The following recipe was used as a garnish for Mock Turtle Soup (recipe found in Fannie's Last Supper)

This is an odd recipe to start with since one simmers a calf’s head cut into five pieces to make a broth but the finishing garnish is even stranger, fried brain balls! They are actually quite good – just be sure to tell your guests what they are after they have eaten them!

BRAIN BALLS

No, this was not a typo. These are actually quite good even though the recipe name leaves a lot to be desired. Be sure to let the brains cool thoroughly before chopping. Another hint: handle them gently before and after cooking. They break up and dissolve easily if manhandled.

Court-Bouillon:

1 quart water

1 cup white wine

1 carrot, sliced thinly

1 celery stalk, sliced thinly

1 medium onion, sliced thinly

1 teaspoon salt

2 bay leaves

6 parsley stems

8 peppercorns

1 calf’s brain, soaked in 1 quart cold water for 24 hours (change water 3 to 4 times)

Brain Balls:

½ cup grated dried bread crumbs

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch cayenne

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¾ teaspoon fresh thyme

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup finely chopped cooked calf’s brain

1 cup peanut oil

1. To Cook Brain: Combine all ingredients for in medium saucepan, except for brain; simmer 30 minutes. Add brain, simmer gently 10 to 15 minutes until soft but firm (about 180 degrees on an instant read thermometer). Transfer to plate, covering with damp towel. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold. Chop fine; reserve.

2. To Make Brain Balls: Combine all ingredients, except brain, until mixture is smooth. Add chopped brain and mix until combined. Scoop out 1 teaspoon portions and drop in dried fresh breadcrumbs. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until oil reaches 375 degrees; cook balls, until golden and crisp all around, about 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to paper-towel lined plate and season with salt.

The master recipe for Rissoles (it can be made with store-bought puff pastry) as well as an additional filling recipe can be found in Fannie's Last Supper.

HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY

This is the most time-consuming, demanding recipe you will every make but it is also by far the most enjoyable and rewarding. If you simply follow the directions to the letter, you will have no problem and will produce true magic from just flour, butter and salt. We found that Bernard Clayton, author of The Complete Book of Pastry, and Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Pie and Pastry Bible, among other works, were excellent references, supplementing the far from complete directions provided from Fannie. Temperature is everything when making puff pastry so be sure to use an instant read thermometer and to pop the dough back into the refrigerator whenever it starts to warm up. Use a higher gluten all purpose flour such as King Arthur, and use a high fat content butter, such as Plugra or Lurpak for best results. One final note: cover dough tightly in plastic wrap in between steps.

Dough:

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (17.5 ounces) (see note)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup plus 3 to 6 tablespoons water

Butter:

¼ cup all purpose flour

1 pound butter, cold (see note)

1. For The Dough: Whisk to combine flour and salt. Add 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, and work thoroughly into flour with fingertips. Make well, add 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons water and lemon juice and stir, pulling dry into wet to make dough. Add water as needed in 1 tablespoon increments to make a shaggy mass that holds together and is moist but not wet. Turn dough out on counter and knead until fairly smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic and let rest at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes.

2. For The Butter: Place half of flour in center of large piece of plastic wrap. Place butter over flour and add remaining flour on top. Place a second large piece of plastic wrap over butter/flour, press air out, loosely seal si des, and using a rolling pin, pound butter until about ½-inch thick. Lift top piece of plastic wrap, fold butter slab in half, redistributing loose flour, cover with wrap and pound again. Use knuckles to work flour into butter. Repeat process until all flour has been worked into butter (butter at this point should be around 60 degrees which is the ideal temperature for rolling out--if it is any colder, the butter will break as rolled and will break through the dough and not puff properly when cooked, and if any warmer, will be absorbed into the dough which will not puff properly). Shape into 6-inch square. Wrap and set aside until dough is ready. (Refrigerate as needed to maintain 60 degrees.)

3. Roll dough into 9-inch square. Place wrapped butter in center diagonally on the dough (Butter has to be at 60 degrees -- this is critical for success.) With bench scraper, score dough on all four corners. Remove butter. With rolling pin starting at each scored mark, roll outwards over the corners to form a cross. Unwrap butter and place in center of dough. Fold corners of dough over butter. Pat into firm bundle, with all seams overlapping. (It is essential to fold and shape the dough so that everything maintains an even thickness. If you keep this in mind as you work, the puff pastry will turn out immeasurably better.) Turn bundle seam side down. Roll away from you into a strip 24-inches by 8-inches, flipping dough 2 to 3 times during the process. (Do not pound or squeeze the dough, let the rolling pin do the work. Do not roll over the ends.) Fold into three, as if folding a letter as follows. The short side of the dough should be facing you, with the 24 inch length of the dough running away from you. First, fold the bottom third of the dough up over the middle third. Then, fold the top third down over the same area. It is essential that each third is exactly 8 inches so that you end up with an even thickness of dough. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

4. With short end of dough facing you, roll dough once again into a 24 by 8 inch length. Use very little flour on the work surface and use a light touch so that the butter does not get squeezed too hard and you maintain an even thickness of dough. Be especially careful not to roll hard over the sides or ends. Gently flip dough over 2 or 3 times during the process so it does not stick to the counter. Fold into thirds. Rotate dough 90 degrees and repeat. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes, tightly wrapped in plastic. (If dough starts to feel soft or warm, immediately put it back into the refrigerator to cool down for 20 minutes or so.)

