Stove in little Cakes; this will keep all the year, a little of it being
put into a Glass of Wine, will give it as good a taste, as you can
desire, and as good a colour; in this manner you may make Sugar of any
Fruit, Flower, or Herb.
216. _To dry Apricocks._
Take your fairest Apricocks and stone them, then weigh them, and as you
pare them, throw them into cold water, have in readiness their weight in
fine sugar, wet it with some of the water they lie in, and boil it to a
Candy height, then put in your Apricocks, and boil them till they are
clear, when they have lain three or four days in the Syrup, lay them out
upon Glasses to dry in a stove, and turn them twice a day.
217. _To make rough Marmalade of Cherries._
Stone your Cherries, and infuse them in a long Gallipot in a Kettle of
boiling water, when they are all to pieces, then take their weight in
fine Sugar boiled to a Candy height with a little water, then put in
your Apricocks and stir them over a slow fire, but do not let it boil,
when it will jelly, put it into Glasses.
218. _To make smooth Marmalade of Cherries._
Infuse them as you do the other, then strain them hard, and boil the
Juice with a Candy as you do the other.
219. _To make white Trencher-Plates which may be eaten._
Take two Eggs beaten very well, Yolks and Whites, two spoonfuls of Sack,
one spoonful of Rosewater, and so much flower as will make it into a
stiff Paste, then roule it thin, and then lay it upon the outsides of
Plates well-buttered, cut them fit to the Plates, and bake them upon
them, then take them forth, and when they are cold, take a pound of
double refin'd Sugar beaten and searced, with a little Ambergreece, the
White of an Egg and Rosewater, beat these well together, and Ice your
Plates all over with it, and set them into the Oven again till they be
dry.
220. _To make the Froth Posset._
Take three Pints of Cream or new Milk, set it on the fire, then take
sixteen Eggs and put the Whites into a Basin very deep, and beat the
Yolks by themselves, make a Custard with them, and the Cream which is on
the fire, then beat the Yolks to a Froth with a little Sack, and a
little Sugar, when it is a thick Froth, cast it into another Dish with a
Spoon, then take half a Pint of Sack, and sweeten it with Sugar, set it
on a Chafing-dish of Coals in a large Basin, when it is hot, put in as
much Froth as the Sack will receive, stir it in very well, then take
your Custard and pour upon it, stir it all one way when you put it in,
then if the Froth do not cover the top of the Posset, put in more, and
stir it very well, and cover it close with a warm Dish, let it stand a
while upon Coals, but not too hot; you may know when it is enough by
putting your Spoon into the Basin, for then it will be clear in the
bottom, Curd in the middle, and Froth on the top.
221. _To make_ Banbury _Cakes._
Make a Posset of Sack and Cream, then take a Peck of fine Flower, half
an Ounce of Mace, as much of Nutmeg, as much of Cinamon, beat them and
searce them, two pounds of Butter, ten Eggs, leaving out half their
Whites, one Pint and half of Ale-Yest, beat your Eggs very well, and
strain them, then put your Yest, and some of the Posset to the Flower,
stir them together, and put in your Butter cold in little pieces, but
your Posset must be scalding hot; make it into a Paste, and let it lie
one hour in a warm Cloth to rise, then put in ten pounds of Currans
washed and dried very well, a little Musk and Ambergreece dissolved in
Rosewater, put in a little Sugar among your Currans break your Paste
into little pieces, when you go to put in your Currans, then lay a Lay
of broken Paste, and then a Lay of Currans till all be in, then mingle
your Paste and Currans well together, and keep out a little of your
Paste in a warm Cloth to cover the top and bottom of your Cake, you must
rowl the Cover very thin, and also the Bottom, and close them together
over the Cake with a little Rosewater; prick the top and bottom with a
small Pin or Needle, and when it is ready to go into the Oven, cut in
the sides round about, let it stand two hours, then Ice it over with
Rosewater or Orange Flower and Sugar, and the White of an Egg, and
harden it in the Oven.
