Take large white or red Plums, such as the white _Holland's_-Plum, the
_Bonum magnum_, the Royal Dolphin or Imperial Plum. Cut these, and take out
the Stones, and to every Pound of Plums, put three quarters of a Pound of
Sugar: boil your Sugar with a little Water, to a candy height; then put in
your Plums, and boil them gently on a slow Fire; then set them by to cool,
and then boil them afresh, taking care that they do not break; then let
them lie in their Syrup, three or four Days, and then lay them upon Sieves,
to dry, in a warm Oven, turning them upon clean Sieves, twice a day, till
they are dry. Then wash them off the clamminess of the Sugar with warm
Water, and dry them again in the Oven; and when they are cold, put them up
in Boxes, with Papers between them, and keep them in a dry Place.
To make small _Almond-Cakes._ From the same.
Take some Orange-Flower-Water, or Rose-Water, with about two Grains of
Amber-Gris, and beat these with a Pound of blanched Almonds, in a Marble
Mortar; then take a Pound of fine Sugar powder'd, and finely sifted, and
put most of it to the Almonds, when they are well beaten, and mix it well.
Then make your Cakes, and lay them on Wafers, and set them in a gentle
Oven, on tin Plates; and when they are half baked, boil what Sugar you have
left, with some Rose-Water, to a candy height, and, with a Feather, wash
the Cakes over with this Liquor, and close your Oven, and let them stand a
few Minutes longer.
To preserve _Bullace._ From the same.
Take your Bullace before the Frost has taken them; let them be fresh
gather'd, and clear Fruit, scald them in Water: then take their weight in
fine Sugar, with a little Water, and boil it to a Syrup; then put in your
Bullace, and boil them till the Syrup is very thick, and your Fruit very
clear.
To preserve green _Peaches._ From the same.
In some Gardens, where the Trees are pruned and ordered, by a skilful hand,
it is often that a Tree will be so full of Fruit, that it is necessary to
take away some, when they are green, that the others may swell the better.
As this sometimes happens with Peaches, so I shall here direct how to
preserve them. Scald your green Peaches in Water, then, with a Cloth, rub
the Down from them; then put them, in more Water, over a slow Fire, and let
them stew till they are green, keeping them cover'd. Then take their weight
in fine Sugar, and with some Water, boil it to a Syrup, taking off the Scum
as it rises; then put in your Peaches, and boil them till they are clear,
and put them up, with the Syrup, in Glasses, or Gally-pots; and when they
are cold, cover them with Paper. Note, You must gather your Peaches before
the Stone is hard in them, which you may know by putting a Pin through
them.
To preserve _Goosberries._ From the same.
The best Goosberries, for this Work, are the white _Dutch_ Goosberry, and
the Walnut-Goosberry. Take these, just when they are beginning to turn
ripe, pick off the Flower-tuft at the Ends, and stone them; then take to
every Pound of Fruit, one Pound and a quarter of fine Sugar beaten and
sifted. Boil the Sugar with a little Water to a Syrup, taking off the Scum
as it rises; then put in your Fruit, and boil them quick till they are
clear, and put them in Glasses, boiling the Syrup a little more; then pour
it upon them, and when it is cold, cover your Glasses close with Paper.