CAKES, PUFFS, BISCUITS, &c.
Always have every thing in readiness before you begin to make any kind of cakes, then beat your eggs well, and never leave them till they are finished, as by that means your cakes will not be so light. When you put butter in your cakes, be particularly careful in beating it to a fine cream before you put in the sugar, otherwise double the beating will not have so good an effect. Rice cakes, seed cakes, or plumb cakes, are best baked in wooden garths; for when they are baked in pots or tins, the outsides of the cakes are burned, and they are so confined that the heat cannot penetrate into the middle, which hinders its rising.
To make Orange Cakes.
Take six Seville oranges, grate the rinds of two of them, then cut off the rinds of all six to the juice, and boil them in water till very tender; squeeze out all the water you can, and beat them to a paste in a marble mortar; rub it through a hair sieve, and what will not easily rub through, must be beaten again till it will; cut to pieces the insides of your oranges, and rub as much of them through as you possibly can; then boil about six or eight pippins in as much water as will almost cover them; boil them to a paste, and rub it through a sieve to the rest; put all in a pan together, and give them a thorough heat till they are well mingled; then, to every pound of this paste take one pound and a quarter of loaf sugar; clarify the sugar, and boil it to the crick; put in your paste and the grated peel, and stir it all-together, over a slow fire, till it is well mixed, and the sugar all melted; then, with a spoon, fill your round tin moulds, and set them in a warm stove to dry; when dry on the tops, turn them on sieves to dry on the other side; and when quite dry, box them up.
Another Way.
Take what quantity you please of Seville oranges that have good rinds, quarter them, and boil them in two or three waters till they are tender, and the bitterness is gone off; skin them and lay them on a clean napkin to dry; take all the skins and seeds out of the pulp with a knife, shred the peels fine, put them to the pulp, weigh them, and put rather more than their weight of fine sugar into a tossing pan, with just as much water as will dissolve it; boil it till it becomes a perfect sugar, and then by degrees put in your orange peels and pulp; stir them well before you set them on the fire; boil it very gently into flat-bottomed glasses; set them in a stove, and keep them in a constant and moderate heat; and when they are candied on the top, turn them out upon glasses.
To make Orange clear Cakes.
Take the best pippins, pare them into as much water as will cover them, and boil them to a mash; then press out the jelly upon a sieve, and strain it through a bag, adding juice of oranges to give it an agreeable taste; to every pound of jelly take one pound and a quarter of loaf sugar, boil it till it cracks, and then put in the jelly and the rind of a grated orange or two; stir it up gently over a slow fire, till all is incorporated together; then take it off, and fill your clear cake glasses; what scum arises on the top, you must carefully take off before they are cold; then put them into a stove, and when you find them begin to crust upon the upper side, turn them out upon the upper side, turn them out upon squares of glasses, and put them to dry again; when they begin to have a tender candy, cut them into quarters or what pieces you please, and let them dry till hard; then turn them on sieves, and, when thorough dry, put them in your boxes. As they begin to sweat in the box, shift them from time to time; and it will be requisite to put no more than one row in a box, at the beginning, till they do not sweat. Lemon colour cakes are made with lemons as these.
To make Lemon Cakes.
Take six thick raised lemons, grate two of them, then pare off all the yellow peel, and strip the white to the juice, which white boil till tender and make a paste exactly as for orange cakes.
Another Way.
Take the best coloured lemons, scrape out the blacks, and grate off the peel clean; put the peel into a strainer, wet what sugar you think will serve and boil it to a candy-height; then take it off and put in your lemon peel; when it boils take it off, squeeze in a little lemon juice, and drop them on buttered plates or papers; you may put in musk or ambergris if you please.
To make Gooseberry clear Cakes.
Gooseberry clear cakes may be made after the same manner as the paste, with this difference only, strain the jelly through the bag before you weight it for use.
To make Raspberry Cakes.
