Tarts, Soufles and Pies
Australian Lorikeet
The Australian Lorikeet feeds on the nectar of flowers of Australian bushes and trees, fruits, berries, etc. These birds, like so many of Australia's bird life, live in hollow trees and cavities. Living in many areas throughout Australia including cities, towns and villages these beautiful native birds also partner for life and have six differing species.
Helpers
1 gill = 1/2 cup
Scant = Not quite full measure
Tammy Cloth = A fine woollen cloth
Unless specified otherwise, all temps are in Fahrenheit
Flour = Unless otherwise stated, "flour" refers to plain flour.
All oven temperatures are based on the standard wood oven, gas oven and electric oven.
Special Recipes
Old Handy Hints & Ideas
Gramma Tart or Pie
Ingredients
1 lb. cooked gramma
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
1 dessertspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon sultanas or raisins
1/4 lb. sugar
1/2 lb. rich short crust
Method
Steam or boil gramma in very little water till tender, then strain. Beat with fork till smooth and add other ingredients and mix well. Make rich short crust, roll out and line a tart tin with half. Place prepared mixture in and cover with other half of pastry. Glaze with water and sugar and bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve hot or cold.
Delicious if served hot and covered with hot vanilla custard or serve hot with ice cream melting over the top. Note - Gramma Tart is not made with pumpkin.
Rich Short Crust for Above
Ingredients
1/2 lb. flour
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Squeeze lemon juice
Pinch salt
1/4 lb. butter
1 egg yolk
Method
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt, Beat egg, water, and lemon juice together. Rub butter into flour very lightly till free from lumps. Add water gradually and make into very dry dough, Turn onto floured board and smooth out into a round shape. Roll out lightly and evenly to size and shape required.
SENNA AND PRUNE MEDICINE-Half a pound of treacle, 1/2 lb of figs, 1/2 lb prunes, 1 oz of powdered senna. Cover the prunes with water, and steam till the stones can be removed. Chop the figs and add to the prunes, also the treacle. Simmer to the consistency of jam, then add the senna, and simmer for 3 minutes. Dose: a teaspoonful at night when required, half the quantity may be sufficient for a child and is useful in constipation. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Almond Cheese Tartlets
Ingredients
1/2 1b. good short crust
Fruit jam
Filling
2 oz. Butter
3 oz. Grated almonds
2 oz. Castor sugar
Ratafia essence
1 egg yolk
1 egg white
Method
Line small tins or boats with short crust. Place a little jam in each boat. Put some almond filling in each. This is made by mixing butter, sugar, egg yolk, grated almonds, and ratafia essence together; lastly adding egg white and mix thoroughly Bake slowly in a moderate oven till a pale brown.
Apple and Lemon Tart
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 dessertspoon arrowroot
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cooking apples peeled and grated
A pastry shell
Rind and juice of 1 lemon
Method
Melt butter and sugar. Add grated apple, lemon rind and juice, and arrowroot blended previously with the 1/4 cup water. Cook 3 to 5 minutes stirring continuously. Allow to cool and fill shell.
Apple Tart
Ingredients
1/2 doz. cooking apples
Cochineal
1/2 pint water
Cream
1/4 lb. sugar
Crystallised cherries
A piece of lemon rind
Angelica
1/2 lb. puff pastry
Method
Wash, peel, quarter, and core apples. Bring water, sugar, and cloves to the boil. Add apples and allow to simmer without lid till tender (without breaking). Lift carefully on to a sieve to drain. Strain syrup, colour with cochineal, return to fire, and cook till thick enough to coat apples. Make pastry and roll out about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a knife, placing a plate upside down on pastry and cutting round it with knife dipped in boiling water. With a smaller plate or cutter mark out the centre (cutting half way through pastry). Brush over with egg white and bake in a hot oven 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat and cook 15 to 20 minutes longer. When quite cold, remove centre and fill with prepared apples.
TO MAKE SOAP-3 lbs of lime, 6 lbs of washing soda, 1 lb of resin, 7 lbs of fat, 3 tablespoons of borax, 12 quarts of rain water. Boil water, lime and soda for 1 hour. Let the mixture stand all night. Strain off in the morning; add the other ingredients, and boil for 3 hours, stir constantly. Pour into a mould and when cold, cut into bars.