5. Repeat rolling and folding. Refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes. Repeat process one more time.

6. Repeat rolling and folding but instead of folding like a letter, fold both ends towards the center, then fold whole thing in half to create four layers. Refrigerate 3 hours to overnight.

7. Cut chilled puff pastry into three pieces, cutting parallel to the short side. Cover each piece in plastic wrap and reserve in refrigerator for up to three days, or in freezer for up to four months.

The master recipe for Rissoles (it can be made with store-bought puff pastry) as well as an additional filling recipe can be found in Fannie's Last Supper.

DUXELLE AND CHICKEN FILLING

Fannie would have used a bechamel to bind the ingredients but we found a drier, more sharply flavored filling was best.

1  teaspoon canola oil

2 teaspoons butter

2 tablespoons, shallot, minced (1 large shallot)

4 ounces white mushrooms, processed fine in food processor

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon sherry

1/2 teaspoon thyme, minced

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1/4 cup finely diced roast chicken

2 tablespoons chives or parsley, minced

¼ to ½ teaspoon lemon juice

1. Heat oil and butter in 8-inch skillet, over medium-high heat until foaming subsides; add shallot and cook, stirring frequently until it softens and begins to brown, about 30 to 60 seconds.

2. Add mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until all moisture has cooked off and mushrooms have browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add sherry and thyme, and stir to combine, and cook until dry, about 10 to 15 seconds; remove pan from heat. Immediately add heavy cream, stir to combine. Transfer to medium bowl; spread into thin layer and cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.

3. Stir in chicken, chives and lemon juice. Check seasonings. Refrig erate until cold and ready to use.

The master recipe for Rissoles (it can be made with store-bought puff pastry) as well as an additional filling recipe can be found in Fannie's Last Supper.

CHICKEN LIVER FILLING

This has a nice strong flavor that stand up nicely to the fried puff pastry and a cool glass of Riesling.

1 cup chicken livers (about 6-8), drained and patted dry

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons minced shallot

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon tomato paste

½ teaspoon thyme, minced

¼ cup brandy

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

1. Season livers with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, until just smoking. Add livers in single layer and cook without moving until browned, about 1½ to 2 minutes. Flip each liver and continue to cook until cooked to rare, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Transfer livers to plate in single layer. With paper towels, wipe skillet of fat.

2. Return pan to medium heat and add butter, shallot, garlic and cook, stirring frequently until softened and fragrant, about 30 to 60 seconds. Add tomato paste and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until paste begins to brown, about 1 minute. Return livers to pan, add brandy and ignite; swirl pan to coat livers and cook until flames have died and mixture has thickened, about 20 to 40 seconds. Transfer to plate in single layer, and immediately refrigerate until chilled through.

3. Once livers are chilled through, finely chop. Gently combine livers with parsley. Check seasonings. Refrigerate until ready to use.

This fish stock is a recipe necessary to make Lobster l'Americaine (recipe in Fannie's Last Supper)

FUMET (FISH STOCK)

Yes, this recipe is necessary to generate the depth of flavor that one needs for the sauce but fish stock can be prepared quickly. This recipe is all about the sauce and a homemade fish stock is a crucial key to success.

5 pounds white fish bones (such as halibut), run under cold water 30 minutes, flush gills until water runs clear

4 tablespoons oil

2 leek tops, diced medium (4 cups)

4 celery stalks, diced medium (3 cups)

1 pound onion diced medium (4 cups)

1 large fennel bulb, diced medium (7 cups)

3 to 4 quarts water

2 cups white wine

2 bay leaves

8 parsley stems

4 thyme sprigs

1. Adjust oven rack to middle rack and heat oven to 500 degrees. Roast fish bones on rimmed baking sheet for 30 minutes until just opaque and releases foam/scum. Do not brown.

2. Meanwhile, in 14-quart stock pot, heat oil over medium heat; add vegetables, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes until vegetables are translucent (not browned) and have released juices. Add fish bones (do not add the liquid and foam given off during roasting), cover with water, add wine, bay leaves, and herbs, and bring to simmer; cook at a bare simmer about 30 minutes. Turn off, let steep about 30 minutes. Strain through colander and then again through fine mesh strainer. Chill.

