A copper comfit pan is requisite for this purpose. A bar, having chains
at each end, with a hook and swivel in the center, is attached to it,
by which it is suspended from the ceiling or a beam, so as to hang
about as high as the breast over a stove or charcoal fire, that the
pan may be kept at a moderate heat and at such a distance as to allow
it to be swung backwards and forwards without touching the fire or
stove. A preserving-pan containing clarified syrup must be placed by
the side of the stove, or over another fire, that it may be kept hot,
but not boiling; also a ladle for throwing the syrup into the pan, and
a pearling cot.
This last somewhat resembles a funnel, without the pipe or tube, and
having a small hole in the center, with a pointed piece of stick or
spigot fitted into it, which, being drawn out a little, allows the
syrup, when placed in it, to run out in a small stream. A piece of
string tied several times across the center of the top of the cot and
twisted with the spigot allows it to be drawn out and regulated at
pleasure.
ALMOND COMFITS.--Sift some Valencia almonds in a cane or wicker sieve,
pick out any pieces of shell which may be amongst them, and also any
of the almonds which are either very small or very large, using those
which are as near of a size as possible; take about four pounds, put
them in the comfit-pan, and proceed in precisely the same way as for
Scotch caraways; or they may first have a coating of dissolved gum
arabic; rub them well about the pan with the hand, and give them a dust
of flour; then pour on a little syrup at the small thread, work and dry
them well; then give them three or four more charges and a charge of
gum with a dust of flour. Proceed in this way until they are one third
the required size; then dry them for a day, and proceed and finish as
for caraway comfits. For the cheaper or more common comfits, more gum
and flour are used in making them.
BARBERRY COMFITS.--Pick the barberries from the stalk, and dry them
in a hot stove on sieves; when dry, put about two pounds into the
comfit-pan, and proceed as for almond comfits, giving them first a
charge of gum and flour, and finish as others. Make them of a good size
and quite smooth; finish with very white loaf sugar with syrup.
BATH CARAWAYS.--These are made in the same way as Scotch caraway
comfits, but only half the size.
CARAWAY COMFITS, PEARLED.--When the comfits are about the size of Bath
caraways, dry and pearl them as cinnamon.
CARDAMON COMFITS.--The seeds should be kept in their husks until they
are required to be used, as they lose much of their flavor and virtues
when deprived of them. They are often mixed with grains of paradise,
but these have not the aromatic taste of the cardamon, and are more hot
and spicy. Break the husks of the cardamons by rolling them with a pin;
separate the skins from the seeds, put two pounds into the comfit-pan,
and proceed as for Scotch caraways. Make them a good size, and quite
smooth.
CELERY COMFITS.--Put one pound of celery seed into the pan, and proceed
as for Scotch caraway comfits, working them up to the size of a large
pin's head. Dry and pearl them as cinnamon.
CHERRY COMFITS.--These are made from preserved cherries dried. Roll
them in your hand to make them quite round, dust them with powdered
loaf sugar, and dry them again; then proceed as for barberry comfits.
Any other preserved fruits may be made into comfits after the same
manner.
CINNAMON COMFITS.--Cinnamon is the bark of a tree, of which there are
two sorts. The inferior quality is that usually sold for cinnamon, and
is otherwise known as cassia, or _cassia lignea_. This breaks short,
and has a slimy mucilaginous taste, is thicker, and of a darker color
than the cinnamon, which is the inner bark. This breaks shivery, and
has a warm aromatic taste, and is of a reddish color.
Take one pound of cinnamon bark, and steep it in water for a few hours
to soften it, cut it into small pieces about half an inch long, and
the size of a large needle. Dry it in the stove. Put your pieces,
when dry, into the comfit-pan, and pour on them a little syrup,
as for Scotch caraways, proceeding in the same way until they are
one-third the required size. You must not use your hand for these as
you would for caraways, as they are liable to break in two. Dry them
in the stove, then suspend the pearling pot or cot from the bar of
the pan or ceiling, so as to hang over the center of the pan; boil
some clarified loaf sugar to the large pearl, and fill the cot; put
some of the prepared comfits in the pan, but not too many at a time,
as it is difficult to get them to pearl alike. Keep the syrup at the
boiling point; open the spigot of the cot so as to allow it to run in
a very small stream, or more like a continued dropping; swing the pan
backwards and forwards gently, and keep a stronger fire under the pan
than otherwise.
