A guide to modern cookery by A. Escoffier
CHAPTER XX
550 words | Chapter 159
=Entremets (Sweets)=
Pastry, Confectionery, and Ices are so closely allied to Cookery, and
they are so surely its complements, that it is impossible to omit them
when dealing with Entremets, even though the latter be limited to the
kind proper to the kitchen.
However, these subjects, which could supply matter for voluminous
works, are too complex for it to be possible to cope thoroughly with
them here.
I shall therefore confine myself to the expounding of their fundamental
principles and the essential operations relating thereto, a knowledge
of which is absolutely necessary for the successful preparation
of Kitchen Entremets and Ices. The directions given hereafter
are certainly too inadequate to convert an ordinary cook into a
pastry-cook, a confectioner, or a “glacier”; but they will at least
admit of his carrying out a complete dinner, if the necessity so to do
should occur.
=Elementary Preparations of Pastry which may be Applied to Entremets=
2338—VARIOUS ALMOND PREPARATIONS
It is important that one should have skinned, splintered, and chopped
almonds.
_To Skin Almonds._—Throw them in a saucepan of boiling water, place
the utensil on the side of the fire without allowing the boiling to
continue, and let the almonds soak for seven or eight minutes. As soon
as the skin slips when pressing them between one’s fingers, turn them
out on to a strainer; cool them in cold water, and skin them. This
done, wash them in cold water; drain them well; spread them on a very
clean tray, and dry them in a mild oven.
_Splintered Almonds._—Having skinned and washed the almonds, split them
in two, and cut each half into five or six splinters. Dry the latter in
the drying-box, and place them in the front of the oven for a while to
colour slightly.
They serve for nougat, and sometimes take the place of pignolis.
_Chopped Almonds._—Having skinned the almonds, slightly dry them and
chop them with a knife; rub them through a canvas sieve, the coarseness
of which should be in accordance with that required for the chopped
almonds.
Spread the latter on a tray covered with a sheet of paper, and dry them
in the drying-box, stirring them from time to time the while.
_Grilled Almonds._—These are either splintered or chopped almonds set
to bake on a tray in a moderate oven. Be sure to stir them frequently,
that they may colour evenly, and withdraw them when they are of a nice
golden shade.
_Pralined Almonds._—Proceed as for grilled almonds, but sprinkle them
frequently with icing sugar, which turns to caramel under the influence
of the heat of the oven, and swathes the almonds in a pale-brown coat
of sugar.
2339—VARIOUS PREPARATIONS OF FILBERTS AND HAZEL-NUTS
Filberts are a large kind of hazel-nut, generally covered with red
skins.
After having cracked and suppressed the shells, set the filberts on a
dish, and place them in the front of the oven until their skins are
slightly grilled. They need then only be rubbed between the fingers
in order to clear them of their skins. Chopped filberts are prepared
like chopped almonds, and should be included in the permanent “_mise en
place_” of the pastry cook.
2340—VARIOUS BUTTERS
_Softened Butter._—More particularly in winter, when it is very hard,
butter should be softened, _i.e._, thoroughly kneaded in a towel, to:—
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