Lemon Tart
Ingredients
8 oz. Rich short crust
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons plain flour
Rind and juice of 1 lemon
1 cup water
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
Method
Make the pastry, line a tart tin and bake in a hot oven about 15 minutes. Blend flour with a little of the water, place remainder of water and the 1 1/4 cups sugar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add blended flour and cook 3 minutes, then add butter, grated rind and juice of lemon and egg yolks. Re-heat without boiling/ Allow to cool slightly and pour into the cooked tart case. To make meringue top, beat egg whites stiffly, add 2 tablespoons sugar gradually and continue beating till stiff. Pile roughly on top of lemon and just brown slightly.
Lemon Cheese Tart
Ingredients
6 oz. Short crust
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
Small cup sugar,
Method
Make short crust, but do not bake yet. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and juice and rind of lemon and beat well. Pour into uncooked short crust and bake slowly in a moderate oven for approximately 30 minutes or until set.
Butterscotch Pie
Ingredients
1/4 lb. champagne pastry
1 egg
3 oz. Butter
1 1/2 oz. Cornflour
6 oz. Brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 gills scalded milk
3 tablespoons white sugar
Method
Roll pastry to size and shape required, and line tart plate. Melt butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan. Cook till a rich brown. Add scalded milk and heat till sugar is dissolved. Beat yolk of egg and add to it blended cornflour then add milk mixture gradually, stirring all the time, then add vanilla. Pour mixture into pastry-lined tart plate. Bake in a hot oven, 375 degrees F. till set. Make meringue with stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar. Pile roughly on top of pie and brown slightly in oven.
BRINE FOR PRESERVING BUTTER-Ingredients:4 quarts of water, 2 lbs of salt, 1 oz of saltpetre, 2 oz of white sugar. Method: Boil all together for 1/4 of an hour; skim well and allow it to get perfectly cold. Put the butter into an earthen crock, or small perfectly clean keg, and pour the brine over it. The butter must be perfectly free from milk, with 1/2 oz of fine salt to every pound worked well into it, and all moisture squeezed out. Wrap each pound in a square of butter muslin, and put into the brine from day to day as the butter is made. Be careful that the brine always covers the butter. Place a plate on top with a stone or lump of lead on it, which will keep the butter from floating. If these instructions are carefully followed, the butter will be quite sweet and good at the end of 6 months, but on no account must it be let come above the brine. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Chocolate Meringue Pie
Ingredients
6 oz. Good short crust
Juice and grated rind of large juicy lemon
1 1/2 oz. Cornflour
1/2 oz. Butter
1 tablespoon cocoa
4 oz. Castor sugar
Pinch salt
Crystallised cherries
1/2 pint water
Angelica
3 oz. Sugar
2 eggs
Method
Line an 8-inch Pyrex tart plate with good short crust and bake in a moderate oven till half cooked. Blend cornflour, cocoa, and slat with a little of the cold water, and put remainder of water on to heat. Add blended cornflour and boil 3 minutes. Allow to cool and then add sugar and egg yolks. Cook 1 minute, and add grated rind and juice of lemon and butter. Place mixture in pastry-lined tart plate. Whisk egg whites stiffly and add castor sugar. Pile meringue on top of pie, return to oven to brown lightly and set. Decorate with cherries and angelica. This is sufficient for 6 servings.
Chocolate Tart
Ingredients
6 oz. Rich short crust
2 eggs
1 1/2 dessertspoons butter
4 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 dessertspoons flour
Vanilla essence
1/2 pint milk
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa
Method
Make a pie shell with rich short crust, prick well, and bake. Melt the butter, add flour, and beat till smooth. Cook 1 minute, add milk, and stir over a low heat till boiling. Cook another 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, cook without boiling, add 1 tablespoon of the sugar, vanilla, and cocoa and beat well, Pour chocolate mixture into pie shell. Make meringue with stiffly beaten egg whites and 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Pile on top of pie and bake till set and a very pale brown colour in a slow oven, 300 degrees F.
Nougat Tart or Tartlets
Ingredients
6 oz. Short crust
2 oz. Coconut or ground almonds
1 tablespoon raspberry or apricot jam
1 lemon
1 egg
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 oz. Sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 oz. cake or breadcrumbs
Method
Make short crust and line a tart tin. Spread with jam. Beat egg white stiffly, add the other dry ingredients, and grated rind and juice of lemon, and mix well. Pour into tart case and sprinkle with the brown sugar mixed with cinnamon. Bake slowly in a moderate oven till mixture is set. Serve hot or cold.