222. _To make_ Cambridge _Almond Butter._
Take a Quart of Cream and sixteen Eggs well beaten, mix them together
and strain them into a Posnet, set them on a soft fire, and stir them
continually; when it is ready to boil, put in half a quarter of a Pint
of Sack, and stir it till it run to a Curd, then strain the Whey from it
as much as may be, then beat four Ounces of blanched Almonds with
Rosewater, then put the Curd and beaten Almonds and half a pound of fine
Sugar into a Mortar, and beat them well together, then put it into
Glasses and eat it with bread, it will keep a Fortnight.
223. _To make a Sack Posset without Milk or Bread._
Take a Quart of Ale and half a Pint of Sack, boil them with what spice
you please, then take three quarters of a pound of sugar, and twenty
Eggs, Yolks and Whites well beaten and strained, then take four Ounces
of Almonds blanched and beaten with Rosewater, put them to the Eggs, and
put them to the other things in the Posnet upon the fire, and keep them
stirring, and when it boileth up, put it into a Bason, and strew on
beaten spice and sugar, you must also sweeten it when the Eggs go in.
224. _To preserve Figs and dry them._
To every pound of your large ripe English Figs, take a pound of Sugar,
and one Pint of Water boil your Sugar and Water, and scum it, then put
in your Figs, and boil them very well till they are tender & clear; boil
them very fast, when they have been in the Syrup a week, boil some sugar
to a Candy height, and put in the Figs, and when you perceive they are
enough, lay them out to dry.
225. _To pickle Mushromes._
Take them of one nights growth, and peel them inside and outside, boil
them in Water and Salt one hour, then lay them out to cool, then make a
pickle of White Wine and White Wine Vinegar, and boil in it whole
Cloves, Nutmegs, Mace, and Ginger sliced, and some whole Pepper, when
it is cold, put them into it, and keep them for Sauces of several Meats;
and if you would dress them to eat presently, put them in a Dish over a
Chafingdish of Coals without any Liquor, and the fire will draw out
their natural Liquor, which you must pour away, then put in whole Spice,
Onions and Butter, with a little Wine, and so let them stew a while,
then serve it in.
226. _To preserve whole Quinces to look red._
When they are pared and cored, put them into cold water, and for every
Pound of Quince take one Pound of Sugar, and a Pint of Water, make a
Syrup thereof, then put in your Quinces, and set them on a slow fire,
close covered, till you see they are of a good Colour and very tender,
then take them out, and boil your Syrup till it will Jelly.
227. _To make very good Marmalade of Quinces to look red._
Weigh your Quinces and pare them, cut them in quarters and core them,
and keep them in cold water, then take their weight in sugar, and a
little water, and boil it, and scum it, then put in your Quinces, and
set them on a slow fire, close covered, till you see it of a good
colour, then uncover it, and boil it up very quick till you find that it
will jelly very well.
228. _To make Musk Sugar._
Bruise six grains of Musk and tie them in a piece of Tiffany, lay it in
the bottom of a Gallipot, and then fill it with sugar, and tie it up
close, when you have spent that sugar, put in some more, it will be well
perfumed.
229. _An excellent way to make Syrup of Roses, or of any other Flower._
Fill a Silver Bason three quarters full of Spring water, then fill it up
with Rose-Leaves or any other, and cover it, and set it upon a pot of
seething water one hour, then strain it, and put in more; and do in like
manner, and so do seven times, then take to every Pint one Pound of
Sugar, and make a Syrup therewith.
230. _To dry Rose Leaves._
Pick your Roses, and dry them upon the Leads of a house in a Sun-shine
day, and turn them as you do Hay, and when they are through dry, keep
them in broadmouth'd Glasses close stopped.