Pick all the grubs and spotted raspberries away, then bruise the rest and put them on a hair sieve over an earthen pan, put on them a board and weigh to press out all the water you can, then put the paste into your preserving pan, and dry it over the fire, till you perceive no moisture left in it, stirring it all the time it is on the fire to keep it from burning; weigh it, and to every pound take one pound and two ounces of sugar, beat to a fine powder, and put it in by degrees; when all is in, put it on the fire and incorporate them well together; take them from the fire, scrape all to one side of the pan,let it cool a very little, then put it into your moulds; when quite cold, put them into your stove without dusting them, and dry it as other paste.
- Note.—You must take particular care that your paste does not boil after your sugar is in, for if it does it will grow greasy.
To make Raspberry clear Cakes.
Take two quarts of ripe gooseberries, or white currants, and one quarts of red raspberries; put them into a stone jug, and stop them close;put them into a stone jug, and stop them close; put it into a pot of cold water, as much as will cover the next of the jug, boil them in that water till it comes to a paste, then turn them out in a hair sieve placed over a pan, press out all the jelly, and strain it through the jelly-bag; take twenty ounces of double refined sugar, and boil it till it will crack in the water; take it from the fire, put in your jelly, and stir it over a slow fire till all the sugar is melted; give it a good heat till all is incorporated, take it from the fire, scum it well, and fill your cake glasses; take off what scum is on them and put them into the stove to dry, observing the method directed before for clear cakes.
- Note.—In filling out your clear cakes, and clear pastes, you must be as expeditious as possible, for if it cools it will be a jelly before you can get it into them.
White raspberry clear cakes are made after the same manner, only mixing white raspberries with the gooseberries in the infusion.
Another Way.
Take two quarts of gooseberries and two quarts of red raspberries, put them in a pan with about a pint and an half of water, boil them over a quick fire to a mummy, throw them upon an earthen pan, press out all the juice, then take that juice and boil it in another quart of raspberries; throw them on a sieve, and rub all through the sieve that you can; when put in the seeds, and weight the paste; to every pound, take twenty ounces of fine loaf sugar boiled; when clarified till it cracks, remove it from the fire, put in your paste, mix it well, and set it over a slow fire, stirring it till all the sugar is melted and you find it is become a jelly; take it from the fire, and fill your pots or glasses whilst very hot; scum them, and put them into the stove, observing when cold to dry them as your do other pastes.
To make Raspberry Biscuits.
Press out the juice and dry the paste a little over the fire, then rub all the pulp through a sieve, and weigh them; to every pound take eighteen ounces of sugar sifted very fine, and the whites of four eggs; put all in the pan together, and with a whisk beat it til it is very stiff, so that you may lay it in pretty high drops, and when it is so beaten, drop it in what form you please on the glazed sides of cards, paper being too thin; if it be difficult to get them off, dust them a little with very fine sugar, and put them into a very warm stove to dry; when they are dry enough they will come easily from the cards, but whilst soft they will not stir; then take and turn them on a sieve, let them remain a day or two in the stove, then pack them up in your box, and they will, in a dry place, keep all the year without shifting them.
To make a Bride Cake.
Take four pounds of fine flour well dried, four pounds of fresh butter, two pounds of loaf sugar; pound and sift fine a quarter of an ounce of mace, and the same quantity of nutmegs; to every pound of flour put eight eggs; wash and pick four pounds of currants, and dry them before the fire; blanch a pound of sweet almonds, and cut them lengthways very thin, a pound of citron, a pound of candied orange, a pound of candied lemon, and half a pint of brandy; first work the butter with your hand to a cream, then beat in your sugar a quarter of an hour, beat the whites of your eggs to a very strong froth, mix them with your sugar and butter; beat the yolks half an hour at least, and mix them with your cake; then put in your flour, mace, and nutmeg; keep beating it till the oven is ready, put in your brandy, and beat the currants and almonds lightly in; tie three sheets of paper round the bottom of your hoop, to keep it from running out; rub it well with butter, put in your cake, and the sweetmeats in three lays, with cake betwixt every lay; after it is risen and coloured, cover it with paper before your oven is stopped up; it will take three hours baking.
Another Way.
