“But what gave to this dainty collation a singularly apostolic and papal character were sundry symbols of religious worship carefully represented. Thus there were charming little Calvaries in apricot paste, sacerdotal mitres in burnt almonds, episcopal croziers in sweet cake, to which the princess added, as a mark of delicate attention, a little cardinal’s hat in cherry sweetmeat, ornamented with bands in burnt sugar. The most important, however, of these Catholic delicacies, the masterpiece of the cook, was a superb crucifix in angelica, with a crown of candied berries. These are strange profanations, which scandalize even the least devout. But, from the impudent juggle of the coat of Triers, down to the shameless jest of the shrine at Argenteuil, people, who are pious after the fashion of the princess, seem to take delight in bringing ridicule upon the most respectable traditions.”
A cook of roughly the same moment, setting down the same dish.
1½ cups flour 1 yeast cake dissolved in ½ cup lukewarm water ⅔ cup butter 4 eggs ½ cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt Make sponge of one-half cup flour and dissolved yeast cake; cover and let rise. Mix remaining flour with butter, two eggs, sugar, and salt. Beat thoroughly, and add, while beating, remaining eggs, one at a time, then beat until mixture is perfectly smooth. As soon as sponge has doubled its bulk, combine mixtures, beat thoroughly, and half fill buttered individual tins. Let rise, and bake in a moderate oven. Remove from tins, cut a circular piece from top of each, and scoop out a small quantity of the inside. Fill centres thus made with Apricot Marmalade, replace circular pieces, and serve with Wine Sauce (see p. 409).
Sources: The passage is from Eugène Sue, The Wandering Jew — Complete, free to read in full at Project Gutenberg. The recipe is from Farmer, The Boston cooking-school cook book of 1896, also free in full. Both are in the public domain in the United States. The binding above is ours — oxblood cloth, amphora stamp.