Mrs Beeton Recipes

  Baked Pears 12 pears Rind of 1 lemon 6 cloves 10 whole Allspice (Aka Jamaican pepper - ADF) To every pint of water required, allow 1/2 lb of sugar Pare (peel) core and halve pears but leave on stalks (where possible! ADF) Mix other ingredients with water and place pears into baking dish(es) and cover with the water mixture. Bake on a low heat for 5 to 6 hours

  Apple Ginger 2lbs of apples 2lbs of sugar 1 1/2 pints of water 1 oz tincture of ginger (ADF - try ginger essence) Boil sugar and water until these form a rich syrup, adding ginger when it bubbles up. Core pare (peel) cut apple and boil in the syrup until transparent (not sure what this means). But be careful not to break. Put the apple into jars and pour over syrup and carefully exclude the air. It will remain good some time if kept in a dry place.

   Whipped Syllabubs 1/2 pint cream 1/4 pint sherry 1/8 pint brandy juice 1/2 lemon grated nutmeg 3oz sugar whipped cream (pint cream 3oz sugar 1 glass sherry 1/2 lemon rind white of 1 egg) Except for whipped cream, mix all other ingredients together. Place in glasses then heap a little whipped cream on each

  Vegetable Flan 200g plain flour 100g butter salt and pepper 1 onion chopped 50g thinly-sliced button mushrooms 250ml milk 100g hard cheese 2 eggs separated 450g cauliflower florets lightly cooked 2 tbsp breadcrumbs Rub 75g of butter into 175g flour. Add enough water to bind into a short dough (about 30ml) Roll out and use to line a 25cm flan tin Prick  holes over the pastry then cover with grease proof paper and blind bake with baking beans for 15 minutes. Remove beans and paper and cook until pastry is cooked. Melt remaining butter in a saucepan and fry mushrooms and onion over a medium heat until soft. Add remaining flour and gradually stir in milk to make a smooth thick sauce. Stir in cheese, remove from heat and beat in egg yolks. Whisk egg whites stiff and fold into sauce. Arrange cauliflower over the pastry base. Spoon in the sauce. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake until set and golden 

  Pate Sucree 70z plain flour 1/4 tsp salt 90g  butter 50g caster sugar 1 egg yolk Sift flour and salt into bowl Rub butter into flour until resembles fine breadcrumbs Mix in sugar and then egg yolk Add enough water to make a stiff dough Roll out on lightly-floured surface Use as required