Early modern recipe books

The bottom, then take a pinte and a halfe the cleerest of this liquore, puting to it a pound of very fine Sugar, beaten, Sett on the fire, boileing it as fast as you can Scumeing of it often, when its halfe boiled put in your Orenge peeles being Cleane drained from the water; soe boile it as fast as may be till it be prety thicke to Ielly (which you may try if you take some vp in a Spoone and drop it, and if the drop doth not run about it is then stiffe enough then put in the Iuice of 2 or 3 Lemons, soe imediatly takeing it from the fire then put in a little Amber greece shaued small, and tied vp in a thicke little Ragg (if you like it) soe stirre it about 2 or 3 times, then fill your fine cleere shallow marmelett Glasses with it for to keepe for your vse; And if it be noe stiffer, then a thicke Sirrope, yett it will be enough when it is stoued 2 or 3 dayes.

{123}

{125}

To make Ielley of Lemons: Lady: Dungarvan

Take Sixe pipings to 2 Lemons; pare the pipings and cut them in Quarters, and put them into an Earthen pott, to stew in a pott of hott water, till they be desolued, take Sugar waight for waight, for your pipings and Lemons, boile the Sugar to a Candy haight, then put to it, the Iuice of the Piping and the Iuice of 2 Lemons, boile it a little then soe if it will Ielly, then take it off and pott it.

I thinke this will not keepe long.

A fashonable Ielley or Tart stuff of Redd Cherryes, and good for Sicke folkes.

A quarter of a pound of refined sugar beaten Cruse into it a pound of Cherry Iuice, (or rather the Iuice gott by steweing in a close pott sett in water to boile:) soe boile vp the Ielly to its haight, and putt it into glasses (and if you will straine it frist)

Candied To make Cleere Cakes of Quinces pure white, a Curious Sweetmeat from Mrs Ciss: Meux

Pare your Quinces then grate them, on a Grater, straine out all the Iuice from the Pulp, lett it stand still, to settle all the Grounds to the Bottom then, Haue euey ye boile Sirrop, (being the waight of the Iuice in Sugar) to a Candy as vsnall, then Gently, poure all the cleere of the Iuice into it, soe stirr it togather vntill the Sugar or Candy, be desolued ^Skiminge of it then put it vp into Shallow Marmelett Glasses or boxes, and Stone them, soe long vntill you see theire topps fred out with a thin Candy, then keepe them in a good place that will keepe them dry but not to hott.

And if you will haue these Cleere Cakes, into Cakes, to be candied on both Sides, then when in the Glasses, you haue put them in, with stoueing they begin to Candy a little, but not to much, then with a knife cut and loosen them out of the Glasses into what fashons you will, and soe vpon peeces of Glasse, let the vper parte that was

Was Candied, fall Gently downewards vpon the Smooth Glasse, soe sett them againe into the Stoue, the vntill it be Candied all ouer soe keepe them for your vse.

Ielly or a Rind tart Stuff of Redd Cherries is held a fashonable Sweetmeat and good for Sicke folkes:

Bruise and straine a pound of Cherries into a quarter of a pound of double refined beaten Sugar soe boile them vp ^a pace to the thicknes you like.

The very best way after the New fashon, to looke with Ielley & lumps for white or Redd Quince Marmelet, that it shall tast as perfect as if the Quinces were Raw; Mrs Randolph.

Pare good Quinces free from knotts and storine; and cut them into some 6 or 8 quarters from theire Coares, for Cutt into such bigg quarters they will sooner a great deale boile into soft mash then if they were cut into thin slices (the same rule is alsoe for Apples) then to a pound of Quince take a pound of double refined Sugar beaten Small, (wanting 2oz) strew a lay of Sugar all ouer the bottom of the pan you Lay meane to preserue them in , then Lay your Quince In couereing it all ouer with the residue of the Sugar, to stand a while to moisten before you sett them to the fire: And if you make Redd marmelett, then tye vp loosly in some thin Lynen Cloath or tiffiny, some of the seeds to make them Ielly and looke the more Redd, soe sett them Couered on a soft fire to make them

Theire Couler change Redd,) and when the lumps begn to soften, then often with a spoone or spattula Breake and bruise them indifferentlly, and when It begins to grow a little thickish, if you haue a Lemon add the Iuice of halfe a one, to make it looke the cleerer and Redder, but a Curnacon Couler is deepe enough, for in the keepinge of it as it growes older, it will rather grow to deepe a Redd, and boile it noe thicker then a thicke Sirrop: soe put it into your Boxes or Glasses when it is a little Cooler And if you will you may sett it a day after in a stoue to harden and dry vp the moisture for a day or two, and when its cold Lay fitted cleane papers close vpon it as you vse to doe for preserues, keeping them in temperate dry places, else these as well as other Sweetmeats if they be kept in moist places will Lose theire Couler.

And now for her white Quince Marmelet which by the reason it hath not soe much boiling it hath a quicker ^and perfecter tast, then the Redd but keepes not soe longe chuse good Aple Quinces

Quinces the newer gathered the better, The La: Diueses curious way beinge in a manner the same, boiled vp a pace, (yet not to too much thicknes) vncouered and without the coares or Lemon Boiled in it: Some to haue it the Quicker tasted will wett the Sugar with a little of the cleere Iuice of Grated or stamped Quince strained, (Crabe Quinces beinge good enough) But though it may make the marmelet, the moister get I doubt it makes the Clouler Redish; stoue this as formerly.

And when you would haue redd marmelet put in a pint of the Liquor of the pipings and the Quince in Quarters, and let it boile softly till it turne to be a good redd as you like it, Couereinge it close.