Have cracked or frayed electrical cords replaced by a qualified electrician.
Orange Tart
Ingredients
6 oz. Rich short crust
Rind and juice of 2 oranges
1 oz. butter
A little milk
2 oz. sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs
Chopped almonds
2 oz. sponge cake crumbs
Method
Make rich short crust and line tart dish. Beat butter and 2 oz. sugar to a cream. Add egg yolks, orange juice, rind, and cake crumbs, add milk if too stiff. Pour into pastry-lined tart dish. Bake 30 minutes in a moderate oven. Beat egg whites stiffly and fold in 1 tablespoon sugar; pile on top of tart and sprinkle with chopped almonds if liked. Brown slightly in a slow oven, 250 degrees F.
Prune Whip Tart
Ingredients
2 cups prunes
2 egg whites
1/2 lb. rich short crust
1 cup whipped cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 dessertspoon castor sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Method
Soak prunes for 12 hours or longer and then simmer in same water till tender. Make rich short crust, roll out, and line a tart tin (prick the bottom of the tart well or place barley on it to prevent it rising in the centre). Bake in a hot oven, 400 degrees F. 15 to 20 minutes. Remove prune stones, cut prunes into small pieces and add sugar and nuts, Beat egg whites stiffly, fold them into the mixture, then pour into baked pie shell. Sweeten and whip the cream and flavour it with vanilla. Pile thickly on top of tart.
Steamed Souffle
Ingredients
1 oz. butter
1 oz. flour
1 gill milk
1 oz. sugar
lemon rind
3 egg yolks
4 egg whites
Raspberry sauce
Method
Melt butter in fairly large saucepan, add flour and stir till smooth, add milk and stir constantly till cooked. Remove from stove and allow to cool for a time, add sugar and grated lemon rind, then egg yolks one by one, beating all the time. Beat egg whites to a stiff froth, add them to the mixture with a metal spoon, folding in lightly. Pour into a lined and greased souffle case, cover with a buttered paper and steam 45 minutes. When souffle is well risen and firm remove band of paper and turn out on a hot dish, serve very hot with raspberry sauce.
Avoid wearing loose clothing around fire and don't use hairsprays near a flame or while smoking.
Lemon, Orange or Passionfruit Souffle
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs
4 passionfruit
1 cup milk
Method
Cream butter and sugar, add flour, rind and juice of 4 passionfruit, milk, and egg yolks. Fold in lightly the stiffly beaten egg whites, pour into a pie dish and stand pie dish in another dish containing cold water, bake slowly 45 minutes to 1 hour, serve very hot as soon as it is take from the oven.
Cold Lemon Souffle
Ingredients
3 eggs
1/4 lb. sugar
2 lemons
1/2 pint cream
1 gill lemon jelly
almonds
crystallised cherries
Method
Separate whites and yolks of eggs, beat yolks with sugar in a basin over a pan of boiling water till the consistency of cream, grate rinds of both lemons into the mixture, add juice very gradually, stirring all the time. Whisk separately the egg whites, cream, and jelly, mix all three together and add to yolks. Whip all together until it begins to set, have ready prepared a buttered souffle mould, pour mixture in, stand in a cool place to set. Decorate with almonds and crystallised cherries, serve very cold.
Pineapple Tapioca Souffle
Ingredients
2 tablespoons tapioca
Sufficient water to cook tapioca
2 cups crushed pineapple
Pinch salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Custard
Method
Soak tapioca overnight, cook till quite clear and soft, add crushed pineapple, and salt, then sugar, cook 10 minutes and take off fire. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites, turn into a buttered pie dish, bake till set in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F, then chill thoroughly. Serve with cold custard made from egg yolks.
Use large, deep ashtrays and never smoke in bed or when you're likely to doze off. (From old pages. Interest piece only)
Cheese Souffle
Ingredients
1 oz. butter
1 oz. flour
1 gill milk
3 eggs
2 oz. cheese
Salt
Cayenne
Method
Mix butter and flour in a saucepan, add milk by degrees, stir well till thick, take off stove and let it cool a little. Beat in egg yolks one by one, add grated cheese, salt, and cayenne, beat egg whites to a very stiff froth. Fold whites into the mixture very lightly, butter a souffle mould, and pour the mixture in. Bake 25 to 30 minutes in a moderate oven. Serve very hot immediately it is taken from the oven.
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