Yields 3 to 3 ½ quarts

This recipe is used to make the Currant Jelly Sauce featured on this website and served with the Roast Saddle of Venison (recipe in Fannie's Last Supper)

The Currant Jelly Sauce that is served with the roast venison is perhaps the most instructive recipe in the book. Why? It is a classic preparation of a classic sauce and I rediscovered the incredible depth of flavor that a good sauce brings to a simple piece of roasted meat. This is the difference between great cooking and home cooking.

VEAL STOCK

Once in your life, you should make a veal stock since it is one of those foundation recipes that remain at the heart of much high-end restaurant cooking. This is why some folks spend $30 for an entree -- the depth of flavor is incomparable and is never going to be found in a can or frozen sauce base. Once you look over this recipe, however, you will realize that it is really not all that hard to make. It just takes some unattended cooking time. (You will need veal stock to make the Currant Jelly Sauce for the venison.)

6 pounds veal knuckles

3 pounds meaty veal shanks or round, cut into 2-inch pieces

8 quarts water

2 pounds medium onions, chopped

1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 head garlic, halved across equator

1 bottle dry white wine

4 to 5 medium tomatoes, canned or fresh

8 sprigs thyme

1/2 bunch parsley

10 peppercorns

4 bay leaves

1. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Roast bones and meat on 2 trays, rotating trays halfway through, and stirring occasionally, until well-browned about 2 hours. Transfer to 20-quart stockpot, add water and bring to simmer; skim. Reserve trays for vegetables.

2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, toss onions, carrots and celery with tomato paste to coat, and place on used trays and roast until richly browned, rotating trays and stirring halfway through, about 30 to 45 minutes. Transfer roasted vegetables to stockpot. Deglaze trays, scraping up brown bits, and add to pot. Add garlic, wine, tomatoes, herbs, peppercorns and bay leaves. Cook at bare simmer, skimming as necessary, 4 to 5 hours. Strai n, defat, and cool immediately.

Yields 4 quarts

This recipe is served with the Roast Saddle of Venison (recipe in Fannie's Last Supper)

CURRANT JELLY SAUCE

If I have learned, or relearned, anything from this exercise, it is that sauce making is everything. A few slices of roast meat on a plate are lackluster; when napped with a rich, deeply flavored sauce, you have elevated your cooking from short-order to three-star. Note that this recipe requires a homemade veal stock -- recipe follows.

1 ½ to 2  pounds venison bones/scraps

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cups shallots, minced (1 to 2 medium shallots)

1 bottle red wine (Cote du Rhone)

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 cup port

1/4 cup red wine vinegar, plus 2 teaspoons to finish sauce

10 to 12 cups veal stock

2 tablespoons currant jelly

4 tablespoons butter

1. Roast venison bones/scraps in 450 degree oven, on rimmed baking sheet on middle rack until deep golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add red wine, thyme and bay leaves, and simmer until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 to 40 minutes. Add 1 cup port, ¼ cup vinegar, roasted bones, and 6 cups veal stock and skimming occasionally, simmer gently until reduced by half, about 45 to 90 minutes. Add 4 cups veal stock, reduce by half, about 45 to 90 minutes. Taste. If it tastes too acidic, add another 2 cups of veal stock, and reduce for another 15 to 30 minutes.

3. Strain through fine-mesh strainer (should yield about 3 cups of sauce). Add remaining 2 teaspoons vinegar. Whisk in currant jelly and butter. Sauce should taste rich in meat flavor, sweet from the jelly and slightly tart with the vinegar addition. Season to taste. Serve.

Yields about 3 cups

The recipe for Roast Stuffed Goose and assembly directions are in Fannie’s Last Supper.

Many meats can get by without a sauce but goose is not one of them. In fact, I would say that the gravy is essential to the dish. Yes, you do have to go to the trouble of making a goose stock but you probably know how to do it since you do something similar on Thanksgiving every year.

GOOSE GRAVY

Yes, you do need to make a goose stock for this gravy but, then again, all great gravies begin with a good stock. For the goose fat, see Step Two of the Roast Goose recipe above.

2 tablespoons goose fat

3 tablespoons flour

4 cups goose stock (recipe follows)

¼ cup white wine

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

In medium saucepan, heat fat over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until flour is dark golden brown and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in stock and wine. Add bay leaves and gradually bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until gravy is lightly thickened and reduced to 3 cups, about 20 to 25 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Remove gravy from heat and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Keep gravy warm.

Yields 3 cups

The recipe for Roast Stuffed Goose and assembly directions are in Fannie’s Last Supper.

GOOSE STOCK

This is the ultimate in using every part of the bird. This is a quick stock as well -- it cooks in about one hour. We made our own chicken stock but you can use canned if you actually have a real job! The recipe for homemade chicken stock can be found at www.fannieslastsupper.com.