231. _To Candy Flowers._
Boil some Rosewater and Sugar together, then put in your Flowers being
very dry and boil them a little, then strew in some fine Sugar over
them, and turn them, and boil them a little more, then take them from
the fire, and strew some more Sugar over them, then take them out and
lay them to dry, and open them, and strew Sugar over them; they will dry
in a few hours in a hot day.
232. _The making of Sugar-Plate and casting of it into Moulds._
Take one Pound of double refin'd Sugar beaten and searced, and three
Ounces of pure white Starch beaten and searced, then have some
Gum-Dragon steeped in Rosewater, and put some of it with the Sugar and
Starch and a little of Ambergreece into a Mortar, and beat them till
they come to a perfect Paste, you must also put in a little White of an
Egg with the Gum, then mould it with searced Sugar, then dust your
Moulds with Sugar, then roul out your Paste and lay it into the Mould,
pressing it down into every hollow part with your fingers, and when it
hath taken impression, knock the Mould on the edge against a Table and
it will come out, or you may help it with the point of your knife; if
you find you have put in too much Gum, then add more Sugar, if too much
Sugar, then more Gum, work it up as fast as you can, when they come out
of the Moulds trim them handsomely; if you would make saucers, dishes,
or bowls, you must rowl it out thin and put your Paste into a saucer,
dish, or bowl for a Mould, and let them stand therein till they be very
dry, then gild them on the edges with the white of and Egg laid round
about the edge with a pencil, and press the Gold down with some Cotton,
and when it is dry brush off the superfluous loose Gold with the foot of
an Hare, and if you would have your Paste exceeding smooth, as for Cards
or the like, then roul your Paste upon a slicked paper with a very
smooth Rouling-pin; if you would colour any of it, you must take the
searced powder of any Herbs or Flowers, first dryed, and put to it when
you beat it in a Mortar with the Gum.
233. _To make Paste of Almonds._
Take four Ounces of _Valentia_ Almonds, blanched and beaten with
Rosewater till it come to perfect Paste, then take stale white bread,
grate it and sift it, and dry it by the fire, then put that to your
Almonds with the weight of all in fine Sugar, beat them very well, and
put in some Spice beaten and searced, then when it is a little cool,
roul it out, dust your Moulds and print it, and dry it in an Oven, you
may if you please put the juice of a Limon into it when it is beating,
you may make some of it into Jumbolds, and tie them in knots and bake
them upon Buttered Plates, and when they are baked, ice them over with
Rosewater, Sugar, and the White of an Egg, and set them into the Oven
again for a while.
234. _To make French Bisket._
Take half a Peck of fine Flower, two Ounces of Coriander seeds, the
Whites of four Eggs, half a Pint of Ale Yest, and as much water as will
make it up into a stiff Paste, let your water be blood warm, then bake
it in a long Roll as big as your Thigh, let it be in the Oven but one
hour, when it is two days old, pare it and slice it thin over-thwart,
then ice it over thin, and set it into the Oven to dry.
235. _To make Ginger-bread._
Take three stale Manchets grated and sifted, then put to them half an
Ounce of Cinamon, as much Ginger, half an Ounce of Licoras and Aniseeds
together, beat all these and searce them, and put them in with half a
Pound of fine Sugar, boil all these together with a quart of Claret,
stirring them continually till it come to a stiff Paste, then when it is
almost cold, mould it on a Table with some searced Spice and Sugar, then
bake it in what shape you please.
236. _Another sort of Ginger-bread._
Take half a pound of sweet Almonds blanched and beaten, half a pound of
fine Flower first dried in an Oven, one Pound of fine Sugar, what sorts
of Spices you please, beaten and searced, and also Seeds, beat all
these together with two Eggs, both Yolks and Whites, then mould it with
flower and Sugar together, and so bake it in what shape you please.
