From Yesteryear

from:

SEVENTY-FIVE RECEIPTS FOR
PASTRY, CAKES, AND SWEETMEATS - Part III - Sweetmeats

BY MISS LESLIE, OF PHILADELPHIA. 1832
PREFACE.

The following Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats, are
original, and have been used by the author and many of her friends
with uniform success. They are drawn up in a style so plain and
minute, as to be perfectly intelligible to servants, and persons
of the most moderate capacity. All the ingredients, with their
proper quantities, are enumerated in a list at the head of each
receipt, a plan which will greatly facilitate the business of
procuring and preparing the requisite articles.

There is frequently much difficulty in following directions in
English and French Cookery Books, not only from their want of
explicitness, but from the difference in the fuel, fire-places,
and cooking utensils, generally used in Europe and America; and
many of the European receipts are, so complicated and laborious,
that our female cooks are afraid to undertake the arduous task of
making any thing from them.

The receipts in this little book are, in every sense of the word,
American; but the writer flatters herself that (if exactly
followed) the articles produced from them will not be found
inferior to any of a similar description made in the European
manner. Experience has proved, that pastry, cakes, &c. prepared
_precisely_ according to these directions will not fail to be
excellent: but where economy is expedient, a portion of the
seasoning, that is, the spice, wine, brandy, rosewater, essence of
lemon, &c. may be omitted without any essential deviation of
flavour, or difference of appearance; retaining, however, the
given proportions of eggs, butter, sugar, and flour.

But if done at home, and by a person that can be trusted, it will
be proved, on trial, that any of these articles may be made in the
best and most liberal manner at _one half_ of the cost of the
same articles supplied by a confectioner. And they will be found
particularly useful to families that live in the country or in
small towns, where nothing of the kind is to be purchased.

CONTENTS.

PART THE THIRD

General directions
Apple Jelly
Red Currant Jelly
Black Currant Jelly
Gooseberry Jelly
Grape Jelly
Peach Jelly
Preserved Quinces
Preserved Pippins
Preserved Peaches
Preserved Crab-Apples
Preserved Plums
Preserved Strawberries
Preserved Cranberries
Preserved Pumpkin
Preserved Pine-Apple
Raspberry Jam

PART THE THIRD

SWEETMEATS.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS.

In preparing sugar for sweetmeats, let it be entirely dissolved,
before you put it on the fire. If you dissolve it in water, allow
about half a pint of water to a pound of sugar.

If you boil the sugar before you add the fruit to it, it will be
improved in clearness by passing it through a flannel bag. Skim
off the brown scum, all the time it is boiling.

If sweetmeats are boiled too long, they lose their flavour and
become of a dark colour.

If boiled too short a time, they will not keep well.

You may ascertain when jelly is done, by dropping a small spoonful
into a glass of water.

If it spreads and mixes with the water, it requires more boiling.
If it sticks in a lump to the bottom, it is sufficiently done.
This trial must be made after the jelly is cold.

Raspberry jelly requires more boiling than any other sort. Black
currant jelly less.
APPLE JELLY.

Take the best pippin, or bell-flower apples. No others will make
good jelly. Pare, core, and quarter them. Lay them in a preserving
kettle, and put to them as much water only, as will cover them,
and as much lemon-peel as you choose. Boil them till they are
soft, but not till they break. Drain off the water through a
colander, and mash the apples with the hack of a spoon. Put them
into a jelly bag, set a deep dish or pan under it, and squeeze out
the juice.

To every pint of juice, allow a pound of loaf-sugar, broken up,
and the juice of two lemons. Put the apple-juice, the sugar, and
the lemon-juice into the preserving kettle. Boil it twenty
minutes, skimming it well. Take it immediately from the kettle,
and pour it warm into your glasses, but not so hot as to break
them. When cold, cover each glass with white paper dipped in
brandy, and tie it down tight with another paper. Keep them in a
cool place.

Quince Jelly is made in the same manner, but do not pare the
quinces. Quarter them only.
RED CURRANT JELLY.

Wash your currants, drain them, and pick them from the stalks.
Mash them with the back of a spoon. Put them in a jelly-bag, and
squeeze it till all the juice is pressed out.

