Transaparents

Almost any kind of cake cut up, or previously made in any fancy shapes, may be used for this purpose. In all cases the cakes intended to be glaces should be slightly hollowed out on the surface for the purpose of retaining the preserve with which they are to be covered previously to their being glaces. These very delicious and beautiful dessert-cakes produce almost infinite varieties, and at small cost, inasmuch as the game batter in different forms,—or even larger cakes, or the remains of these cut up, as I have stated above,— answer just as well. The principal part of the operation consists in the preparation of the sugar for what is termed transparent icing; and which is accomplished as follows: viz.,—put half a pound of the best loaf-sugar into a copper sugar-boiler with half a pint of water, and after skimming off the surface as it begins to boil, allow it to boil down to forty degrees—or what is termed to the blow point,—that is, when a perforated spoon has been lightly dipped in the sugar by blowing through the holes,—the sugar distends in comparatively large bubbles or globes; it must then be removed from the fire and the bottom of the pan placed in a basin containing":, cold water. As soon as the sugar begins to set—to thicken, work it from the liquid centre against the side of the sugar-boiler in order to give it a slightly dimmed or opalized appearance, adding gradually, by teaspoonfuls, half a gill of noyeau, or any other liqueur, and also a little clarified syrup; and use this to mask over the upper part of the cakes previously covered with any of the following preserves:—apricot, damson, currant jelly, &c. As they are turned out of hand, put them in rows upon a wire-drainer on a dish, afterwards to be placed in the open screen to dry for five minutes.