237. _To make Puff-Paste._
Take a quart of the finest Flower, the Whites of three Eggs, and the
Yolks of two, and a little cold water, make it into a perfect Paste,
then roul it abroad thin, then lay on little bits of Butter, and fold it
over again, then drive it abroad again, and lay on more Butter, and then
fold it over, and so do ten times, make it up for your use, and put your
Fruit or Meat therein and bake it.
238. _Another way for Puff-Paste._
Take fine Flower half a Peck, the Yolks of five Eggs and one White, one
Pound of Butter, half a pint of Cream, and a little fair water, break
your Butter in little Bits and do not mould it too much, but roul it
abroad so soon as you can, and let the Butter be seen in spots, for that
will make it hollow when it comes into the Oven, then put in your Meat
or Fruit, and close it over, and wash it over with the Yolk of an Egg
and Cream beaten together, just when you set it into the Oven; let your
Oven be quick, but do not let it stand too long, for that will spoil it.
239. _To make short Paste without Butter._
Bake your Flower first, then take a quart of it, and the Yolks of three
Eggs and a Pint of Cream, two Ounces of fine Sugar, and a little Salt,
and so make it into Paste.
240. _To Candy whole Spices with a hard Rock-Candy._
Take one Pound of fine Sugar, and eight spoonfuls of Rosewater, and the
weight of six pence of Gum Arabick that is clear, boil them together
till a drop will run as small as a hair; then put it into an earthen
Pipkin, and having before steeped your spices one night or two in
Rosewater, put your spices into the Pipkin, and stop it up close that no
Air get in, keep it in a hot place three weeks, then break your Pot with
a Hammer.
Thus you may do with preserved Oranges and Limons, any kinds of Fruits
and flowers, or Herbs if you please.
241. _To make very fine Bisket._
Take half a Pound of searced Sugar, the Yolks of six Eggs, a little
searced spice and Seeds, and a little Ambergreece or Musk, your Eggs
must be very hard, then put all these into a Mortar and beat them to a
Paste with a little Gum Dragon steeped in Rosewater all night, then
mould it up with fine Sugar; and make it into pretty Fancies, and dry
them in a warm Oven.
242. _To make Orange, or Limon or Citron Bisket._
Take either of these preserved and washed from their Syrup, beat them
well in a Mortar, and then put in a little Gum Dragon as before, beat
them again together till it be a perfect Paste, then mould it up with
Sugar searced, and make them up in what shape you please and dry it.
243. _To make Bisket of Potato-Roots or Parsneps._
Take their Roots boil'd very tender, and beat them in a Mortar with
their weight of searced Sugar, then put in a little Gum dragon as
before, beat them to a Paste, and mould them up with Sugar searced, and
make them up in what shape you please, and dry them.
244. _To pickle Oranges or Limons, taught me by a Seaman._
Take those which are free from any spots, and lay them gently in a
Barrel, then fill up the Barrel with Sea-water, and so cover your Vessel
close, for want of Sea-water, you may take fair water, and make it so
strong with Bay Salt, that it will bear an Egg, and put to them in like
manner.
245. _To keep Grapes fresh and green, taught me by a Sea-Captain._
Take your fairest Grapes without any blemish, then lay some Oats in a
Box; and then a Lay of Grapes, and then more Oats, and so do till you
have laid all in, then cover the Grapes well with Oats, and close your
box fast that no Air get in.
246. _To dry Grapes to keep longer._
Take your best Clusters and hang them up in a Room upon Lines, and be
sure you do not let them touch one another, they will keep four months.
247. _To make Marmalade of Oranges or Limons._
Boil the Rinds of them in several Waters till they be very tender, beat
them small with their weight of Pippins, then take the weight of all in
fine Sugar, and to every Pound of Sugar, a Pint of Water, boil your
Water and Sugar together, and make a Syrup, then put in your Pulp, and
boil it a good while till it be clear, then put in the Juice of some
Orange and Limon, so much as will give it a fine taste, then boil it a
little longer till you see it will jelly very well, then put it into
Glasses, and keep it in a reasonable warm place; this is very Cordial,
and stoppeth Rheum.
