This section is from the book "The Modern Housewife Or Menagere", by Alexis Soyer. Also available from Amazon: The Modern Housewife Or Menagere.
At this part of the dinner there are those dishes which are called Flancs, by which is understood, those dishes whose contents are not so large as the removes and not so small as the entrees, and the Receipts for which may be taken from either of those departments, with this difference; - instead of meat or poultry being cut up, it should be left whole: for instance, a loin of mutton, instead of being cut up into cutlets, should be served whole, with some sauce under it, and a duck, instead of being divided, should be left whole, with some sauce. It is also a great addition in the appearance of the table, and should always be served in a differently-formed dish to the entrees or removes; and are only required when eighteen or twenty persons dine, and four corner dishes are used.
This requires a mould the same as No. 602; it must be well wiped with a cloth, butter it, then take the remains of puff paste, and roll it well so as to deaden it, then roll it out a size larger than your mould, and about a quarter of an inch thick, place your mould on a baking-tin, put the paste carefully in the mould and shape it well, to obtain all the form of the mould, without making a hole in it; put a piece of paper at the bottom, fill with flour to the top, and bake a nice color; it will take about half an hour, then take out the flour and paper, open the mould, and fill it.
704. Flancs, with any kind of fruit, like a vol-au-vent, are more easily made, and are equally as good a side dish. This may be made of half-puff or short paste, and fill with raw cherries and some pounded sugar over: bake together. Greengages, apricots, or any kind of plums, will require a hotter oven than for flour only in it, the fruit giving moisture to the paste ; if baked in a slow oven will be heavy, and consequently indigestible.
If you have no mould, make a quarter of a pound of paste (No. 688), roll it round or oval to your fancy, a quarter of an inch thick, wet the edge all round about half an inch, raise that part and pinch it round with your thumbs and fingers, making a border all round, put on a baking-sheet, fill with fruit one row, if large two; remove the stones, and sift sugar over according to the acidity of the fruit; it will take less time, too, than if in a mould : you see what variation can be made with very little trouble or expense.
I just perceive that I had forgot to give you a few receipts in this way of cake, which I make very pretty when we have a party. Take eight Ripstone pippins, cut in four, peel a nice shape, rub with lemon, put half a pound of sugar in a pan, cover with cold water, juice of a lemon; boil till rather thick, then add half the apples, simmer till tender, put them on a plate, do the remainder the same way, reduce the syrup a little, put the apples in a basin, pour syrup over: when cold, dish in pyramid in the crust, which you have prepared as No. 703, pour over the syrup, which should be a jelly. I often cut in fine strips the rind of a lemon or orange, boil with the apples, and ornament also with pieces of young angelica preserved, cut in diamond, placing a piece between each apple. Flancs of pears may be made precisely the same way, but with good ripe eating pears cut in two lengthwise, leaving the stalk cut in half.
Peel and cut eight apples in thin slices in a pan, with two ounces of pounded sugar, the rind and juice of a lemon, the rind well chopped, put on fire, stir till forming a thick marmalade, and tender, melt a little currant jelly, pour over and serve.
 
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