Part 3

Make a custard of the eggs, milk, sugar and chocolate. Cook it in a double boiler until it thickens. Take from the fire and add the finely ground macaroons, stirring and beating the mixture until it is smooth. Pour into a buttered mould and chill thoroughly on the ice.

_Signorina Irene Merlani._

ZABAIONE

1 wineglass Marsala or Madeira wine (1/4 cup) 1 tablespoon sugar 2 eggs

Beat the eggs, beat in the sugar, add the wine. Cook over a slow fire, beating constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. Take from the fire and continue to beat a moment so the mixture will not cook to the side of the hot vessel. It should be a smooth, frothy cream. It is eaten hot, poured over sponge cake or served in tall glasses. A scant teaspoon of cinnamon may be added by way of variety.

It is best to cook Zabaione in a double boiler or in a dish set into a larger one of boiling water, to prevent its curdling.

Orange or other fruit juice may be substituted for the wine, but Marsala is the original and authentic ingredient. Made with fruit juice it becomes an acceptable pudding sauce.

_Pensione Santa Caterina, Siena._

MONT BLANC

_Monte Bianco, Dolce di Castagne_

1 lb French or Italian chestnuts Milk, sugar, whipped cream, cinnamon

Boil the chestnuts for two hours and then peel off the shells and inner skins. Put them over the fire with a little milk, and mash them to a paste, adding more milk if necessary, to make them of about the consistency of mashed potatoes. Flavor with sugar and cinnamon. Pass them through a sieve or potato ricer to form a mound on the plate on which the Mont Blanc is to be served. Decorate with a generous quantity of whipped cream just before serving. Vanilla or a little wine may be used for flavoring instead of cinnamon.

_Marietta Ieri_

NUT CAKE

1/4 lb. rice flour 6 oz. sugar 4 oz. butter 4 eggs Vanilla 4 oz. almonds and filberts

Blanch the almonds and filberts and dry them thoroughly. Grind them very fine and mix with the rice flour and two tablespoons of the sugar. Beat the eggs light and beat in the rest of the sugar. Pour the eggs into the other mixture and beat all very light. Add the melted butter and continue to beat. Pour into a buttered loaf-cake tin and bake in a moderate oven.

PASTA MARGUERITA

1/4 lb. potato flour 1/4 lb. powdered sugar 4 eggs Lemon juice

Beat the egg yolks thoroughly and beat in the sugar. Then add the flour and lemon juice and beat in all 1/2 hour. Beat the whites of the eggs dry and fold them into the rest. Butter a mould and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Pour into the mould and bake. When it is cool turn out of the mould and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

BIGNÉ

1 cup flour 1 cup water 1/2 cup butter 3 eggs A little salt

Boil the water and melt the butter in it. Salt it, add the flour and let it cook a little while. Cool and add the beaten eggs. Form this into 12 _Bigné_, (little cakes or cookies) and bake them in the oven. When they are baked split them open and fill with a custard flavored with vanilla and sprinkle them with powdered sugar.

_Signorina Irene Merlani._