248. _To make green Ginger wet._
Take one pound of Ginger, and steep it in Red-Wine and Vinegar equally
mixed, let it stand so close covered twelve days, and twice every day
stir it up and down, then take two quarts of Red-Wine and as much
Vinegar, and boil them together a little while, then put in three pounds
of Sugar and make a Syrup therewith, then put in your Ginger and boil it
a while, then set it by till the next day, so boil it every day a
little, till it be very clear, and so keep it in the Syrup.
249. _To make a Sallad of Limons._
Take the rinds of Limons cut in halves, and boil them in several waters
till they are very tender, then take Vinegar, Water and Sugar, and make
a Syrup, then put in your Limons, first cut as you would an
Apple-paring, round and round till you come at the top, boil them a
while in the Syrup, then set them by till the next day, then boil them
again a little, and so do till you see they be clear, and the Syrup
thick; when you serve them to the Table, wash them in Vinegar.
250. _To stew Prunes without fire._
Take your largest Prunes well washed, and put them into a broad mouthed
Glass, then put to them some Claret Wine, and whole Spice, and cover
your Glass very well, and set it in the Sun ten days or more, and they
will eat very finely; you must also put a little Sugar into the Glass
with them.
251. _To make Syrup of the Juice of Citrons or Limons._
Take the Juyce of either of them, and put twice the weight of fine Sugar
therein, put it into a long Gallipot, and set that pot into a Kettle of
boiling water, till you see they be well incorporated, then take it out,
and when it is cold put it up.
252. _To make Punch._
Take one Quart of Claret wine, half a Pint of Brandy, and a little
Nutmeg grated, a little Sugar, and the Juice of a Limon, and so drink
it.
253. _To make Limonado._
Take one Quarrt of Sack, half a Pint of Brandy, half a Pint of fair
Water, the Juyce of two Limons, and some of the Pill, so brew them
together, with Sugar, and drink it.
254. _To make Paste of Pomewaters._
Take your Pomewater Apples, and put them in a long Gallipot, and set
that Pot in a Kettle of boiling water, till your Apples are tender, then
pare them, and cut them from the Core, and beat them in a Mortar very
well, then take their weight in fine Sugar, and boil it to a Candy
height with a little water, then put in your Apples, and boil them till
it will come from the bottom of the Posnet, when it is almost cold mould
it with searced Sugar, and make it in Cakes and dry them.
255. _To make Syrup of Rasberries, or of other Fruits, as Grapes or the
like._
Take the Juyce of your Fruits and the weight thereof in fine Sugar, mix
them together, and put them into a long Gally-pot, and set that pot
into a Kettle of seething water, and when you see it is enough let it
cool, and then put it up; after you have strained out your Juice, you
must let it stand to settle three or four days before you put the Sugar
into it, and then take only the clearest, this is exceeding good and
comfortable in all Feavers.
256. _To make a Caudle for a sick body both pleasant and comfortable._
Take a quart of white Wine, and boil it a while with a Blade of large
Mace, and a little whole Cinamon, then take four Ounces of sweet Almonds
blanched and beaten with a little Rosewater, then strain your Almonds
with the Wine, and set it over the fire again, and when it is scalding
hot, put in the Yolks of four Eggs, and as much Sugar as you think fit.
257. _How to cover all kinds of Seeds, or little pieces of Spices, or
Orange or Limon Pill, with Sugar for Comfits._
First of all you mast have a deep bottomed Basin of Brass or Latin, with
two ears of Iron to hang it with two Cords over some hot Coals.
You must also have a broad Pan to put Ashes in, and hot Coals upon them.
You must have a Brass Ladle to let run the Sugar upon the Seeds.
You must have a Slice of Brass to scrape away the Sugar from the sides
of the hanging Basin if need be.