To every pint of juice, allow a pound of the best loaf-sugar. Put
the juice and the sugar into your kettle, and boil them twenty
minutes, skimming all the while. Pour it warm into your glasses,
and when cold, tie it up with brandy paper. Jellies should never
be allowed to get cold in the kettle. If boiled too long, they
will lose their flavour, and become of a dark colour.

Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and grape jelly may be made in
the same manner, and with the same proportion of loaf-sugar.

Red currant jelly may also be made in a very simple manner, by
putting the currants whole into the kettle, with the sugar;
allowing a pound of sugar to a pound of currants. Boil them
together twenty minutes, skimming carefully. Then pour them into a
sieve, with a pan under it. Let them drain through the sieve into
the pan, pressing them down with the back of a spoon.

Take the jelly, while warm, out of the pan, and put it into your
glasses. Tie it up with brandy paper when cold.
BLACK CURRANT JELLY.

Pick the currants from the stalks, wash and drain them. Mash them
soft with a spoon, put them in a bag, and squeeze out the juice.
To each pint of juice, allow three quarters of a pound of
loaf-sugar, Put the juice and sugar into a preserving kettle, and
boil them about ten minutes, skimming them well. Take it
immediately out of the kettle. Put it warm into your glasses. Tie
it up with brandy paper.

The juice of black currants is so very thick, that it requires
less sugar and less boiling than any other jelly.
GOOSEBERRY JELLY

Cut the gooseberries in half, (they must be green) and put them in
a jar closely covered. Set the jar in an oven, or pot filled with
boiling water. Keep the water boiling round the jar till the
gooseberries are soft, take them out, mash them with a spoon, and
put them into a jelly bag to drain. When all the juice is squeezed
out, measure it, and to a pint of juice, allow a pound of
loaf-sugar. Put the juice and sugar into the preserving kettle,
and boil them twenty minutes, skimming carefully. Put the jelly
warm into your glasses. Tie them up with brandy paper.

Cranberry jelly is made in the same manner.
GRAPE JELLY.

Pick the grapes from the stems, wash and drain them. Mash them
with a spoon. Put them in the preserving kettle, and cover them
closely with a large plate. Boil them ten minutes. Then pour them
into your jelly bag, and squeeze out the juice.

Allow a pint of juice to a pound of sugar. Put the sugar and juice
into your kettle, and boil them twenty minutes, skimming them
well.

Fill your glasses while the jelly is warm, and tie them up with
brandy papers.
PEACH JELLY

Wipe the wool off your peaches, (which should be free-stones and
not too ripe) and cut them in quarters, Crack the stones, and
break the kernels small.

Put the peaches and the kernels into a covered jar, set them in
boiling water, and let them boil till they are soft.

Strain them through a jelly-bag, till all the juice is squeezed
out. Allow a pound of loaf-sugar to a pint of juice. Put the sugar
and juice into a preserving kettle, and boil them twenty minutes,
skimming carefully.

Put the jelly warm into your glasses, and when cold, tie them up
with brandy paper.

Plum, and green-gage jelly may be made in the same manner, with
the kernels, which greatly improve the flavour.
PRESERVED QUINCES

Pare and core your quinces, carefully taking out the parts that
are knotty and defective. Cut them into quarters, or into round
slices. Put them into a preserving kettle and cover them with the
parings and a very little water. Lay a large plate over them to
keep in the steam, and boil them till they are tender.

Take out the quinces, and strain the liquor through a bag. To
every pint of liquor, allow a pound of loaf-sugar. Boil the juice
and sugar together, about ten minutes, skimming it well. Then put
in the quinces, and boil them gently twenty minutes. When the
sugar seems to have completely penetrated them, take them out, put
them in a glass jar, and pour the juice over them warm. Tie them
up, when cold, with brandy paper.

In preserving fruit that is boiled first without the sugar, it is
generally better (after the first boiling) to let it stand till
next day before you put the sugar to it.
PRESERVED PIPPINS.