Wash and rub seven pounds of currants, place them before the fire; take four pounds of flour, dry and sift it, six pounds of fresh butter, which work with your hand till it comes to a cream, two pounds of loaf sugar beat and sifted fine; blanch two pounds of almonds, pound them fine, a quarter of an ounce of mace, cloves and cinnamon, three nutmegs and some ginger; half a pint of sack, and the same quantity of brandy; sweetmeats, such as candied orange, lemon and citron; work the butter well into a cream, then put in your sugar; let the eggs, which must be eight to every pound of flour, be beat well, and strained through a sieve; put in your almonds, beat them well, then put in the sack, brandy and spices; shake the flour in by degrees; when your oven is ready, put in your currants and sweetmeats; tie a few sheets of paper at the bottom of the hoop, but rub it well with butter; it will take four hours baking.
To make Almond Icing for the Bride Cake.
Take the whites of six eggs, a pound and an half of double refined sugar; beat a pound of Jordan almonds, blanch them, and pound them fine in a little rose water; then mix all together, and whisk it well for an hour or two, then lay it over your cake, and put it in an oven.
To make Pomegranate clear Cakes.
Draw your jelly as for the orange clear cakes, then boil it in the juice of two or three pomegranate seeds, and all with the juice of an orange and lemon, the rind of each grated in; then strain it through a bag, and to every pound of jelly put one pound and a quarter, boiled till it cracks; to make the colour a fine-red, put in a spoonful of cochineal, prepared as we have directed; then fill your glasses, and order them as oranges.
To make Apricot Cakes.
Take a pound of nice ripe grapes, scald and peel them, take out the stones, then beat them in a mortar to a pulp; boil half a pound of double refined sugar with a spoonful of water, and skim it well, then put in the pulp of your apricots, and simmer hen a quarter of an hour over a slow fire, stirring them softly all the time; then put it into shallow flat glasses, and when cold turn them out on glass plates, put them in a stove, and turn them once a day till they are dry.
To make Apricot clear Cakes.
First draw a jelly from codlings, and in that jelly boil some very ripe apricots, and press them upon a sieve over an earthen pan; then strain it through your jelly-bag, and to every pound of jelly take the like quantity of fine loaf sugar, which clarify and boil till it cracks; then put in the jelly, mix it well, and give it a heat on the fire; scum it and fill your glasses; in drying order them as before directed.
To make clear Cakes of White Pear Plumbs.
Take the clearest of your plumbs, put them into a gallipot, and boil them in a pot of boiling water, till they are enough; let the clear part run from them, and to every pound of liquor, add as much sugar, boiled to a candy height; then take it off, put the liquor to it; and stir all together till it be thoroughly hot, but not boiled; put it in glasses, and dry them in a stove with a constant warm fire.
To make Almond Cakes or Figures.
Boil a pound of double refined sugar to a thin candy; blanch, with orange flower water, half a pound of Jordan almonds; add the juice of one lemon, and the peels of two, grated to the juice; first boil your sugar and almonds together, stirring it till the sugar is boiled to a proper height; put in the lemon juice, stir it well together over a slow fire, taking care it does not boil after the juice is in; make this into cakes, or what form or shape you please, either gilt or plain.
Another Way.
Take two ounces of bitter, and one pound of sweet almonds, blanched and beat with a little rose or orange flower water, and the white of an egg; half a pound of sifted loaf sugar, eight yolks and three whites of eggs, the juice of half a lemon, the rind grated; baked it either in one large pan or small pans.
To make Almonds Loaves.
Beat a pound of almonds very fine, mix them well with three quarters of a pound of sifted sugar, set them over the fire, keep them stirring till they are stiff, and put in the rind of a lemon grated very fine; make them up in little loaves, shake them well in the whites of eggs beat to a very stiff froth, that the eggs may hang about them; then put them in a pan with a pound of fine sifted sugar; divide them if they stick together, and add more sugar, till they begin to be smooth and dry; and when you put them on papers, to bake, shake them in a pan that is just wet with white of eggs, to make them have a gloss; bake them after biscuits, on papers and tin plates.
To make little candied Cakes.
