Iced Biscuits with Vanilla and Strawberry, Melon Shaped

Put eight egg yolks in a small tinned basin with three gills of thirty-five degree syrup, four gills of rich cream and a vanilla bean split lengthwise in two; beat the whole together and when well mingled set the basin on the fire and stir constantly with a spatula until it covers it thoroughly with a thick layer, then remove from the fire and strain the preparation through a Venice sieve. Wash the basin thoroughly and return the cream to it; lay the basin on ice, beat and when the composition is very firm incorporate therein a quart of whipped cream. (In all cases where reference is made to a given quantity of whipped cream the quantity stated should be understood as meaning when the cream is whipped and not in its liquid state.) With this mixture fill some cases (Fig. 623) three-quarters full and freeze them in a freezing box (a square box furnished with movable tin shelves on the inside, they being perforated with large holes). When frozen finish filling with strawberry or any other water ice; smooth with a knife and return to the freezing box to finish freezing. The inside dimensions of large cases are four and a half inches long, two and a half wide and one and one-sixteenth deep; the medium cases measure three and a half inches long, one and seven-eighths wide and one inch deep.

Iced biscuits can also be ranged in melon-shaped molds; coat these over with strawberry water ice (No. 3607), into which mix twice as much whipped cream (No. 50), and finish filling with the above vanilla biscuit preparation; freeze and unmold on a folded napkin.