Colonial America Cooking: Custards and Creams

These authentic recipes for easy-to-make custards and creams are based on directions from Godey’s 1854 (April Issue).

Charlotte Russe

• Line the bottom of a plain round mould with Savoy biscuits [cooked], placing them close together in a star or some device; line the slides, placing the biscuits edgewise, to make them form a compact wall
• Put the mould upon ice
• Have ready a Crème au Marasquin adding a glass of brandy
• Fill the mould as it stands on the ice, and leave it till the time of serving, when turn it over upon the dish and take off the mould. 

Charlotte Russe

The following is an easier way.

• Mix with the yolks of four eggs a quarter of a pound of sugar, pounded fine [granulated sugar]
• Add to this half a pint of new milk
• Put it over the fire till it begins to thicken like custard, but do not let it boil
• Add a half a pint of very stiff calves-foot jelly
• Strain it through a napkin
• Put in a pan placed on ice, a pint of very rich cream, flavored or not, as you like
• Whip it until it looks like float
• Pour the cream into another dish
• Put the custard in the pan on the ice; stir it on the ice with a paddle until it becomes thick like jelly
• Add the cream very lightly. The mixture should look like light sponge-cake before it is baked
• A round tin pan must be prepared with sponge-cake, called ladies’ fingers, placed around and at the bottom very evenly and closely
• Pour the Charlotte in it
• Place it on the ice till wanted
• When wanted, put a round dish or plate on it, and turn it out. The bottom will then be at the top-and no cake at the bottom. 

Cream Hasty

• Take a gallon of milk from the cow
• Set it on the fire
• When it begins to rise take it off the fire, skim off all the cream
• Put it on a plate
• Set the skillet on the fire again and repeat the skimming till your plate is full of cream\
• Put to it some orange flower and sugar, and serve it. 

Cream “Au Naturel”

Take some thin cream, mind and let it be fresh, and put it in a bowl on ice to cool; aid to it powdered sugar, and serve it. 

Cream to Keep

Cream already skimmed may be kept twenty-four hours, if scalded without sugar; and by adding to it as much powdered lump sugar as will make it sweet, it will keep good two days in a cool place. 

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