t remains hard, the sugar has attained the right degree; then
squeeze in a little lemon-juice, and let it remain an instant on the
fire. Set the pan into another of cold water, and the caramel is then
ready for use. The insides of well-oiled moulds are often ornamented
with this sugar, which with a fork should be spread over them in fine
threads or network. A dish of light pastry, tastefully arranged, looks
very prettily with this sugar spun lightly over it. The sugar must be
carefully watched, and taken up the instant it is done. Unless the cook
is very experienced and thoroughly understands her business, it is
scarcely worth while to attempt to make this elaborate ornament, as it
may be purchased quite as economically at a confectioner's, if the
failures in the preparation are taken into consideration.

COMPOTE OF APPLES.

_(Soyer's Recipe,--a Dessert Dish.)_

1515. INGREDIENTS.--6 ripe apples, 1 lemon, 1/2 lb. of lump sugar, 1/2
pint of water.

[Illustration: COMPOTE OF APPLES.]

_Mode_.--Select the apples of a moderate size, peel them, cut them in
halves, remove the cores, and rub each piece over with a little lemon.
Put the sugar and water together into a lined saucepan, and let them
boil until forming a thickish syrup, when lay in the apples with the
rind of the lemon cut thin, and the juice of the same. Let the apples
simmer till tender; then take them out very carefully, drain them on a
sieve, and reduce the syrup by boiling it quickly for a few minutes.
When both are cold, arrange the apples neatly on a glass dish, pour over
the syrup, and garnish with strips of green angelica or candied citron.
Smaller apples may be dressed in the same manner: they should not be
divided in half, but peeled and the cores pushed out with a
vegetable-cutter.

_Time_.--10 minutes to boil the sugar and water together; from 15 to 25
minutes to simmer the apples.

_Average cost_, 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 4 or 5 persons. _Seasonable_ from July to March.

APPLE GINGER.

(_A Dessert Dish_.)

1516 INGREDIENTS.--2 lbs. of any kind of hard apples, 2 lbs. of loaf
sugar, 1-1/2 pint of water, 1 oz. of tincture of ginger.

_Mode_.--Boil the sugar and water until they form a rich syrup, adding
the ginger when it boils up. Pare, core, and cut the apples into pieces;
dip them in cold water to preserve the colour, and boil them in the
syrup until transparent; but be careful not to let them break. Put the
pieces of apple into jars,