Take double refined sugar finely seered, about a silver ladleful; wet it no more than will make it boil to a candy height, and put in what flowers you please; strew some sugar upon them, glass-drop them upon white paper, and take them off hot to avoid their sticking.
To make a great rich Cake.
Take a peck of flour well dried, an ounce of nutmeg, and as much cinnamon; beat the spice well, mix them with your flour, a pound and an half of sugar, some salt, thirteen pounds of currants well washed, picked, and dried, and three pounds of raisins stoned and cut into small pieces; mix all these well together, make five pints of cream almost scalding hot, put into it four pounds of fresh butter, beat the yolks of twenty eggs, three pints of good ale yeast, a pint of sack, a quarter of a pint of orange flower water, three grains of musk, and six grains of ambergris; mix these together, and stir them into your cream and butter; then mix all in the cake, and set it for an hour before the fire, to rise, before you put it in the hoop; mix your sweetmeats in it, two pounds of citron, and one pound of candied orange and lemon peel, cut in small pieces; bake it in a deep hoop, butter the sides, put two papers at the bottom, flour it, and put in your cakes; it must have a quick oven, and will take four hours to bake it; when it is drawn ice it over the top and sides; take two pounds of double refined sugar, beat and sifted, the whites of six eggs beat to a froth, with three or four spoonfuls of orange flower water, and three grains of musk and ambergris; beat these in a stone mortar with a wood pestle, till it be as white as snow, and, with a brush or bunch of feathers, spread it all over the cake, and put it into the oven to dry, taking care the oven does not discolour it; when it is cold paper it, and it will keep good five or six weeks.
Another Way.
Take four pounds of flour dried and sifted, seven pounds of currants clean washed, picked and rubbed well, six pounds of the best fresh butter, two pounds of Jordan almonds blanched and beat fine in a mortar, with orange flower water and sack; then take four pounds of eggs, put half the whites away, three pounds of double refined sugar beaten and sifted, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of cinnamon and mace, three large nutmegs, and a little ginger, all beaten fine and sifted, half a pint of sack, half a pint of good French brandy, some candied citron, orange and lemon peel to your liking, and cut in slips; work the butter to a cream with your hands before any of your ingredients are put in, then put in the sugar, and mix them well together; before you put in the eggs, let them be well beaten and strained through a sieve, then work in your almonds, put in the eggs, and beat all well together, till they look white and thick; put in your sack, brandy, and spices shake your flour in by degrees, and when the oven is ready put in your currants and sweetmeats, and work it well up, put it into your hoops, and bake it four hours in a quick oven: you must keep beating it with your hand all the while you are mixing it; and when your currants are washed and cleaned, put them before the fire to plump, so that they may go warm into the cake. You may bake this quantity in two hoops if you please, and when it is cold ice it.
To make a Plumb Cake.
Take two pounds ten ounces of the finest flour well dried, two pounds of currants weighed after picked; washed, and dried; three nutmegs finely grated, three or four blades of large mace, ten cloves, a little cinnamon, dried and beat fine; mix all these into the flour with two ounces of fine sugar, break into the bason the yolks of twelve eggs and the whites of six; beat into them a pint of very good yeast, not bitter, lest it spoil your cake; stain it through an hair sieve into the middle of the flour; set over the fire a pint of new cream, and when it is boiled take it off, put in a pound of new butter, cut in thin slices, and as much saffron as will colour the cream; when the butter is all melted, and the cream not very hot, pour into the flour as much as will make it like a pudding, but not too thin; never offer to mould it, but lift it up with your fingers till your flour be wet all over; flour a cloth, and lay it before the fire for a quarter of an hour to rise; put it into a frame well buttered, and, with a knife dipt in flour, cut a crease across, and prick it to the bottom with a bodkin, and set it over a quick fire; set it in a quick oven, bake it a full hour, and draw it gently out of the oven, for shaking an cake will make it heavy; you may, if you please, add six spoonfuls of sack, some ambergris, citron and lemon; ice it as soon as drawn, and set it in a proper place. If you follow these directions, it will eat as if a great quantity of almonds were in it.
