n sieve; put into a pan quite free from grease; break in the whites
of six eggs, and as much powder blue as will lie on a sixpence; beat it
well with a spattle for ten minutes; then squeeze in the juice of a
lemon, and beat it till it becomes thick and transparent. Set the cake
you intend to ice in an oven or warm place five minutes; then spread
over the top and sides with the mixture as smooth as possible. If for a
wedding-cake only, plain ice it; if for a twelfth cake, ornament it with
gum paste, or fancy articles of any description.

_Obs._--A good twelfth cake, not baked too much, and kept in a cool dry
place, will retain its moisture and eat well, if twelve months old.

_To boil Sugar to Caramel._--(No. 85.)

Break into a small copper or brass pan one pound of refined sugar; put
in a gill of spring-water; set it on a fire; when it boils skim it quite
clean, and let it boil quick, till it comes to the degree called crack;
which may be known by dipping a tea-spoon or skewer into the sugar, and
letting it drop to the bottom of a pan of cold water; and if it remains
hard, it has attained that degree: squeeze in the juice of half a lemon,
and let it remain one minute longer on the fire; then set the pan into
another of cold water: have ready moulds of any shape; rub them over
with sweet oil; dip a spoon or fork into the sugar, and throw it over
the mould in fine threads, till it is quite covered: make a small handle
of caramel, or stick on two or three small gum paste rings, by way of
ornament, and place it over small pastry of any description.

_A Croquante of Paste._--(No. 86.)

Roll out paste, as No. 8, about the eighth of an inch thick; rub over a
plain mould with a little fresh butter; lay on the paste very even, and
equally thin on both sides; pare it round the rim; then with a small
penknife cut out small pieces, as fancy may direct, such as diamonds,
stars, circles, sprigs, &c.; or use a small tin cutter of any shape: let
it lie to dry some time, and bake it a few minutes in a slack oven, of a
light colour: remove it from the mould, and place it over a tart, or any
other dish of small pastry.

_Derby or Short Cakes._--(No. 87.)

Rub in with the hand one pound of butter into two pounds of sifted
flour; put one pound of currants, one pound of good moist sugar, and one
egg; mix all together with half a pint of milk: roll it out thin, and
cut them into round cakes with a cutter; lay them on a clean
baki