Hand-Book of Practical Cookery, for Ladies and Professional Cooks: Containing the Whole Science and Art of Preparing Human Food

absorbed by the rice; add a little more to keep the rice nearly covered with it. When done, take off and mix with it two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two ounces of butter, two tablespoonfuls of milk, three yolks of eggs, a little pinch of salt, and the same of nutmeg--the latter, if liked. Put back on the fire for one minute, stirring the while. Spread the mixture on a dish and let cool. If the _croquettes_ are for _breakfast_, the above may be done the evening previous. When cold, stir the mixture, so as to mix the upper part with the rest that is less dry. Put it in parts on the paste-board, about a tablespoonful for each part. Have bread-crumbs on it, roll each part of the shape you wish, either round, like a small sausage, or flat, or of a chop-shape. Then dip each _croquette_ in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs again, and fry in hot fat. (_See_ Frying.) To shape them, roll each part round at first, and with a few bread-crumbs; then with a knife you smooth both ends, while you roll them round with the left hand; the two must be done at the same time. When fried and in the colander, dust with sugar, and serve as warm as possible. _Croquettes_ are generally served in pyramid. A napkin may be spread on the platter, and the _croquettes_ served on it. _In Fritters._--When a rice-cake is cold, it may be cut in pieces, dipped in batter for fritters, fried (_see_ Frying), dusted with sugar, and served hot. _Soufflé._--Prepare rice as directed for _croquettes_, and when ready to be spread on a dish, add a few drops of essence to flavor; have five whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and mix them gently with it; butter a mould well, fill it two-thirds full with the mixture, dust with sugar and set in a warm but not quick oven, and serve as soon as brown and raised. It takes from fifteen to twenty minutes. If the oven is warmer under the cake than on the