Be careful that the syrup does not run too fast and wet them too much,
but so that it dries as soon as dropped, which causes them to appear
rough. If one cot full of sugar is not enough, put in more until they
are the required size. When one lot is finished put in sieves to dry,
and proceed to another; but do not let them lie in the pan after you
have finished shaking them. They will be whiter and better if partly
pearled one day and finished the next. Use the best clarified sugar to
finish them.
CLOVE COMFITS.--Flavor sugar gum paste with the oil of cloves, and mold
it in the form of cloves. Dry and finish as others.
Any flavor may be given to this sort of comfits, and they are molded
to form the article of which it bears the name, or cut into any device
with small cutters. Dried and finished as other comfits.
COMFITS FLAVORED WITH LIQUEURS.--Blanch some bitter almonds, or the
kernels of apricots or peaches; let them soak in hot water for an hour,
then drain them, and put them into any sort of liquor or spirit you may
desire. Lower the strength of the spirit water, that the kernels may
imbibe the better, cork the jug or bottle close, and let them infuse
in it until the spirit has fully penetrated them, which will be about
fourteen or fifteen days; then take them out, drain and dry them in a
moderate heat; when dry, proceed as for almond comfits.
COMMON CARAWAYS.--Sift the seeds, and warm them in the pan, as for
Scotch caraways. Have some gum arabic dissolved, throw in a ladleful,
and rub them well about the pan with the hand until dry, dusting them
with flour. Give them three or four coatings in this manner, and then
a charge of sugar, until they are about one-half the required size.
Dry them for a day, give them two or three coatings of gum and flour,
finish them by giving them three or four charges of sugar, and dry
them. These are made about the size of Bath caraways. Color parts of
them different colors, leaving the greatest portion white.
GINGER COMFITS.--Flavor gum paste with powdered ginger, make it into
small balls about the size of coriander seeds, or peas; dry, and
proceed as for Scotch caraways. Color them yellow when finished.
CORIANDER COMFITS.--Proceed with these as for Scotch caraways, working
them up to about the same size. The next day pearl them to a good size,
as for cinnamon.
LEMON PEEL OR ANGELICA may be made into comfits after the same manner
as orange comfits! Let the strips of peel be about the size of the
pieces of cinnamon, and thoroughly dried before working them in the pan.
NONPAREILS.--Pound some loaf sugar, and sift it through a fine wire
sieve; sift what has passed through again in a lawn sieve, to take out
the finest particles, so that you have only the fine grain of sugar
left without dust. Put about two pounds of this into the comfit-pan,
and proceed as for Scotch caraways, working them well with the hand
until they are about the size of pins' heads.
ORANGE COMFITS.--Take some preserved orange-peel, and cut it into small
thin strips, dry them in the stove, and make as cinnamon comfits.
RASPBERRY COMFITS.--Prepare some gum paste made with sugar, or the
scrapings of the comfit-pan pounded and sifted through a lawn sieve.
It may be flavored with raspberry jam, by mixing some with the paste.
Color it with prepared cochineal; mold it into the form of raspberries,
and dry them in the stove; when they are perfectly dry and hard, pearl
them as for cinnamon comfits, working them until the size of natural
raspberries. Color them when dry with cochineal, as comfits.
TO COLOR LOAF-SUGAR DUST.--Pound some sugar, and sift it through a
coarse hair sieve; sift this again through a lawn sieve, to take out
the finer portions. Put the coarse grains into a preserving pan, and
warm them over the stove fire, stirring it continually with the hand;
pour in some liquid color to give the desired tint, and continue to
work it about the pan until it is dry.
TO COLOR NONPAREILS OR COMFITS.--Put some of your comfits or nonpareils
into the comfit-pan, shake or rub them about until warm, then add a
sufficient quantity of prepared liquid color (see Colors) to give the
desired tint; be careful not to make them too wet, nor of too dark a
color, but rather light than otherwise; shake or rub them well about,
that they may be colored equally; dry them a little over the fire, then
put them in sieves, and finish drying them in the stove. Clean the pan
for every separate color.