Francatelli Recipes for Dessert Compotes, Chapter 27
Welcome to FabulousFusionFood's Francatelli Recipes for Dessert Compotes — This page gives you the entire contents of the Twenty-seventh Chapter: Compotes of Fruits for Desserts from Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Each recipe is given here in its original form, with a link underneath to the modern redaction, should you wish to replicate it. This is the first time that Francatelli's book has been made available in its entirety on the internet. Enjoy...
The text presented here is derived directly from Francatelli's book and redacted specifically for this website. Please do not copy or use the content of these pages without first gaining permission.
CHAPTER XXVII.
No. 892.—COMPOTE OF APPLES.
Any kind of apple will answer the purpose—more or less; but firm sweet apples, such as the russet, the golden pippin, &c., are best suited for competes, from the fact that they bear the action of gentle boiling without breaking. Cut the apples in halves, remove the cores with an iron scoop, pare, or turn them smooth, and simmer them very gently in thin syrup with lemon juice until nearly done through; the pieces of apple should then be carefully removed into a basin,—and after the syrup has been reduced to half its original quantity, it is to be poured on the compote.
When about to dish up the compote, place one ice in the centre, and surround it with other pieces ; decorate their surface with light designs cut out from angelica, preserved cucumber, any kind of red jelly, yellow pine, chinois, orange, &c., and just before sending to table, pour the syrup lightly over. It is also customary to cover compotes with circular sheets or nappes of apple jelly, cast in plates, and removed by the aid of the fingers. See Apple Jelly, No 998.
No. 893.—COMPOTE OF PEARS.
When ripe mellow pears are used for making compotes, follow in all particulars the directions for making compotes of apples; but when these are no longer in season, and the hard-baking pears only are to be obtained, they must be treated as follows :—split the pears in halves, or quarters, according to size; remove the cores, pare them smoothly, put them on to simmer very gently with a quart of water, ten ounces of sugar, a few cloves, and lemon-peel: these should be stewed in a tinned stewpan with a bit of pewter, in order to turn them of a bright crimson. When the pears are done, drain them into a white basin, reduce the syrup, and pour it on them.
No. 894.—COMPOTE OF ORANGES
First, pare off the rind of three oranges very thinly, and reserve it on a plate; then divide them into halves with a very sharp knife ; remove the white pithy cord which runs down the centre of the fruit, and cut off the rind and pith in strips down to the quick—thus leaving the halves of oranges transparently bare; dish up these rather high in the compote glass, throw the rind kept in reserve into four ounces of sugar boiled with a gill of water for five minutes; strain this syrup into a basin, add a small glass of rum, or brandy, pour over the compete, and serve.
No. 895.—COMPOTE OF PEACHES.
Divide the peaches in halves ; gently simmer them with syrup in a sugar-boiler for five minutes; drain them; remove their skins; dish them up in a compotier; reduce the syrup with a wineglassful of red-currant juice, ad pour it over the fruit.
No. 896.—COMPOTE OF APRICOTS.
Split and peel the apricots; put them` into a sugar-boiler with syrup, and merely simmer them for three minutes over the fire; then drain each piece separately with a spoon into a basin; boil down the syrup to half its quantity, and add it to the apricots.
No. 897.—COMPOTE OF GREENGAGES.
These are used whole, with the stalks left on :—for their preparation, see the first part of Greengages Glacés, No. 884.
No.898.—COMPOTE OF CHERRIES.
Fine large cherries of light colour, and perfectly ripe, are fittest for this purpose : the stalks should be cut off half way, and all of the same length ; the cherries should be simmered in syrup for three minutes, and dished with their stalks upright: a spoonful of noyeau may be added to the syrup.
No. 899.—COMPOTE OF PINE-APPLE.
For this compote, follow the first part of the directions for the preparation of pine-apple glacé, No. 881.
No. 900.—COMPOTE OF STRAWBERRIES.
Pick the strawberries into a basin; pour a pint of syrup of 28 degrees to them; cover them over with a plate, and when this has stood for an hour, pour off the syrup into a sugar-boiler; add a wineglassful of red currant juice; boil down to half the quantity; strain through a sieve to the strawberries; add a small glass of maraschino :—dish up in a pile in the compotier, and add the syrup.
No. 901.—IMITATION OF GINGER.
Pumpkin, cucumber, and salsifis may be used advantageously for the purpose. When pumpkins or cucumbers are used, they should be peeled, and cut into shapes in imitation of preserved green ginger, and very gently simmered for a few minutes only in syrup prepared as follows :—To a pound of loaf-sugar add a tablespoonful of Savoury and Moore’s essence of ginger, the juice of a lemon, and half a pint of water; boil three minutes. The syrup should be boiled up twice, adding each time a teaspoonful of essence of ginger.
When salsifis are used for imitating ginger, they should be cut in different lengths, peeled round the stalk instead of being scraped, parboiled in water with some lemon-juice; when half done, drain and put them into a sugar-boiler with a pint of syrup of 28 degrees, two spoonfuls of essence of Jamaica ginger, and the juice of a lemon; simmer very gently for eight minutes, and put away in a cool place.
No. 902.—COMPOTE OF CHESTNUTS.