To make Icing for the Cake.
Take a pound of the best refined sugar, sift it through a lawn sieve, take the whites of two eggs well beat, with four or five spoonfuls of orange flower water; put your sugar into the eggs, and never leave beating them till they are as white as snow; cover your cake all over, and stick some thin slices of citron, if you put any in the cake.
Another Way.
Take seven pounds of flour, two pounds and an half of butter, and mix them; seven pounds of currants, two large nutmegs, half an ounce of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves, all finely beat and grated; one pound of sugar, and sixteen eggs, leaving four whites; put in a full pint and an half of ale yeast, warm as much cream to make it as thick as batter; beat also one pound of almonds with sack and orange flower water, but do not let them be fine but grossly beat; put in a pound of candied orange, lemon, and citron peel, or more if you desire it very rich; mix all, put it into your hoop, with paste under it to save the bottom.
To make a very fine rich Plumb Cake.
Take four pounds of the finest four well dried and sifted, six pounds of the best fresh butter, seven pounds of currants well washed, picked, and rubbed very clean and dry; two pounds of Jordan almonds, blanched and beat in a marble mortar, with sack and orange flower water, till they are very fine; take four pounds of eggs, leave out half the whites, and add three pounds of double refined sugar, beat and sifted through a lawn sieve, with mace, cloves, and cinnamon, of each a quarter of an ounce; three large nutmegs beat fine, a little ginger, of sack and brandy half a pint each, sweetmeats to your liking, lemon and citron; take a large broad pan, beat the butter to a cream before any of your ingredients go in, minding to beat it all one way, or it will turn to oil; put in the sugar, beat it well, and work in your almonds; let your eggs be well beat, put in, and beat all together till it looks white and thick; put in the brandy, sack, and spices, and shake your flour in by degrees; when your oven is ready, put in the currants and sweetmeats, and put into your hoop; it will take four hours baking in a quick oven.
- Note.—As you mix it for the oven, you must be mindful to keep beating it all the time with your hand; and your currants, as soon as cleaned must be put in a dish before the fire, that they may be warm when mixed. The above quantity bakes best in two hoops.
An ordinary Plumb Cake.
Take three pounds of flour, a little ale yeast, a pint of milk, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, and a little all-spice; make it into dough before you put in the plumbs, and work in as many as you please.
To make a pound Seed Cake.
Take a pound of flour, one pound of fine powder sugar, one pound of butter, eight yolks and four whites of eggs, as much carraway seeds as you like; first beat up the butter to a cream with your hands, beating it one way lest it oil; then by degrees beat in your eggs, sugar, and flour, till it goes into the oven; bake it in a quick oven, and it will take an hour and a quarter baking.
To make another Seed Cake.
Take two pounds of flour, two pounds of fresh butter rubbed well in, ten yolks and five whites of eggs, three spoonfuls of cream, and four spoonfuls of ale yeast; mix all together, put it before the fire to rise, then work in a pound of carraway comfits, and bake it in an hour and a quarter.
To make a rich Seed Cake.
Take five pounds of fine flour well dried, and four pounds of single-refined sugar beat and sifted; mix these together, and sift them through an hair sieve; then wash four pounds of butter in eight spoonfuls of rose or orange-flour water, and work the butter with your hands till it is like cream; beat twenty yolks and ten whites of eggs, and put them to six spoonfuls of sack; put in the flour, a little at a time, and keep stirring it with your hand all the time; you must not begin mixing it till the oven is almost hot, and after it is mixed let it stand some time before you put it into the hoop; when you are ready to put it into the oven, put to it eight ounces of candied orange peel sliced, with as much citron, and a pound and a half of carraway comfits; mix them well and put it into the hoop, it must be a quick oven, and two or three hours will be sufficient to bake the cake; after which you may ice it if you please.
To make little Currant and Seed Cakes.