Having all these things in readiness, do as followeth;
Take fine white Sugar beaten, and let your Seeds and Spice be dry, then
dry them again in your hanging Basin:
Take to every two pounds of Sugar one quarter of a pound of Spices or
Seeds, or such like.
If it be Aniseeds, two pounds of Sugar to half a pound of Aniseeds, will
be enough.
Melt your Sugar in this manner, put in three Pounds of Sugar into the
Basin, and one Pint of Water, stir it well till it be wet, then melt it
very well and boil it very softly until it will stream from the Ladle
like Turpentine, and not drop, then let it seeth no more, but keep it
upon warm Embers, that it may run from the Ladle upon the seeds.
Move the Seeds in the hanging Basin so fast as you can or may, and with
one hand, cast on half a Ladle full at a time of the hot Sugar, and rub
the Seeds with your other hand a pretty while, for that will make them
take the Sugar the better, and dry them well after every Coat.
Do thus at every Coat, not only in moving the Basin, but also with
stirring of the Comfits with the one hand, and drying the same: in every
hour you may make three pounds of Comfits; as the Comfits do increase in
bigness, so you may take more Sugar in your Ladle to cast on:
But for plain Comfits, let your Sugar be of a light decoction last, and
of a high decoction first, and not too hot.
For crisp and ragged Comfits make your decoction so high, as that it may
run from the Ladle, and let it fall a foot high or more from the Ladle,
and the hotter you cast on your sugar, the more ragged will your Comfits
be; also the Comfits will not take so much of the sugar, as upon a
light decoction, and they will keep their raggedness long; this high
decoction must serve for eight or ten Coats, and put on at every time
but one Ladle full.
A quarter of a pound of Coriander seeds, and three pounds of sugar, will
serve for very great Comfits.
See that you keep your Sugar in the Basin always in good temper, that it
burn not in Lumps, and if at any time it be too high boiled, put in a
spoonful or two of water, and keep it warily with your Ladle, and let
your fire be always very clear, when your Comfits be made, set them in
Dishes upon Paper in the Sun or before the Fire, or in the Oven after
Bread is drawn, for the space of one hour or two, and that will make
them look very white.
257. [Transcriber's note: so numbered in original] _To make a fine
Cullis or Jelly._
Take a red Cock, scald, wash, and dress him clean, seeth it in white
Wine or Rhenish Wine, and scum it clean, put in a Pint of thick cream to
it, then put in whole Spices, Sugar and Rosewater, and boil them
together.
258. _A white Jelly with Almonds._
Take Rosewater and Gum Dragon first steeped, or Isinglass dissolved, and
some Cinamon whole, seeth these together, then take one pound of Almond
blanched and beaten with Rosewater, then put them in and seeth them with
the rest, stir them always, and when it is enough, sweeten it to your
taste, and when it is cold eat it.
259. _To make sweet Cakes without Sugar._
Wash some Parsnep roots, scrape them and slice them very thin dry them
in a Dish in an Oven, and beat them to a Powder, mix them with an equal
quantity of fine Flower, mix them with Cream, beaten Spice and Salt, and
so make them and bake them.
260. _To keep Roses or Gilliflowers very long._
Take them when they are very fresh, and in the bud, and gathered very
dry, dip them in the whites of Eggs well beaten, and presently strew
thereon searced sugar, and put them up in luted Pots, and set them in a
cool place, in sand or gravel, and with a Filip of your finger at any
time you may strike off the coat, and you will have the Flower fresh and
fair.
261. _How to keep Walnuts long fresh and good._
Make a lay of the dry stampings of Crabs when the Verjuice is pressed
forth, then a Lay of Walnuts, and then Crabs again, till all be in, then
cover the Vessel very well, and when you eat them, they will be as
though they were new gathered.
262. _To pickle Quinces._
Put them into a Vessel, and fill up the Vessel with small Ale, or white
Wine Lees, which is better, and cover your Vessel well that no Air get
in.
263. _To keep Artichokes._