Pare and core some of the largest and finest pippins. Put them in
your preserving kettle, [Footnote: The use of brass or bell-metal
kettles is now most entirely superseded by the enamelled kettles
of iron lined with china, called preserving kettles; brass and
bell-metal having always been objectionable on account of the
verdigris which collects in them.] with some lemon-peel, and all
the apple-parings. Add a very little water, and cover them
closely. Boil them till they are tender, taking care they do not
burn. Take out the apples, and spread them on a large dish to
cool. Poor the liquor into a bag, and strain it well. Put it into
your kettle with a pound of loaf-sugar to each pint of juice, and
add lemon juice to your taste. Boil it five minutes, skimming it
well. Then put in the whole apples, and boil them slowly half an
hour, or till they are quite soft and clear. Put them with the
juice, into your jars, and when quite cold, tie them up with
brandy paper.

Preserved apples are only intended for present use, as they will
not keep long.

Pears may be done in the same way, either whole or cut in half.
They may be flavoured either with lemon or cinnamon, or both. The
pears for preserving should be green.
PRESERVED PEACHES.

Take the largest and finest free-stone peaches, before they are
too ripe. Pare them, and cut them in halves or in quarters. Crack
the stones, and take out the kernels, and break them in pieces.
Put the peaches, with the parings and kernels, into your
preserving kettle, with a very little water. Boil them till they
are tender. Take out the peaches and spread them on a large dish
to cool. Strain the liquor through a bag or sieve. Next day,
measure the juice, and to each pint allow a pound of loaf-sugar.
Put the juice and sugar into the kettle with the peaches, and boil
them slowly half an hour, or till they are quite soft, skimming
all the time. Take the peaches out, put them into your jars, and
pour the warm liquor over them. When cold, tie them up with brandy
paper.

If boiled too long, they will look dull, and be of a dark colour.
[Footnote: To preserve peaches whole, pare them and thrust out the
stones with a skewer. Then proceed as above, only blanch the
kernels and keep them whole. When the peaches are done, stick a
kernel into the hole of every peach, before you put them into the
jars. Large fruit will keep best in broad shallow stone pots.]

If you do not wish the juice to be very thick, do not put it on to
boil with the sugar, but first boil the sugar alone, with only as
much water as will dissolve it, and skim it well. Let the sugar,
in all cases, be entirely melted before it goes on the fire.
Having boiled the sugar and water, and skimmed it to a clear
syrup, then put in your juice and fruit together, and boil them
till completely penetrated with the sugar.
PRESERVED CRAB APPLES

Wash your fruit. Cover the bottom of your preserving kettle with
grape leaves. Put in the apples. Hang them over the fire, with a
very little water, and cover them closely. Do not allow them to
boil, but let them simmer gently till they are yellow. Take them
out, and spread them on a large dish to cool. Pare and core them.
Put them again into the kettle, with fresh vine-leaves under and
over them, and a very little water. Hang them over the fire till
they are green. Do not let them boil.

Take them out, weigh them, and allow a pound of loaf-sugar to a
pound of crab-apples. Put to the sugar just water enough to
dissolve it. When it is all melted, put it on the fire, and boil
and skim it. Then put in your fruit, and boil the apples till they
are quite clear and soft. Put them in jars, and pour the warm
liquor over them. When cold, tie them up with brandy paper.
PRESERVED PLUMS.

Cut your plums in half, (they must not be quite ripe,) and take am
the stones. Weigh the plums and allow a pound of loaf-sugar to a
pound of fruit.

Crack the stones, take out the kernels and break them in pieces.
Boil the plums and kernels very slowly for about fifteen minutes,
in as little water as possible. Then spread them on a large dish
to cool, and strain the liquor.

Next day make your syrup. Melt the sugar in as little water as
will suffice to dissolve it, (about half a pint of water to a
pound of sugar) and boil it a few minutes, skimming it till quite
clear. Then put in your plums with the liquor, and boil them
fifteen minutes. Put them in jars, pour the juice over them warm,
and tie them up, when cold, with brandy paper. [Footnote: Plums
for common use, are very good done in molasses. Put your plums
into an earthen vessel that holds a gallon, having first slit each
plum with a knife. To three quarts of plums put a pint of
molasses. Cover them and set them on hot coals in the chimney
corner. Let them stew for twelve hours or more, occasionally
stirring them, and renewing the coals. Next day put them up in
jars. Done in this manner they will keep till the next spring.]