Take two pounds of fine flour, one pound and an half of butter, the yolks of five or six eggs, one pound and an half of sugar, six spoonfuls of rose water, nine spoonfuls of sack, three spoonfuls of carraway seeds, two nutmegs, and one pound of currants; beat the butter with your hand till it is very thin, dry the flour well, put in the carraway seeds, and nutmegs finely grated; afterwards put them all into your batter, with the eggs, sack, and rose water; mingle them well together, put in the currants, let your oven be pretty hot, and as soon as they are coloured they will be enough.
To make Liquorice Cakes.
Take hysop and red-rose water, of each half a pint, half a pound of green liquorice, the outside scraped off, and then beat with a pestle; put to it half a pound of anniseeds, and steep it all night in the water; boil it with a gentle fire till the taste is well out of the liquorice; strain it, put to it three pounds of liquorice powder, and set it on a gentle fire till it is come to the thickness of cream; take it off, and put to it half a pound of white sugar-candy seered very fine; beat this well together for at least three hours, and never suffer it to stand still; as you beat it you must strew in double-refined sugar finely seered, at least three pounds; half an hour before it is finished, put in half a spoonful of gum-dragon steeped in orange-flower water; when it is very white then it is beat enough; roll it up with white sugar, and if you want it perfumed put in a pastil or two.
To make Nun's Cake.
Take four pounds of very fine flour, and mix with it three pounds of double-refined sugar, finely beat and sifted; dry them by the fire till your other materials are prepared; take four pounds of butter, beat it in your hands till it is very soft like cream, beat thirty-four eggs, leave out sixteen whites and take out the treads from all; beat the eggs and butter together, till it appears like butter, pour in four or five spoonfuls of rose or orange-flour water, and beat it again; then take your flour and sugar, with six ounces of carraway seeds; strew it in by degrees, beating it up all the while for two hours together; put in as much tincture of cinnamon or ambergris as you please; butter your hoop, and let it stand three hours in a moderate oven.
To make Saffron Cakes.
Take a quarter of a peck of fine flour, a pound and a half of butter, three ounces of carraway seeds, and six eggs; beat a quarter of an ounce of cloves and mace together very fine, a pennyworth of cinnamon, beat a pound of sugar, a pennyworth of rose water, a pennyworth of saffron, a pint and a half of yeast, and a quart of milk; mix all together lightly with your hands thus: first boil the milk and butter, scum off the butter, and mix it with the flour and a little of the milk, stir the yeast into the rest, and strain it; mix it with the flour, put in your seed, spice, rose water, tincture of saffron, sugar, and eggs; beat all up with your hands very lightly, and bake it in a hoop or pan, minding to butter the pan well; it will take an hour and a half in a quick oven, you may leave out the seed if you chuse.
To make a rich Yeast Cake.
Take a quartern and a half of fine flour, six pounds of currants, an ounce of cloves and mace, some cinnamon, two nutmegs, about a pound of sugar, some candied lemon, orange and citron cut in thin pieces, a pint of sweet wine, some orange-flower water, a pint of yeast, a quart of cream, two pounds of butter melted and put in the middle; strew some flour over it, let it stand half an hour to rise, kneed it well together, let it stand some time before the fire, work it up well, put it in a hoop, and bake it two hours and a half in a gentle oven.
To make little Queen Cakes.
Take two pounds of fine flour, a pound and a half of butter, the yolks of six eggs, one pound and a half of sugar, six spoonfuls of rose water, nine spoonfuls of sack, two nutmegs, and two pounds of currants; beat the butter with your hand till it is very thin, dry your flower well, put in the sugar and nutmegs finely grated, and put them all into your batter, with the eggs, sack and rose water: mingle them well together, put in the currants, let your oven be moderately hot, and they will be baked in a quarter of an hour; let your currants be nicely washed and cleaned.
Another Way.
Take a pound of sugar, beat it fine, pour in the yolks ad whites of two eggs, half a pound of butter, a little rose water, six spoonfuls of warm cream, a pound of currants, and as much flour as will make it up; stir them well together, and put them into your patty-pans, being well buttered; bake them in an oven, almost as hot as for bread, for half an hour; then take them out and glaze them, and let them stand but a little after the glazing is on to rise.
To make Marlborough Cakes.
