips of paper two inches broad; on which place the meringues with a spoon; give them the shape of an egg cut in half, and let them all be of an equal size: sift some sugar over them, and blow off the sugar that may have fallen on the paper; next lay your slips of paper on a board, and bake them in an oven moderately hot. As soon as they begin to colour, remove them from the oven: take each slip of paper by the two ends, and turn it gently on the table; take off a little of the middle with a small spoon. Spread some clean paper on the board, turn the meringues upside down on that paper, and put them into the oven, that the crumb or soft part may be baked and acquire substance. When you have done this, keep them in a dry place till wanted.. When yon send them up to table, fill them with crime a la Chantilli, or with something acid. Remember, however, that you are not to use articles that are very sweet, 'the meringues being sweet in themselves. Mind that the spoon is to be filled with sugar to the brim, for the sweeter the meringues are, the better and crisper they are; but if, on the contrary, you do not sugar enough, the meringues are tough.

Meringues Au Marasquin Au Sucre Chaud

For a pound of sugar take the whites of ten eggs, and clarify the sugar as directed in its proper place. Reduce it almost au casse, then let it cool while you beat your eggs well; next put them with the sugar. When the sugar begins to get cool, mix the eggs well with it with a wooden spoon; then mix two spoonfuls of marasquin with the whole; dress the meringues on some paper as above, and glaze with sugar sifted over them, before you put them into the oven, which, by the by, is not to be so hot as for other meringues. As soon as the top gets a substance, take them from the paper, stick two together, and put them into the hot closet to dry. Leave the moist part in the middle.