Bohemian-American Cook Book/Fillings for Tarts

Pick over, wash and boil dried prunes, stone and chop fine or press through a sieve. Place in a saucepan, add a small piece of butter, a bit of grated lemon rind, a bit of powdered cloves and sugar to taste. Boil a while and cool, when the filling is ready for use. If too thick, add a little of prune juice or water.

Peel and core a bushel of tart apples, using of course only good ones. Boil as many at the time as are well covered, then put more in the kettle. When all are tender press through a colander. Boil a gallon of sweet cider down to half that quantity. Add the cider to the strained apples and boil over a slow fire, stirring often. About an hour before the butter is done, add cinnamon, cloves and allspice to taste. The butter may simmer several hours, and it must be thick and light brown when done.

In the evening before making pare and quarter the pears and sprinkle with sugar, using two pounds of sugar to ten pounds of fruit. The next day boil them three hours just as they are, not adding anything, then pour into stone jars, cover with a clean cloth and set aside in a cool place.

Peel and stone peaches, place in a granite or enameled kettle, cover so the steam cannot escape, and place in a hot oven. When soft, mash and add ​sugar (a cup and a half to half a gallon of fruit). Stir well, cover and place in the oven again. Stir occasionally, and bake a nice brown color. Then pour into glass or stone jars and set in a cool place. Jam prepared thus does not scorch easily and has a nicer flavor. Before using add a bit of grated cloves, lemon rind and nutmeg.

Cream a tablespoon of butter, add a pound of fresh cottage cheese, four beaten yolks, six tablespoons of sugar, the grated rind of half a lemon, a dash of salt and half a cup of seedless raisins, or blanched almonds cut into strips.

Grind or pound fine the desired quantity of poppy seed. Place it in a saucepan, add enough cream to so it can simmer. When it thickens, stir often so it does not scorch. Then add sugar or honey to taste, a bit of cloves, grated lemon rind, vanilla flavoring or chopped blanched almonds.

Cream six tablespoons of sugar with three yolks, add a cup of ground poppy seed boiled in cream, three tablespoons of melted butter, three or four tablespoons of cream, half a cup of seedless raisins, a dash of cinnamon and a few drops of vanilla flavoring. Mix smooth, then stir in three whites beaten stiff.

Grate four slices of bread and fry in nice butter, then cool. Now add chopped blanched almonds, raisins, sugar and flavor with vanilla or cinnamon.

Place sliced tart apples in a saucepan, add water and sugar, vanilla, cinnamon or lemon rind, and simmer until tender. Then strain through a sieve, add one or two whites beaten stiff and raisins or chopped blanched almonds.

Wash, dry and seed a fourth of a pound of raisins, chop and place in a saucepan, add a few teaspoons of white wine, the grated rind of half a lemon, sugar to taste, a dash of cloves and cinnamon, simmer a while, then cool.

Cream three tablespoons of butter with two yolks, add six tablespoons of sugar with which you have pounded a bit of vanilla bean, half a cup of chopped hazel nuts and a bit of white wine.

Boil half a cup of sugar with half a cup of water, pour into a bowl, add a cup of walnuts pounded to a paste, a bit of vanilla flavoring or grated lemon rind, and stir smooth.

Cream together three yolks, six tablespoons of sugar, the grated rind of a lemon, and half a cup of blanched almonds pounded to a paste. Stir stiff, then fold in three whites beaten stiff.

Brown four tablespoons of flour with a small piece of butter, then add two ounces of powdered ​sugar. Or rub three tablespoons of butter with a cup of flour and three tablespoons of fine sugar. Either of these may be used to sprinkle jam tarts.

Grate a piece of hard gingerbread, place in a saucepan with a piece of butter and sugar to taste, and let all brown together.