1  tablespoon vegetable oil

Neck, wings, and gizzard from one goose, chopped into 1 to 2” pieces

2 medium onions, chopped medium

1 medium carrot, chopped medium

1 celery stalk, chopped medium

6 cups chicken stock, homemade (or 4 cups low sodium chicken broth plus 2 cups water)

8 sprigs fresh parsley

2 bay leaves

8 peppercorns

½ teaspoon dried thyme, or 2 sprigs fresh thyme

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering; add chopped neck, wings and gizzard, and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until slightly softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and sweat until vegetables begins to brown and liquid has been thrown off, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add stock (or canned broth plus water if using), parsley stems and bay leaves, peppercorns and thyme; stir to scrape up brown bits. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low; cover (cracked lid) and simmer slowly until stock is rich and flavorful, about 30 minutes, skimming foam off surface, if desired.

2. Strain broth and discard solids. Before using, defat stock. After stock has been refrigerated, the fat hardens on the surface and is very easy to remove with a spoon. To defat hot stock, we recommend using a ladle or fat separator.

Yield about 4 ½ cups

The recipe for Roast Stuffed Goose and assembly directions are in Fannie’s Last Supper.

CHICKEN STOCK

This is a classic chicken stock although we have come up with a variety of quicker versions in the test kitchen over the years. Since we were doing a lot of all-day cooking for the dinner party, letting stock simmer on the stove with almost no additional work seemed like an easier method.

10 pounds chicken bones (necks and backs preferably, or wings)

8 quarts water

3 leeks

1 pound carrots

8 celery ribs

8 sprigs thyme

½ bunch parsley

1 bottle white wine

8 peppercorns

4 bay leaves

1 head garlic, cut in half across the equator

In 20-quart stockpot, add chicken bones and cold water and bring to simmer. Using ladle or large kitchen spoon, skim fat and foam from surface as necessary. Add all other ingredients and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavorful, about 3 hours. Strain stock and discard solids. Chill immediately and refrigerate. When ready to use, remove and discard hardened fat with kitchen spoon.

Yields 5 quarts

To make fancy jellies for the party, we had to start with molds, and these were originally made by the English out of tin-lined copper.  Molds were made in the shape of royalty, pets, and even famous locations in London, including the Belgrave, the Savoy, and the Carlton. By the late 1800s,, the Victorians had over a thousand mold designs to choose from.  Here in the States, molds were made from steel, which was easy to bend and less expensive than copper. However, steel tended to rust over time and was a poor heat conductor-not a good thing when trying to produce a chilled dessert.  These molds also tended to be simpler and plainer in design, mostly oval and round (the ubiquitous melon mold comes to mind), since odd shapes and projections were difficult to manufacture.

VICTORIAN JELLIES

You can make these jellies with modern, powdered gelatin but we also tried making our own calf’s foot gelatin by, you guessed it, boiling calves’ feet. It turned out to be fairly easy to do and produced a firm, almost clear jelly which we then used as a base for various jelly desserts.

• 25% gelatin concentration (1 ounce gelatin, 3 ounces syrup)

• 50% gelatin (2 ounces gelatin, 2 ounces syrup)

• 75% gelatin (3 ounces gelatin, 1 ounce syrup)

Once combined, chill them until set. Then unmold each of them and let them sit at room temp for about 30 minutes. Choose the concentration that sets up properly while providing the best texture in the mouth without being rubbery.

LEMON JELLY MADE WITH CALVES FOOT GELATIN

This is the real deal although, by the late 19th century, few cooks were using the old method of making homemade gelatin -- powdered gelatins were readily available. Beware that different feet provide different strengths of gelatin, probably based on age. (More than you needed to know, I am sure.) In any case, it is worth testing the strength of your homemade gelatin before going ahead and using the recipe below.

3 cups calf’s foot jelly (see recipe above)

1 cup lemon juice

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the calf;’s foot jelly over low heat until it is liquid. Remove from heat. In a separate saucepan, combine the lemon juice, water and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is melted. Combine the lemon syrup and the melted gelatin and pass the mixture through a jelly bag until clear or until no sieved material remains in the bag.

2. Divide the gelatin into separate bowls and color as desired. (See above for natural colors.) Pour into chilled jelly mold. Let each layer set completely before adding the next.

SPATLESE JELLY WITH BLACK CORINTH GRAPES

The next recipe was a Riesling or late-harvest wine with grapes suspended in the jelly -- and it was made with water, gelatin, lemon juice, riesling, sugar, and red grapes. We decided that small champagne grapes would present better and that a sweeter, more interesting wine -- a Spatlese for example -- would provide more flavor, especially if we reduced the amount of water and increased the wine. We were also a bit stumped as to how an unmolded jelly ought to be served. We tried slicing down through the middle and then cutting in from the sides but this caused the entire structure to collapse. Next time we tried slicing down about 2 inches and then in from the side to get manageable portions. The next test was the final round; by tipping the mold as we added the grapes, we were able to create a spiral pattern with the fruit which made for a much better presentation. We also increased the wine and decreased the water which punched up the flavor.

