PLUM CUSTARD TARTLETS.

One pint of greengage plums, after being rubbed through a sieve, one large cup of sugar, the yolks of two eggs well beaten.  Whisk all together until light and foamy, then bake in small patty-pans shells of puff paste a light brown.  Then fill with the plum paste, beat the two whites until stiff, add two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, spread over the plum paste and set the shells into a moderate oven for a few moments.

These are much more easily handled than pieces of pie or even pies whole, and can be packed nicely for carrying.

LEMON TARTLETS.  No. 1.

Put a quart of milk into a saucepan over the fire.  When it comes to the boiling point put into it the following mixture:  Into a bowl put a heaping tablespoonful of flour, half a cupful of sugar and a pinch of salt.  Stir this all together thoroughly; then add the beaten yolks of six eggs; stir this one way into the boiling milk until cooked to a thick cream; remove from the fire and stir into it the grated rind and juice of one large lemon.  Have ready baked and hot some puff paste tart shells.  Fill them with the custard and cover each with a meringue made of the whites of the eggs, sweetened with four tablespoonfuls of sugar.  Put into the oven and bake a light straw color.

LEMON TARTLETS.  No. 2.

Mix well together the juice and grated rind of two lemons, two cupfuls of sugar, two eggs and the crumbs of sponge cake; beat it all together until smooth; put into twelve patty-pans lined with puff paste and bake until the crust is done.

ORANGE TARTLETS.

Take the juice of two large oranges and the grated peel of one, three-fourths of a cup of sugar, a tablespoonful of butter; stir in a good teaspoonful of cornstarch into the juice of half a lemon and add to the mixture.  Beat all well together and bake in tart shells without cover.

MERINGUE CUSTARD TARTLETS.

Select deep individual pie-tins; fluted tartlet pans are suitable for custard tarts, but they should be about six inches in diameter and from two to three inches deep.  Butter the pan and line it with ordinary puff paste, then fill it with a custard made as follows:  Stir gradually into the beaten yolks of six eggs two tablespoonfuls of flour, a saltspoonful of salt and half a pint of cream.  Stir until free from lumps and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar; put the saucepan on the range and stir until the custard coats the spoon.  Do not let it boil or it will curdle.  Pour it in a bowl, add a few drops of vanilla flavoring and stir until the custard becomes cold; fill the lined mold with this and bake in a moderate oven.  In the meantime, put the whites of the eggs in a bright copper vessel and beat thoroughly, using a baker’s wire egg-beater for this purpose.  While beating, sprinkle in lightly half a pound of sugar and a dash of salt.  When the paste is quite firm, spread a thin layer of it over the tart and decorate the top with the remainder by squeezing it through a paper funnel.  Strew a little powdered sugar over the top, return to the oven, and when a delicate yellow tinge remove from the oven and when cold serve.