Mrs. Mary Eales's receipts. (1733) Part 6

_To make perfum'd PASTELS._

Take a Pound of Sugar sifted thro' a Lawn Sieve, two Grains of Amber-Grease, one Grain of Musk; grind the Amber and Musk very fine, mix it with the Sugar, make it up to a Paste with Gum-Dragon well steep'd in Orange-Flower-Water, and put in a Spoonful of Ben; beat the Paste well in a Mortar, then roll it pretty thin, cut the Pastels with a small Thimble, and print them with a Seal; let them lye on Papers to dry; when they are dry, put them in a Gla.s.s that has a Cover, or in some close Place, where they may not lose their Scent.

_To burn ALMONDS._

Take a Pound of _Jordan_-Almonds, set them before a hot Fire, or in an Oven, 'till they are very crisp; then take three Quarters of a Pound of Sugar, one Ounce of Chocolate grated, and a Quarter of a Pint of Water, and boil these almost to a Candy; then put in the Almonds, and let them be just hot; take them off and stir them, 'till the Sugar grows dry, and hangs about the Almonds: Put them out of the Pan on a Paper, and put them asunder.

_To make LEMMON-WAFERS._

Take fine sifted Sugar, and put it in Spoons, colouring it in every Spoon of several Colours; wet it with Juice of Lemmon; this is to paint the Wafers. Cut little square Papers, of very thick but very fine Paper, (a Sheet will make two Dozen) then take a Spoonful of Sugar, wet it with Juice of Lemmon, let it be pretty stiff, hold the Spoon over the Fire 'till it grows thin, and is just scalding hot; then put a Tea-Spoonful on the Paper, rubbing it equally all over the Paper very thin; then paint it of what Colour you please, first scalding the Colours: When you see it grows dry, pin it at two Corners of the Paper; when they are cold, and you have made all you design to make, put them into a Box, and set them a Day or two by the Fire; then wet the Papers, with your Fingers dipt into Water, on the Outside; let them lye a little, and the Papers will come off.

The Colours are made thus: The Red with Carmine, the Blue with Smalt, the Green with Powder, call'd Green-Earth, and the Yellow with Saffron steep'd in Lemmon-Juice.

_To candy little GREEN-ORANGES._

Lay the Oranges in Water three Days, shifting them every Day; then put them into scalding Water, keeping them in a Scald, close cover'd, 'till they are green; then boil them 'till they are tender, and put them in Water for three Days more, shifting the Water every Day: Make a Syrup with their Weight in Sugar, Half a Pint of Water to a Pound of Sugar; when the Syrup is cold put the Oranges into it; let them lye two or three Days, and then candy them out as other Oranges.

_To candy COWSLIPS, or any FLOWERS or GREENS in BUNCHES._

Steep Gum-Arabick in Water, wet the Flowers with it, and shake them in a Cloth, that they may be dry; then dip them in fine sifted Sugar, and hang them on a String, ty'd cross a Chimney that has a Fire in it: They must hang two or three Days 'till the Flowers are quite dry.

_To make CARAMEL._

Take _China_ Oranges, peel and split them into Quarters, but don't break the Skin; lay the Quarters before a Fire, turning them 'till the Skin is very dry; then take Half a Pound of Sugar sifted thro'

an Hair Sieve, put it in a Bra.s.s or Silver Pan, and set it over a very slow Fire, keeping it stirring 'till all is melted, and looks pretty clear; then take it off the Fire, and put in your Orange-Quarters, one at a Time; take them out again as fast as you can with a little Spoon, and lay them on a Dish, that shou'd be b.u.t.ter'd, or they will not come off: The Sugar will keep hot enough to do any Plate full. You may do roasted Chessnuts, or any Fruit in the Summer, first laying the Fruit before a Fire, or in a Stove, to make the Skin tough; for if any Wet come out, the Sugar will not stick to it: It must be done just when you use it, for it will not keep.

_To make a good GREEN._

Lay an Ounce of Gumboodge in Water 'till it is all melted, Half a Quarter of a Pint of Water is sufficient; then take an Ounce and Half of Stone-Blue dissolv'd in a little Water, put it to the Gumboodge when melted; put to it a Quarter of a Pound of fine Sugar, and a Quarter of a Pint of Water more, and let it boil: Put a Spoonful of this to a Pint of any white Clear-Cakes, it will make them a very good Green.

_To sugar all Sorts of small FRUIT._

Beat the White of an Egg, and dip the Fruit in it; let it lye on a Cloth that it may not wet; then take fine sifted Sugar, and rowl the Fruit in it 'till 'tis quite cover'd with Sugar; lay it on a Sieve in a Stove, or before a Fire, to dry it well; it will keep well a Week.

_To scald all Sorts of FRUIT._

Put the Fruit into scalding Water, (as much as will almost cover the Fruit) set it over a slow Fire, keep them in a Scald 'till they are tender, turning the Fruit where the Water does not cover it; when 'tis very tender, lay a Paper close to it, and let it stand 'till it is cold: Then to a Pound of Fruit put Half a Pound of Sugar, and let it boil (but not too fast) 'till it looks clear: All Fruit must be done whole but Pippins, and they are best halv'd or quarter'd, and a little Orange-Peel boil'd and put in them, with the Juice of a Lemmon.

_FINIS._