The ideal mold for this recipe is a six-inch tall metal Victorian–style jelly mold with a capacity of approximately 6 cups. As long as the interior surface of the mold is free of tarnish and other possible contaminants, there is no need to coat the mold with oil. It may take a series of attempts to remove the jelly from the mold. Depending on the temperature of the water, the thickness of the mold, and the firmness of the jelly, the mold may need to be dipped for longer than five seconds. Placing the jelly on a wet plate makes it easier to center it once it is unmolded. For our dinner party, we substituted cubes of port jelly (see recipe below) for the grapes since the latter were unavailable in early November.

3 ounces lemon juice, passed through fine sieve

6 ounces cold water

3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin

4 1/3 cups Spatlese (37 ounces), room temperature

4 ounces water

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups Black Corinth grapes

1. Combine lemon juice with 6 ounces cold water in a wide, shallow bowl. Sprinkle powdered gelatin over the surface of the liquid. (If gelatin “sits” on top, stir it in to avoid lumps.) Set aside for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine 8 ounces Spatlese, 4 ounces water, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium flame, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and sugar is melted. Remove from the heat.

3. Add softened gelatin mixture to the hot sugar mixture and stir until gelatin has dissolved. Add 2 cups of Spatlese to the warm gelatin mixture, stirring constantly. Pour in remaining Spatlese and stir. It is important to add the liquid cautiously so that the gelatin is evenly distributed. Failure to do so may result in the formation of hard gelatin strands. Pass through a wet jelly bag until mixture is clear. Two passes through the jelly bag is usually sufficient, since the wine is transparent to begin with; you are sieving out stray bits of lemon pulp and any undissolved gelatin.

4. Pour jelly into a stainless steel bowl and place in the freezer. Stir every 10 minutes until gelatin has thickened to the consistency of raw egg whites, about 40 to 45 minutes. Stir in grapes and pour into 6 cup jelly mold. Cover with cling film and chill at least 12 hours before unmolding.

5. TO UNMOLD: Select a container that is at least 2 inches taller than your mold and fill it with hot water. Carefully dip jelly mold into the water all the way to upper edge and hold it there for about 5 seconds. Working quickly, remove the mold from the water to a towel. Dry the sides of the mold and – using wet fingers – gently pull the jelly away from the sides of the mold. Invert mold onto a chilled, wet plate and lift mold from jelly. (It may take a series of attempts to remove jelly from mold. Depending on temperature of the water, thickness of the mold, and firmness of the jelly, mold may need to be dipped for longer than five seconds. Placing jelly on a wet plate makes it easier to center it once it is unmolded.)

PORT JELLY

For the dinner party, we used this port jelly in place of the grapes since the latter were out of season in early November. You can also use this recipe to make a port jelly mold to serve as is. This would have been a very Victorian-style jelly.

1 ounce lemon juice

12 ounces ruby port

1 tablespoon powdered gelatin

1/2 cup sugar

1. In small bowl, combine lemon juice and 2 ounces of port. Sprinkle gelatin over surface of liquid and set aside for 5 minutes to soften.

2. In small saucepan, combine sugar and 4 ounces of port and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is hot. Remove from heat.

3. Stir softened gelatin into warm port mixture until gelatin is dissolved. Pass mixture through jelly bag or fine sieve. Stir in remaining port. Pour jelly mixture into metal loaf pan. Chill overnight until firmly set. (Pour jelly into a decorative mold if you are not using the port jelly in the Spatlese recipe above.)

4. To unmold jelly, set pan in hot water for 6 to 8 seconds. Working quickly, dry off pan and invert onto cutting board. This may take a few attempts.

5. TO USE PORT JELLY INSTEAD OF GRAPES IN PRECEDING RECIPE: Cut jelly into 4 rectangles. Work with one rectangle at a time, holding others in fridge so they remain firm. Cut rectangle into ¼” strips. Cut each strip into ¼” cubes. Place cut cubes on parchment and hold in fridge until ready to use.

RHUBARB JELLY WITH STRAWBERRY BAVARIAN FILLING

The ideal mold is a metal Victorian-style mold with a capacity of 4 cups, taller than it is wide. A raised motif on top adds visual interest. No need to coat mold with oil. For this jelly, an inner mold is also required. Ideally, this mold will have a shape that is similar to the outer mold and a size that leaves about ¾” on all sides to form the jelly “walls,” about 2 cups.

For the Rhubarb Syrup:

5 stalks rhubarb (deep red), cut into 1/4–inch pieces

1 ½ cups sugar

3 cups water

For The Jelly

2 tablespoons powdered gelatin

2 teaspoons heavy cream

For The Strawberry Bavarian

2 cups diced strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons water

3 teaspoons gelatin

1 cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

1. For The Rhubarb Sryup: In a medium saucepan add first three ingredients and simmer over low heat, stirring gently occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Strain through fine mesh strainer.

2. Transfer syrup to wet jelly bag or fine mesh sieve and allow to drain. Resist the urge to squeeze the bag to release more juice as this will make the juice cloudy.

