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Lemon Cream in Shape
1064. Dissolve three-quarters of an ounce of Light's extract of calves' feet, or gelatine, in a quarter of a pint of water. Strain it, squeeze the juice of three lemons with the grated peel of one, sweeten with sifted lump sugar, and when you have added about threequarters of a pint of good cream, or a little more, whisk it well till it becomes a strong froth. Then add the isinglass, cooled sufficiently, but not set; and mix it well. When it begins to set, put it into your mould, and in an hour or two it will be sufficiently firm to turn out. This quantity should fill a quart mould. This cream may be varied by adding before it sets a few dried or preserved cherries, greengages, &c., with a little candied peel, and colour it with a little cochineal. Another.-Simmer three-quarters of an ounce of gelatine in a little milk until dissolved; strain and set it to cool; put the juice of three lemons and some sugar to a pint of cream; whisk them well together, pour in the gelatine by degrees, whisk it again, and pour it into a mould.
A moulded lemon cream of the mid-Victorian sort: whipped cream, lemon, sugar and enough gelatine to hold a shape on the table. The two versions given differ mainly in whether the gelatine is dissolved in water or in milk.
- The gelatine is the whole problemThree-quarters of an ounce (about 21 g) reflected the weak, variable gelatines and calves'-foot extracts of the period. Modern powdered and leaf gelatines are generally stronger and more consistent, and that weight would set this quantity very firmly indeed rather than as a cream. For a quart mould, 10-12 g of modern gelatine should be ample.
- Light's extract of calves' feetA proprietary calves'-foot jelly preparation, long gone from the market. Leaf or powdered gelatine is the direct replacement. The recipe also calls the same ingredient "isinglass" halfway through, which was common loose usage; true isinglass was made from fish swim bladders, chiefly sturgeon, and is rarely a domestic ingredient now.
- Temperature of the gelatine is the hinge"Cooled sufficiently, but not set" means barely warm to the finger and still perfectly fluid. Too hot and it slackens the whipped cream; too cool and it sets in threads the moment it meets the cold cream. Pour it in a thin stream while whisking continuously.
- Cream"Good cream" is best read as double cream (around 48 per cent fat). Heavy or whipping cream at about 36 per cent will work but whisk it only to soft, floppy peaks — a stiff cream will not fold smoothly with the gelatine, and the acid from three lemons thickens it further.
- Lemon and acidThree lemons is a great deal of acid to put into cream. Combine the juice with the sugar and gelatine first, and add that mixture to the whisked cream rather than the reverse, working quickly. Grate the peel from an unwaxed lemon and take only the yellow.
- Sifted lump sugarLoaf sugar crushed and put through a sieve — caster sugar is the modern equivalent. Judge by taste; roughly 3 to 4 oz (85-115 g) suits this quantity, since the lemon needs balancing.
- Quart mould and yieldAn imperial quart is 40 fl oz, about 1.1 litres, a little larger than a US quart. It gives eight modest servings. Rinse the mould with cold water before filling and dip it briefly in hot water to turn out.
- ColouringCochineal is still sold as carmine and is an insect-derived dye; a few drops go a long way, and there are plant-based reds if that matters to the table.
- Setting timeAn hour or two in a Victorian larder is optimistic by modern standards only in that refrigeration makes it reliable — allow four hours chilled, or overnight for a mould with a detailed pattern.