1289. Genoese Cakes, With Almonds

Prepare these as directed in the foregoing case, and when they are nearly done, mask the surface with the white of an egg beat up with an ounce of sifted sugar; then strew four ounces of chopped almonds, mixed with two ounces of sugar, and a few drops of orange-flower water, all over the coating of egg; shake a little sugar on the top of this, and put the Genoese cakes back again in the oven, to finish linking. When done, the coating of almonds should be of a light-fawn color; they must then be carefully removed from the baking-sheet, cut or stamped out in shapes, according to fancy, and dished up on a napkin, in a pyramidal form.

1290. Madeleines

These are made with the same kind of batter as Genoese cakes, to which currants, dried cherries, candied peel, or angelica may be added. When the batter is ready, let it be poured into a sufficient number of small fluted or plain dariole or madelaine moulds (previously buttered inside); these must be placed on a baking-sheet spread with some charcoal ashes, to the depth of half an inch, and then baked in an oven of a moderate heat. When they are done, turn them out of the moulds, and dish them up in a pyramidal form.

These cakes may also be partially.emptied, then filled up with some kind of preserve, and the small circular piece, removed previously to taking out the crumb, should be replaced.

1291. Spanish Cakes, Petits-Choux

Ingredients required: - Half a pint of milk or water, four ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, five ounces of flour, three eggs, a few drops of essence of orange, a very little salt, and two ounces of chopped almonds.

Put the water, butter, sugar, and the salt into a stewpan on the fire, and as soon as these begin to boil, withdraw the stewpan from the fire, and add the flour; stir the whole well together with a wooden spoon over the stove-fire for about three minutes, by which time the ingredients should present the appearance of a soft compact paste. The essence of orange (or any other kind of flavor) should now be added, and also one egg; incorporate these with the paste, then mix in the other two eggs, and if the paste should be stiff, another egg, or a yolk only, may be added. This paste should now be laid out on a baking-sheet in small round balls, the size of a pigeon's egg, egged over with a paste-brush, some chopped almonds (mixed with a spoonful of pounded sugar, and a very small quantity of white of egg) strewn upon them, with some sifted sugar shaken over, and then baked of a very light color.

These cakes may be served plain, or garnished inside with cream, or some kind of preserve.

1292. Duchess Loaves

These are made of the same kind of paste as the foregoing; this must be laid out on the pastry-slab, in small pieces about the size of a pigeon's egg, then rolled out with a little flour, in the form of a finger, and placed in order upon a baking-sheet spread with butter; they should now be egged over, and baked of a bright light color. Just before they are quite done, shake some finely-sifted sugar over them, set them back again in the oven until the sugar is nearly melted, and then pass the red-hot salamander over them, to give them a bright glossy appearance ; the loaves must now be immediately withdrawn from the oven, and allowed to cool. Just before sending this kind of pastry to table, make an incision down the sides, and fill the small loaves with apricot-jam, then dish them up in a pyramidal form on a napkin, and serve.