3. For The Jelly: Pour 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of rhubarb syrup into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside for 10 minutes. Place another ½ cup of rhubarb syrup in medium saucepan and warm over medium heat until syrup is hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin, stirring gently until dissolved. Slowly pour in 1 cup cold rhubarb syrup, stirring constantly. Pour contents of the saucepan into the remainder of the syrup, stirring constantly. (This tempering process prevents hard strands of gelatin from forming.) Pass liquid through jelly bag.

4. Pour 2 ounces of jelly into small bowl and stir in heavy cream. This opaque pink jelly will be used to highlight a raised motif on top of mold. Simply fill in the raised space with this white jelly (this is most easily accomplished with a medicine dropper), and chill until set. Cover motif with thin layer of cooled clear jelly (about ¼ inch), allow to set, then add another thin clear layer and allow to set before proceeding. After these two thin layers are set, pour in enough jelly to make a one-inch base and chill until firmly set.

3. Gently place the inner mold into the outer mold. Leaving equal space on all sides. If needed, place two pieces of masking tape crosswise over inner mold to hold it in place. Pour about 1 inch of ice water into inner mold. Pour 1 inch of jelly into space between inner and outer mold. Chill until set. Pour 2 inches of ice water into inner mold and 2 inches of jelly into space between inner and outer mold and chill until set. Repeat this process until the top of jelly wall is ¾” away from top edge of mold and jelly is firmly set.

4. For The Strawberry Bavarian: While jelly is setting, make Bavarian. Toss strawberries with sugar and lemon juice and set aside to macerate for 30 minutes. Purée berries and pass through sieve. Place 3 tablespoons of cold water in small bowl and sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to soften for 10 minutes. In small saucepan, warm ¼ cup of strawberry puree over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in softened gelatin until dissolved. Add remaining puree, stirring constantly until combined. Transfer mixture to bowl and place in refrigerator until mixture begins to jell and thicken, about 30 minutes. Fold in whipped cream and hold at room temperature until ready to use. (It is important to make Bavarian just before it is needed so that it will still be soft when it goes into mold.)

5. To remove inner mold, work quickly and pour ice water out of inner mold. Fill inner mold with warm water and gently remove it, lifting carefully. Fill the cavity with Bavarian mixture and chill until set. Pour a thin layer of jelly over Bavarian and chill until set. Top up mold with jelly and chill until firm.

6. Invert to serve, using the method described above for the Spatlese Jelly.

The recipes below are necessary to make the Mandarin Cake which is to be found in Fannie's Last Supper along with additional recipes to make the cake including Almond Butter Cake, Easy Marzipan, Grand Marnier Pastry Cream, and all assembly directions.

FRESH CLEMENTINE SHERBET

Victorians loved to serve fruit shaped sherbets, often displayed in spectacular arrangements. Our recipe is served in hollowed-out clementine halves. The addition of heavy cream makes this sherbet taste just like a Clementine creamsicle.

1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange zest from 2 clementines

1 ½ cups granulated sugar (10 ½ ounces)

1/8 plus one pinch table salt

3 cups fresh Clementine juice

4 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice from 2 lemons

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

1 cup heavy cream

6 clementines for serving

1. Process zest, sugar, and salt in food processor until damp, ten to fifteen 1-second pulses. With machine running, add clementine juice and lemon juice in slow, steady stream; continue to process until sugar is fully dissolved, about 1 minute. Strain mixture through nonreactive fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl; stir in Grand Marnier, then cover with plastic wrap and chill in freezer until very cold, about 40 degrees 30 to 60 minutes. (Alternatively, set bowl over larger bowl containing ice water.) Do not let mixture freeze.

2. When mixture is cold, using whisk, whip cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Whisking constantly, add juice mixture in steady stream, pouring against edge of bowl. Immediately start ice cream machine and add juice/cream mixture to canister; churn until sherbet has texture of soft-serve ice cream, 25 to 30 minutes (freezing times may vary depending on your ice cream machine; check frequently after about 20 minutes).

3. Remove canister from machine and transfer sherbet to storage container; press plastic wrap directly against surface of sherbet and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

4. Slice 6 clementines in half across the equator. Using a melon baller, scoop out the flesh from the rind. Continue to gently scrape out as much of the white pith as possible, without damaging the rind.

5. When sherbet is frozen, fill Clementine halves with about ½ cup sherbet, mounded; store in freezer until ready to serve.

Yield: about 1 ½ quarts, enough to fill 12 clementine halves

SUGARED LEMON LEAVES

We prefer to leave half of the leaves uncoated for a contrasting effect. Sanding sugar is also called decorating sugar and does not dissolve when subjected to heat -- it adds sparkle since the crystals are large and reflect light.

1 teaspoon zest from one clementine

1 cup sanding sugar

1 egg white

1 bunch lemon leaves, about 10 stems

1. In small bowl, stir together zest and sugar until combined. Line baking sheet with paper towels. In small bowl, whisk egg white until frothy.