Syrups may be improved in clearness, by adding to the dissolved
sugar and water, some white of egg very well beaten, allowing the
white of one egg to each pound of sugar. Boil it very hard, and
skim it well, that it may be quite clear before you put in your
fruit.
PRESERVED STRAWBERRIES.

Weigh the strawberries after you have picked off the stems. To
each pound of fruit allow a pound of loaf-sugar, which must be
powdered. Strew half of the sugar over the strawberries, and let
them stand in a cold place two or three hours. Then put them in a
preserving kettle over a slow fire, and by degrees strew on the
rest of the sugar. Boil them fifteen or twenty minutes, and skim
them well.

Put them in wide-mouthed bottles, and when cold, seal the corks.

If you wish to do them whole, take them carefully out of the
syrup, (one at a time) while boiling. Spread them to cool on large
dishes, not letting the strawberries touch each other, and when
cool, return them to the syrup, and boil them a little longer.
Repeat this several times.

Keep the bottles in dry sand, in a place that is cool and not
damp.

Gooseberries, currants, raspberries, cherries and grapes may be
done in the same manner. The stones must be taken from the
cherries (which should be morellas, or the largest and best red
cherries;) and the seeds should be extracted from the grapes with
the sharp point of a penknife. Gooseberries, grapes, and cherries,
require longer boiling than strawberries, raspberries or currants.
PRESERVED CRANBERRIES

Wash your cranberries, weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound
of loaf-sugar. Dissolve the sugar in a very little water, (about
half a pint of water to a pound of sugar) and set it on the fire
in a preserving kettle. Boil it nearly ten minutes, skimming it
well. Then put in your cranberries, and boil them slowly, till
they are quite soft, and of a fine colour.

Put them warm into your jars or glasses, and tie them up with
brandy paper, when cold.

All sorts of sweetmeats keep better in glasses, than in stone of
earthen jars. When opened for use, they should be tied up again
immediately, as exposure to the air spoils them.

Common glass tumblers are very convenient for jellies, and
preserved small fruit. White jars are better than stone or
earthen, for large fruit.
PRESERVED PUMPKIN.

Cut slices from a fine high-coloured pumpkin, and cut the slices
into chips about the thickness of a dollar. The chips should be of
an equal size, six inches in length and an inch broad. Weigh them
and allow to each pound of pumpkin chips, a pound of loaf-sugar.
Have ready a sufficient number of fine lemons, pare off the yellow
rind, and lay it aside. Cut the lemons in half, and squeeze the
juice into a bowl. Allow a gill of juice to each pound of pumpkin.

Put the pumpkin into a broad pan laying the sugar among it. Pour
the lemon-juice over it, Cover the pan, and let the pumpkin chips,
sugar and lemon-juice, set all night.

Early in the morning put the whole into a preserving pan, and boil
all together (skimming it well) till the pumpkin becomes clear and
crisp, but not till it breaks. It should have the appearance of
lemon-candy. You may if you choose, put some lemon-peel with it,
cut in very small pieces.

Half an hour’s boiling (or a little more) is generally sufficient.

When it is done, take out the pumpkin, spread it On a large dish,
and strain the syrup through a bag. Put the pumpkin into your jars
or glasses, pour the syrup over it, and tie it up with brandy
paper.

If properly done, this is a very fine sweetmeat. The taste of the
pumpkin will be lost in that of the lemon and sugar, and the syrup
is particularly pleasant. It is eaten without cream, like
preserved ginger. It may be laid on puff-paste shells, after they
are baked.
PRESERVED PINE-APPLE,

Pare your pine-apples, and cut them in thick slices. Weigh the
slices and to each pound allow a pound of loaf-sugar. Dissolve the
sugar in a very small quantity of water, stir it, and set it over
the fire in a preserving-kettle. Boil it ten minutes, skimming it
well. Then put in it the pine-apple slices, and boil them till
they are clear and soft, but not till they break. About half an
hour (or perhaps less time) will suffice. Let them cool in a large
dish or pan, before you put them into your jars, which you must do
carefully, lest they break. Pour the syrup over them. Tie them up
with brandy paper.
RASPBERRY JAM.

Allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. Mash the raspberries
and put them with the sugar into your preserving kettle. Boll it
slowly for an hour skimming it well. Tie it up with brandy paper.

All jams are made in the same manner.