is best if it is ground very fine, as if for a mousseline. Consommés are usually served piping hot because they tend to cool down more quickly than other soups and form a gel. They are most often served with garnishes, which vary in complexity from a simple splash of sherry or egg yolk, to cut vegetables, to shaped savory custards called 'royales'. A large amount of meat only yields a small amount of consommé; in some recipes, as much as of meat can go into a single serving. This low yield is part of what has traditionally given consommé its refined reputation as an expensive dish. Other types of consommé such as tomato consommé are traditionally served chilled, which keeps the clearness of the consommé. Varieties Double consommé is a consommé made to double strength. There are at least three methods of producing a double consommé, the first of which is doubling the quantity of meat used in the recipe, the second of which is producing a normal strength consommé and reducing it to half its volume, and the third of which is producing a consommé with all water in the recipe replaced with equal quantities of an already-prepared consommé. It is often found in other cold-cuisine items, especially those that use aspic, or natural gelatin. Another common variation is chilled or jellied consommé. They are served cold and thickened naturally by the gelatin extracted from the bones when the original stock is made. The gelatin gives the consommé a gelatinous texture when set to cool. Additional gelatin may be added during the last part of the clarification process to ensure that it sets properly. Consommé madrilène is a clear soup that is pure and clean-tasting, typically flavored with tomato, and served chilled. Gelatin-filtered "consommé" In a 2007 New York Times article, Harold McGee popularized an alternative method for clarifying broths, originating among chefs of the molecular gastronomy movement: gelatin filtration. Gelatin-filtration is a novel method of clarification, relying on some of the properties of a super-saturated solution of gelatin, created by freezing, to remove macroscopic particles that cause cloudiness from a water-based stock. This method is distinct from traditional consommé both in technique and in final product, as gelatin filtration results in a gelatin-free broth, while traditional consommé gives a final product rich in gelatin, with a correspondingly rich mouthfeel. Freezing a water-based solution converts all bulk water