It has been found difficult in the receipts which follow, owing to the variation of the quantity of juice in lemons, etc., to give the exact quantity of gelatine required. A safe rule in making jellies is to use 2 ozs. of gelatine to every one and three-quarter quarts of liquid. In summer 2 ozs. of gelatine will be needed to each quart and a half. (This must include all liquid flavourings and be very carefully measured.)
The best gelatine is now so pure, that it is practically unnecessary to go to the trouble of making jelly from calf’s feet, a receipt for which has, however, been given.
More elaborate jellies are made by the addition of fruit. To do this, pour jelly into a mould to the depth of half an inch. When set, arrange on it a layer of perfectly fresh ripe fruit—strawberries, cherries, grapes, pine-apple, peaches, oranges, etc.—adding another layer of jelly, and when that is set, more fruit, and so on, until the mould is full. During the process the mould should be kept on ice, so that the jelly will set quickly.
Before putting jelly into a mould, dip it in very cold water, and invert for a moment. Pour in the jelly while still wet.
Use a silver or wooden spoon for stirring, and do not stir jelly while it is cooling.
To colour jelly pink, add a few drops of cochineal.
To loosen the jelly when ready to serve, dip the mould quickly into hot water. Dry the mould before turning out.
4 calf’s feet
4 quarts water
1 pint wine or water
1 lb. crushed lump sugar
4 whites of eggs
2 lemons
¹⁄₂ stick cinnamon
1 tea-spoon grated nutmeg
Clean the calf’s feet thoroughly. Boil them in the water until it is reduced to half the original quantity. This will take about eight hours. Skim occasionally. Pour into a large basin. Set aside for twelve hours. Remove the fat very carefully. Put back into a large pan, being careful to keep back the dregs. Add the sugar whisked up with the whites, the juice of the lemons, the grated rind of one, and the spice. Let it boil for ten minutes. Skim. Add the wine and boil up again for two minutes. Strain through a jelly bag two or three times, and keep in a cold place.
A little over ¹⁄₂ oz. isinglass
1 gill cold water
¹⁄₂ pint boiling water
3 ozs. sugar
1 lemon
1 white and the shell of 1 egg
1 gill brandy
Soak the isinglass in the cold water for an hour. Put it into the boiling water. Add the sugar, the finely-pared rind of the lemon, the white and crushed shell of an egg. Boil one minute. Pour in a table-spoon cold water. Set aside ten minutes. Strain through a jelly bag. Add one gill brandy or sherry when cool. Pour into a wetted mould.
Stew some cranberries in plenty of water until they are soft. Rub them through a sieve. Put the pulp into an enamelled saucepan. When it boils add sugar in the proportion of one pound to every pint of pulp. Stir continually for a few minutes and pour into a mould.
1 bottle claret
1 lemon
1 gill red currant jelly
¹⁄₂ lb. loaf sugar
A little over 1 oz. isinglass
1 gill brandy
Soak the gelatine in a very little water. Add it to the claret with the juice and rind of the lemon, jelly, the crushed loaf sugar and brandy. Boil altogether for five minutes. Put once through a jelly bag. Dip a mould with a hollow centre into cold water. Pour in the jelly. Serve with whipped cream in the centre of the mould. Instead of claret and red currant jelly, a white wine and quince jelly can be used.
¹⁄₂ pint champagne
¹⁄₂ pint water
2 lemons
6 ozs. lump sugar
A little over 1 oz. gelatine
Make a syrup of the water and sugar. Add the soaked gelatine, juice of two lemons and the finely-pared peel of one lemon. Boil three minutes. Strain through a jelly bag. When cold, but still liquid, add the champagne and beat on ice until very frothy. Put into a mould or serve in glasses.
1 oz. gelatine
¹⁄₂ pint boiling water
¹⁄₂ pint cold water
3 lemons
6 ozs. lump sugar
Whites of 6 eggs
Dissolve the gelatine and sugar in the boiling water with the finely-pared lemon peel. Add the cold water and the juice of the lemons. Skim with a silver spoon. Strain into a large basin. When beginning to set, add the whites beaten to a stiff froth. Beat well together and pile up in a glass dish. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Make a gelatine jelly, using maraschino instead of brandy, and adding it when the jelly is cold but still liquid.
Cut several oranges across in half. Take out the pulp and scrape the inside until clean. Put into cold water. Use the juice to make a jelly. Break the jelly into small pieces. Pile it high in each half of an orange. Make handles of strips of Angelica. Whipped cream may be added as a garnish.
14 ozs. loaf sugar
¹⁄₂ pint water
1 oz. isinglass
12 oranges
1 lemon
1 white of egg
Boil the sugar and water together. Skim. Add the gelatine, the grated rind of one orange, the lemon and the whisked white of egg. Boil five minutes. Add the juice of the oranges. Strain through a jelly bag.
1 lb. prunes
¹⁄₄ lb. sugar
2 thin pieces lemon peel
1 oz. gelatine
1¹⁄₂ pints water
1 oz. sweet almonds
1 gill sherry
Set the prunes to soak in water for one hour. Drain them and put them in an enamelled saucepan. Add the water, lemon peel and sugar, and stew till tender. Then remove the stones. Put the prunes through a fine sieve. Crack the stones, split the kernels, and add them with the blanched and chopped almonds to the prunes. Set on the fire again. Add the gelatine, which should have been previously soaked for an hour. Boil for five minutes, stirring all the time. Add the sherry. Pour into a wet mould. Serve with whipped cream.
1¹⁄₂ lbs. rhubarb
1¹⁄₂ lbs. lump sugar
Gelatine
1 lemon
Stew the rhubarb, the finely pared peel and juice of the lemon and sugar with a little water, over a very gentle fire, until pulpy. Pass through a fine sieve. To every pint of rhubarb pulp, add three quarters of an ounce of gelatine dissolved in a very little boiling water. Stir over the fire till thoroughly mixed. Pour into a wet mould with a hollow in the centre. When serving, fill the hollow with whipped cream.