then add another layer of apples, and cover with the third portion of the dough.  Pinch the edges of the dough well together, let the loaf rise till very light, then bake.  Eat cold with sugar and cream.  If the apples will not cook quickly, they may be first steamed until nearly tender.  If the crust appears too hard when taken from the oven, cover with a wet napkin and allow it to steam for a little time until softened.

CUSTARD PUDDINGS.

Very much depends upon the baking in all puddings made with milk and eggs.

A custard pudding made with one egg, and slowly baked, will be much thicker and nicer than one made with more eggs, baked in too hot an oven.

A custard pudding baked too quickly or too long will have the eggs mixed with the farinaceous substance and the milk turned to whey, while one more carefully baked will have eggs and milk formed into a thick custard on the top.

Custard puddings and all other baked puddings which require to be cooked slowly, are best cooked in an earthen dish set in the oven in a pan of hot water, and baked only till the pudding is set.  If it is desirable to use with eggs any ingredient which requires a lengthy cooking, it is much better to cook it partially before adding the eggs.  Many custard desserts are much more dainty and more easily served when cooked in cups than when baked in a large dish.  The blue willow pattern stoneware cups and the blue and white Japanese ware are very suitable for this purpose.  When cooking, set the cups, allowing one for each person, in the oven in a dripping pan containing hot water, and bake.  Serve without removing from the cups.

If desired to stir beaten eggs into heated milk, add a few spoonfuls of cold milk to the eggs, and pour the mixture, a little at a time, into the hot milk, taking care to stir it constantly.

A nice way to flavour custards and meringues for custard puddings is to beat fruit jelly with the whites of the eggs; red raspberry, quince, and pineapple jellies give especially nice flavours.

RECIPES.

APPLE CUSTARD.—­Bake good tart apples; when done, remove the pulp, and rub through a sieve; sweeten, and flavour with grated pineapple or grated orange or lemon rind.  Put in a glass dish, and cover with a plain custard prepared as directed on page 328.  Bits of jelly may be scattered over the top of the custard.

APPLE CUSTARD NO. 2.—­Peel, halve, and core eight or ten medium-sized sour apples.  Have prepared a syrup made with a cup of water, the juice of one lemon, a little grated rind, and a half cup of sugar.  When the sugar is dissolved, add the fruit, and simmer till tender but not fallen to pieces.  Skim out the apples, draining thoroughly, and lay them in a glass dish.  Boil up the syrup until thick, and poor it over the apples.  Make a soft boiled custard with a pint of milk, yolks of three eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar.  When cold, spread over the apples; whip the whites to a stiff froth, flavor with lemon, and pile irregularly upon the top.  Brown lightly in the oven.