Remove the outer husk from fifty chestnuts, and put them to simmer gently in a quart of milk and water, until done to the degree of a floury potato ; they must then be drained on a sieve, and bruised in a sugar boiler containing 12 ounces of sugar boiled till it pearls on the surface ; flavour with pounded vanilla, and after working all together vigorously, rub through a coarse wire sieve on to a dish.
To dish up this compote, first,—pile up half a pint of firmly whipped cream in the centre of the compotier, with the fingers ; gently strew the vermicelli chestnuts upon this in a conical form; garish round the base with a compote of oranges with maraschino, and serve one of the most delicious things ever imagined.
The text presented here is derived directly from Francatelli's book and redacted specifically for this website. Please do not copy or use the content of these pages without first gaining permission.
Francatelli's Chapter XXVII: Compotes of Fruits for Desserts.
CHAPTER XXVII.
COMPOTES OF FRUITS FOR DESSERTS.
Any kind of apple will answer the purpose—more or less; but firm sweet apples, such as the russet, the golden pippin, &c., are best suited for competes, from the fact that they bear the action of gentle boiling without breaking. Cut the apples in halves, remove the cores with an iron scoop, pare, or turn them smooth, and simmer them very gently in thin syrup with lemon juice until nearly done through; the pieces of apple should then be carefully removed into a basin,—and after the syrup has been reduced to half its original quantity, it is to be poured on the compote.
When about to dish up the compote, place one ice in the centre, and surround it with other pieces ; decorate their surface with light designs cut out from angelica, preserved cucumber, any kind of red jelly, yellow pine, chinois, orange, &c., and just before sending to table, pour the syrup lightly over. It is also customary to cover compotes with circular sheets or nappes of apple jelly, cast in plates, and removed by the aid of the fingers. See Apple Jelly, No 998.
When ripe mellow pears are used for making compotes, follow in all particulars the directions for making compotes of apples; but when these are no longer in season, and the hard-baking pears only are to be obtained, they must be treated as follows :—split the pears in halves, or quarters, according to size; remove the cores, pare them smoothly, put them on to simmer very gently with a quart of water, ten ounces of sugar, a few cloves, and lemon-peel: these should be stewed in a tinned stewpan with a bit of pewter, in order to turn them of a bright crimson. When the pears are done, drain them into a white basin, reduce the syrup, and pour it on them.
First, pare off the rind of three oranges very thinly, and reserve it on a plate; then divide them into halves with a very sharp knife ; remove the white pithy cord which runs down the centre of the fruit, and cut off the rind and pith in strips down to the quick—thus leaving the halves of oranges transparently bare; dish up these rather high in the compote glass, throw the rind kept in reserve into four ounces of sugar boiled with a gill of water for five minutes; strain this syrup into a basin, add a small glass of rum, or brandy, pour over the compete, and serve.
Divide the peaches in halves ; gently simmer them with syrup in a sugar-boiler for five minutes; drain them; remove their skins; dish them up in a compotier; reduce the syrup with a wineglassful of red-currant juice, ad pour it over the fruit.
Split and peel the apricots; put them` into a sugar-boiler with syrup, and merely simmer them for three minutes over the fire; then drain each piece separately with a spoon into a basin; boil down the syrup to half its quantity, and add it to the apricots.
These are used whole, with the stalks left on :—for their preparation, see the first part of Greengages Glacés, No. 884.
Fine large cherries of light colour, and perfectly ripe, are fittest for this purpose : the stalks should be cut off half way, and all of the same length ; the cherries should be simmered in syrup for three minutes, and dished with their stalks upright: a spoonful of noyeau may be added to the syrup.
For this compote, follow the first part of the directions for the preparation of pine-apple glacé, No. 881.
Pick the strawberries into a basin; pour a pint of syrup of 28 degrees to them; cover them over with a plate, and when this has stood for an hour, pour off the syrup into a sugar-boiler; add a wineglassful of red currant juice; boil down to half the quantity; strain through a sieve to the strawberries; add a small glass of maraschino :—dish up in a pile in the compotier, and add the syrup.
Pumpkin, cucumber, and salsifis may be used advantageously for the purpose. When pumpkins or cucumbers are used, they should be peeled, and cut into shapes in imitation of preserved green ginger, and very gently simmered for a few minutes only in syrup prepared as follows :—To a pound of loaf-sugar add a tablespoonful of Savoury and Moore’s essence of ginger, the juice of a lemon, and half a pint of water; boil three minutes. The syrup should be boiled up twice, adding each time a teaspoonful of essence of ginger.
When salsifis are used for imitating ginger, they should be cut in different lengths, peeled round the stalk instead of being scraped, parboiled in water with some lemon-juice; when half done, drain and put them into a sugar-boiler with a pint of syrup of 28 degrees, two spoonfuls of essence of Jamaica ginger, and the juice of a lemon; simmer very gently for eight minutes, and put away in a cool place.
Remove the outer husk from fifty chestnuts, and put them to simmer gently in a quart of milk and water, until done to the degree of a floury potato ; they must then be drained on a sieve, and bruised in a sugar boiler containing 12 ounces of sugar boiled till it pearls on the surface ; flavour with pounded vanilla, and after working all together vigorously, rub through a coarse wire sieve on to a dish.
To dish up this compote, first,—pile up half a pint of firmly whipped cream in the centre of the compotier, with the fingers ; gently strew the vermicelli chestnuts upon this in a conical form; garish round the base with a compote of oranges with maraschino, and serve one of the most delicious things ever imagined.