The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet Part 12

208. _To make Tuff-Taffity Cream._

Take a quart of thick Cream, the whites of eight Eggs beaten to a Froth with Rosewater, then take off the Froth and put in into the Cream, and boil it, and always stir it, then put in the Yolks of eight Eggs well beaten, and stir them in off the Fire, and then on the fire a little while, then season it with Sugar, and pour it out, and when it is cold, lay on it Jelly of Currans or Rasberries, or what you please.

209. _Caraway Cake._

Take one Quart of Flower, and one pound of b.u.t.ter, rub your b.u.t.ter into your Flower very well, then take two Yolks of Eggs and one White, two spoonfuls of Cream, half a Pint of Ale-Yest, mix them all together, do not knead it, but pull it in pieces, then set it to the fire to rise, and so let it lie almost one hour, turning it often, then pull it in pieces again, and strew in half a pound of Caraway Comfits, mingle them with the Paste, then take it lightly with your hand, fashion it like an Oval, and make it higher in the middle than the sides, let your Oven be as hot as for a Tart, be sure your Oven or Cake be ready both at once, put it upon a double paper b.u.t.tered, and let it stand almost an hour, when it goes into the Oven, strew it thick with Caraway-Comfits, and lay a paper over least it scorch.

210. _To Candy Barberries._

Stone the fairest Bunches you can get, and as you stone them strew in a little Sugar, then take so much water as you think will cover them, and let them boil in it with a little Sugar a little while, then put them into a deep thing that the Syrup may cover them, then boil a little water and sugar to a Candy height, then having your Barberries drained well from the Syrup put them into the hot Candy, stir them gently til the Sugar be dissolved, but do not let them boil in it, then open every branch and lay them upon the brims of dishes, shift them often on clean dishes and open them every time, then set them into an Oven or Stove to dry.

211. _To make a very fine Sillibub._

Take one Quart of Cream, one Pint and an half of Wine or Sack, the Juice of two Limons with some of the Pill, and a Branch of Rosemary, sweeten it very well, then put a little of this Liquor, and a little of the Cream into a Basin, beat them till it froth, put that Froth into the Sillibub pot, and so do till the Cream and Wine be done, then cover it close, and set it in a cool Cellar for twelve hours, then eat it.

212. _Fine sweet Powder for the hair._

Take one pound of the best starch you can get, put it into a Basin with half a Pint of Rosemary water, as much Rosewater, stir them well together with a Spoon, then dry them well in the Sun, then take the searced Powder of Damask Roses, and four grains of Ambergreece, mix it well with your Starch, and sift it fine.

213. _To make Cakes of Pistachoes._

Take half a pound of Almonds Blanched, half a pound of Pistachoes blanched, four Ounces of Pine-Apple seeds, beat these together in a Mortar with a little Rosewater till it come to perfect Paste, then put in the weight of it in Sugar, and beat it again, then mould it with searced Sugar, and lay it upon Wafer sheets, and fashion them as you please; then stick them with quartered Pistachoes; that they may make it look like a Hedghog, then with a Feather Ice them over with the White of an Egg, Rosewater and Sugar, then bake them carefully.

214. _To make Cakes of Apric.o.c.ks in Lumps._

Take Apric.o.c.ks, and pare them and cut them in halves, then take their weight in Sugar, put half this Sugar and the Apric.o.c.ks into a Posnet, let them boil apace till they look clear, then boil the other part of the Sugar to a Candy height, then put them together, and stir them a while, then put them into Gla.s.ses and set them into a Stove, and when the one side is dry, turn the other.

215. _To make Rasberry Sugar._

Take the Juice of Rasberries and wet your Sugar with it, and dry it in a Stove in little Cakes; this will keep all the year, a little of it being put into a Gla.s.s 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 Apric.o.c.ks._

Take your fairest Apric.o.c.ks 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 Apric.o.c.ks, and boil them till they are clear, when they have lain three or four days in the Syrup, lay them out upon Gla.s.ses 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 Apric.o.c.ks and stir them over a slow fire, but do not let it boil, when it will jelly, put it into Gla.s.ses.

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-b.u.t.tered, 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 b.u.t.ter, 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 b.u.t.ter 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; p.r.i.c.k 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 b.u.t.ter._

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 Gla.s.ses 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 sc.u.m 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 b.u.t.ter, 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 sc.u.m 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.