2. Pull lemon leaves from branches. Working with one leaf at a time, ussing pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of lemon leaf with egg white and then sprinkle with sugar. Transfer leaf to baking sheet until dry. Repeat with remaining leaves. Leave tray in a cool, dry place until dry, about 12 to 24 hours.

JELLIED CLEMENTINE SEGMENTS

In addition to the filled clementine halves, we also made clementine quarters that were filled with alternating layers of almond and clementine jelly. This is a little like building a ship in a bottle since the clementines have to be filled while still intact.

4 clementines

1 recipe Almond Blanc Mange (recipe follows)

1 recipe Clementine Jelly (recipe follows)

1. With apple corer, make hole in bottom of each clementine. Using small melon baller, carefully scoop flesh from Clementine being careful not to tear rind. (If while scooping out the flesh you make a hole in top of the Clementine, seal from the outside with a piece of tape to prevent leaking when filling with jelly mixture.) Place hollowed clementines in mini-muffin tin or tiny bowls that are placed on a tray to keep the clementines stable while filling with jellies.

2. Pour about 2 teaspoons) of Clementine Jelly into each clementine shell. Place in freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to set. Pour about 2 teaspoons of Almond Blanc Mange over the Clementine Jelly layer to cover, and freeze for about 10 minutes to set. Continue to layer jelly and Blanc Mange until clementines are full. If either jelly becomes too congealed to pour easily, gently heat in the microwave on high power until mixture has melted slightly, 5 to 10 seconds (Important: Do not warm mixture or it will melt the layers you pour it on.)

3. When clementines are full, place in refrigerator to chill until set, about 4 hours. Eat within 2 days.

Yield: 12 segments

CLEMENTINE JELLY

A combination of natural beet and saffron coloring gives this jelly a vivid orange hue that contrasts nicely with the almond blanc mange.

8 tablespoons fresh Clementine juice , from about 6 clementines

2 tablespoons pulp-free orange juice concentrate, thawed

2 tablespoons simple syrup (see recipe above)

1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon

1/8 teaspoon natural saffron food coloring (see above for recipe)

1/8 teaspoon natural beet coloring (see above for recipe)

1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

1 tablespoon water

1. In 1-cup measuring cup, stir together clementine juice, orange juice concentrate, simple syrup, lemon juice, and food colorings until combined. You should have about 3/4 cup liquid.

2. In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand until softened, at least 5 minutes. In microwave on high power, heat softened gelatin until just melted, 5 to 10 seconds. Stir melted gelatin into clementine mixture and let sit, gently stirring occasionally, until the mixture is the consistency of heavy cream. Use immediately.

Yield: 3/4 cup

ALMOND BLANC MANGE

Blanc Mange was a very common dessert in the Victorian age and was nothing more than milk or cream, gelatin, sugar, and a flavoring. It was Fannie’s “go-to” dessert. Orange flower water helps to give this jelly an exotic Mediterranean flavor.

8 ounces blanched slivered almonds

Water

1 1/8 teaspoon orange flower water

3/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons simple syrup (see recipe above)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon heavy cream

1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and adjust oven rack to middle position. Spread almonds onto baking sheet in a single layer and bake until very lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Set aside and let cool just slightly.

2. In food processor, process still-warm almonds with 1 ½ cups water until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer, gently pressing on solids. (You should have about ½ cup almond milk.) Discard solids.

3. In a 2-cup measuring cup, stir together almond milk, orange flower water, almond extract, simple syrup, and heavy cream. (You should have 3/4 cup total liquid.)

4. In small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon water and let stand until softened, at least 5 minutes. In microwave on high power heat softened gelatin until just melted, 5 to 10 seconds.

5. Stir gelatin into almond milk mixture until combined. Let sit, gently stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. Use immediately.

Yield: 3/4 cup

No, this is not just for the constipated or those with similar digestive ailments. On the other hand, we won’t be serving this anytime spoon at a fancy dinner party. It is, however, very easy to make, and quite delicious. If you prefer, you can call it “Dried Plum Pudding.” Feel better?

1 pound pitted prunes, quartered

2 cups sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon gelatin

1 cup cold water

1 cup boiling water

1. Place the prunes in a medium sized saucepan along with two cups water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until prunes are very soft and the liquid is almost evaporated, about 20 minutes. Stir in one cup sugar (reserve remaining cup) and salt, and set aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, soften the gelatin in one cup of cold water, about 5 minutes. Pour one cup boiling water over gelatin and stir in remaining cup of sugar. Stir the prune mixture into the gelatin mixture and transfer to a bowl or baking dish. Chill until set, about 4 hours.

Makes about 4 cups

This is a classic Victorian era cake made with sponge layers, sliced oranges for a filling and then an orange buttercream frosting. Leftovers will hold in the refrigerator fairly well for up to two days although the cake is best eaten on the day it is made.

