FRUIT CUPS.— Fresh, frozen, and canned fruits can  be  combined  to  make  eye-appealing  desserts. Ambrosia is a fruit cup to which coconut has been added. Seasonally  available  melons,  such  as  cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew, and honeyball melons, give extra variety to fruit cups. FRESH, CANNED, AND FROZEN FRUIT.— Seasonally  available  fresh  fruits  and  the  readily available  fruits  such  as  apples,  oranges,  grapefruit,  and bananas can complete a meal when offered as dessert. They offer an alternative to weight-conscious dining patrons who want to avoid the high-calorie desserts. Canned  and  frozen  fruits  may  be  served  as  simple desserts. Fresh pineapple may be cut into pieces and served as a dessert fruit. See the section on salads for preparation. Custards  and  Puddings Custards  and  puddings  containing  milk  and  eggs must not be held at temperatures between 40°F to 140°F for  more  than  4  cumulative  hours.  These  desserts  are extremely susceptible to rapid bacteria growth that causes  food  poisoning.   Keep them chilled until they are served. CREAM PUDDINGS.— Cream puddings may be prepared from the basic recipes or from instant dessert powder pudding mixes. Ready-to-serve pudding in chocolate and vanilla flavors is also available. Those products  may  be  spooned  into  serving  dishes  or  used  as pie fillings in baked piecrust shells or graham cracker or cookie crusts. For information on puddings, see the section on cream pie fillings. Sliced bananas, orange sections,  crushed  pineapple,  or  coconut  may  be  added for variations. TAPIOCA   PUDDING.—   Tapioca  pudding  is similar to cream pudding except tapioca is used as the thickening   agent   instead   of   cornstarch.   Tapioca pudding  should  not  be  heated  to  a  boiling  temperature. High heat causes the pudding to be thin and runny. Follow  the  AFRS  directions.  Garnishes,  toppings,  and sauces should be chosen to complement the flavor and color of the custard or pudding. BAKED CUSTARD.—  Baked custard contains milk, sugar, eggs, flavoring, and salt. It is baked until the custard is firm. The custard is done if a knife slipped into the center is clean when removed. The custard should be refrigerated until it is served. BREAD   PUDDING.—   Bread  puddings  are economical  to  serve  since  they  allow  leftover  bread  to be  used.  Because  of  the  custard  base,  these  puddings must be kept thoroughly chilled. Chocolate chips or coconut may be added instead of raisins. RICE PUDDING.— The AFRS includes recipes for both baked and creamy rice puddings. Creamy rice pudding  is  prepared  in  a  similar  manner  as  cream pudding. The  rice  should  be  cooked  before  it  is combined  with  the  other  custard  ingredients.  Coconut or crushed drained pineapple and chopped maraschino cherries may be substituted for raisins. Since it is a custard, rice pudding must be continuously refrigerated. CAKE  PUDDINGS.—   Some   cake   puddings separate while baking into a layer of cake over a layer of pudding (such as chocolate cake pudding). Other types of cake puddings differ in that fruit is mixed with or  placed  over  a  cake  batter cocktail pudding is an example Cream Puffs and Eclairs before  baking.  Fruit Cream puffs are round pastries that expand while baking, becoming hollow in the center. Eclairs have the same ingredients but are oblong rather than round. Cream  puffs  and  eclairs  are  made  by  first  stirring general-purpose flour into a melted butter and boiling water  mixture,  then  cooling  the  mixture  slightly. Unbeaten eggs are added to the mixture a few at a time and the mixture is beaten until it is stiff and shiny. Cream puffs and eclairs should be baked immediately. During  the  last  few  minutes  of  baking,  the  oven  door should  be  opened. This  will  prevent  them  from becoming soggy and falling when removed from the oven. Cream puffs and eclairs are filled with chilled pudding,  whipped  cream,  or  ice  cream.  Powdered  sugar may be sprinkled on top or they may be served with chocolate  sauce.  Cream  puffs  and  eclairs  may  also  be filled with tuna, shrimp, or salmon salad mixtures, or chicken a la king. Ice Creams Ice cream and sherbet are popular desserts. The kinds  that  are  used  in  the  GM  are  commercially  prepared ice cream and sherbet and galley-prepared soft-serve ice cream and milk shakes. COMMERCIALLY PREPARED ICE CREAM AND SHERBET.— Ice cream and sherbet are available commercially  in  various  container  sizes—bulk,  slices, and  individual  cups.    Ice-cream novelties that may be procured include ice-cream bars, cones, sandwiches, and fruit-flavored ices on a stick. 8-26