For the Cake:

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cake flour

¼ cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

5 large eggs, at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the Buttercream:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

¾ teaspoon grated orange zest (you can use one of the oranges needed to finish the cake)

1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar (5 ounces)

Pinch salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon heavy cream

To finish the cake:

2 ripe sweet oranges

1. For the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust a rack to the center position. Lightly butter two 9 inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk flours, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl (or sift onto waxed paper). Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Off heat add vanilla, set aside.

2. Separate 3 of the eggs, placing whites in bowl of standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Reserve the 3 yolks plus remaining 2 whole eggs. Beat the 3 whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add 6 tablespoons of sugar while beating to soft, moist peaks. Do not overbeat since stiff, dry whites will be difficult to incorporate into the batter. Transfer whites to a large bowl and add the yolks and remaining whole eggs to the mixing bowl. Beat yolks and whole eggs with the remaining 6 tablespoons sugar at medium-high speed until eggs are very thick and a pale lemon color, about 5 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice and beat to combine, about 30 seconds. Return beaten whites to the bowl; sprinkle the flour mixture over eggs and whites. Mix on lowest speed for 10 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer, make a well in one side and pour melted butter mixture into well. Fold mixture with a large rubber spatula until homogeneous.

3. Immediately pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until cake tops are lightly browned, feel set, and spring back when touched, about 16 minutes. Place one pan on a kitchen towel, run a thin knife around perimeter and cover pan with a large plate. Invert pan and plate, then remove pan from cake. Peel away parchment paper and invert cake onto cooling rack. Repeat with second cake. Cool completely.

4. For the buttercream: In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter on medium high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add zest and beat to combine, about 15 seconds. Add confectioners sugar and salt and beat at medium low until the sugar is moistened, about 45 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and add lemon juice, vanilla and heavy cream and beat at medium speed until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Increase speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping sides of bowl once or twice.

5. To finish the cake: Using a sharp knife cut away orange peel carefully until no traces of pith remain. Cut oranges horizontally into ¼ inch slices and then cut slices into 1 inch strips.

6. Place one layer of cake on a cake round or serving plate. Arrange orange pieces in a single layer, slices slightly overlapping. Spread a very thin layer of buttercream on the bottom side of the second layer (you should be able to see the cake through the buttercream) and place on top of the orange slices. The top of the second cake layer should now be on top. Spread the remaining buttercream evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Serve immediately or refrigerate until 20 minutes before serving.

Flavored waters were common in late Victorian cooking and this recipe reminds me a bit of Firni, a sweet rice pudding often served in India and Pakistan. We added the cardamom and pistachio to dress up this recipe but the basic rosewater custard would have been traditional in Fannie’s time.

4 ounces sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons rose water

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup milk

Pinch salt

4 egg whites, beaten until well-frothed throughout (but NOT soft peaked)

2 tablespoons, pistachios, toasted and chopped, for garnish

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and hear oven to 350 degrees. Place kitchen towel in bottom of large baking dish and arrange six 4 to 5 ounce ramekins on towel. Bring kettle or large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.

2. Whisk gently to combine sugar, cream, rose water, cardamom and salt. Gradually whisk in milk. Add frothed whites to cream mixture and gently whisk to combine. Pour or ladle mixture into ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.

3. Carefully place baking dish with ramekins on oven rack; pour boiling water into dish, taking care not to splash water into ramekins, until water reaches two-thirds height of ramekins. Cover loosely with foil. Bake until centers of custards are just barely set and are no longer sloshy and digital instant-read thermometer inserted in centers registers 175 degrees, about 25 to 35 minutes.

4. Transfer ramekins to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Garnish each custard with nuts.

Serves 6

This recipe is a frozen bavarian cream: one pint cream is whipped with a half cup of sugar, half jar of preserved ginger, a half teaspoon of Jamaican ginger and a tablespoon of gelatin dissolved in water. It is placed in a mold and then frozen using ice and salt. Our take on this Victorian specialty is an unfrozen version that makes a nice topping for a whole range of desserts.The ginger should be peeled and grated using either a ginger grater, a microplane, or even the small holes of a box grater. This cream is best eaten on the day it is made although the ginger syrup can be made several days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The syrup is also a delicious way to sweeten iced tea or lemonade. The Ginger Cream is a nice alternative as a topping for desserts, especially gingerbread, chocolate cake, or other foods that can stand up to the flavor of ginger.

For the syrup:

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 ounces grated ginger or about 6 tablespoons

To finish the cream:

2 cups heavy cream

1. Place the sugar, along with one half-cup water, and the lemon juice in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar is melted. Add the grated ginger and simmer for five minutes. Remove from heat and cool until room temperature. Return to stovetop and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook for an additional five minutes. Cool completely and simmer again for five minutes. Set aside and cool completely.

2. Chill bowl and beaters of an electric mixer. Place cream in bowl and beat on medium low until thickened. Add ginger syrup, increase speed to medium high and beat until cream hold soft peaks. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Makes about 4 cups