Take eight eggs, yolks and whites, beat and strain them, and put them to a pound of sugar, beaten and sifted; beat these three quarters of an hour together, then put in three quarters of pound of flour well dried, and two ounces of carraway seeds; beat all well together, and bake it in broad tin pans, in a brisk oven.
To make Uxbridge Cakes.
Take a pound of wheat flour, seven pounds of currants, half a nutmeg, and four pounds of butter; rub your butter, cold, well among the meal; dress the currants well in the flour, butter, and seasoning, and knead it with as much good and new yeast as will make it into a pretty high paste; usually two-pennyworth of yeast to that quantity; after it is kneaded well together, let it stand an hour to rise. You may put half a pound of paste in a cake.
To make Pepper Cakes.
Take a gill of sack and a quarter of an ounce of whole white pepper, put it in and boil it together for a quarter of an hour, then strain out the pepper, and put in as much double-refined sugar as will make it like a paste, then drop it, in what shape you please, on a tin plate, and let it dry itself.
To make Maudling Cakes.
Take a quarter of a peck of flour well dried before the fire, add two pounds of mutton suet tried and strained clear off, and when it is a little cool mix it well with the flour, some salt, and a very little all-spice beat fine; take half a pint of good yeast, and put in half a pint of water, stir it well together, strain it, and mix up your flour into a paste of a moderate stiffness, you must add as much cold water, as will make the paste of a right order, and make it into cakes about the thickness and bigness of an oat cake; have ready some currants clean washed and picked, strew some in the middle of your cakes between the dough, so that none can be seen till the cake is broke. You may leave the currants out if you do not chuse them.
To make Carraway Cakes.
To a pound of flour add a pound of new butter without salt, eight spoonfuls of good yeast, four spoonfuls of rose water, the yolks of three new-laid eggs, carraway seeds as many as you please, four ounces of sugar, and some ambergris; knead all into a paste, make it up into what form you please, and when they come out of the oven strew on sugar.
To make Almond Cakes.
Take a pound of double-refined sugar finely seered, a quarter of a pound of the best almonds laid in cold water all night and blanched; take the white of an egg, put to it a spoonful of rosewater, and beat it to the whiteness of snow, letting it stand half an hour; beat your almonds, putting thereto a spoonful of rose water, a little at once, and the same with the egg; when the almonds are well beat, put the sugar in by degrees, taking care not to wet the paste too much whilst you roll out the cakes; you must continue beating till all be used, and when your cakes are made, lay them severally on papers with some seered sugar over them; bake them in an oven as hot as for your sugar cakes.
To make Portugal Cakes.
Put a pound of fine sugar, a pound of fresh butter, five eggs, and a little mace, beaten, into a broad pan; beat it with your hands till it is very light, and looks curdling; then put thereto a pound of flour, and half a pound of currants very dry; beat them together, fill tin pans, and bake them in a slack oven. You may make seed cakes the same way, only put in carraway-seeds instead of currants.
To make Dutch Cakes.
Take five pounds of flour, two ounces of carraway-seeds, half a pound of sugar, and something more than a pint of milk, put into it three quarter's of a pound of butter, then make a hole in the middle of the flour, and put in a pint of good ale yeast; pour in the butter and milk, and make these into a paste, letting it stand a quarter of an hour before the fire to rise; then mould and roll it into cakes pretty thin; prick them all over, or they will blister, and bake them a quarter of an hour.
To make Strawberry Cakes.
Take half pound of butter, beat it to a cream, put in half a pound of flour, one egg, six ounces of loaf sugar, beat and sifted, half an ounce of caraway seeds mixed into a paste; roll them thin, and cut them round with a small glass, or little tins; prick them, and lay them on sheets of tin, and bake them in a slow oven.
Another Way.
Take two pounds of flour, a pound of sugar finely seered, and mix them together; take out a quarter of a pound to roll them in, then take four eggs well beat, four spoonfuls of cream and two rose water; beat them well together, mix them with the flour into a paste, roll them into thin cakes, and bake them in a quick oven.
To make Banbury Cakes.
Take half a peck of fine flour, three pounds of currants, a pound and an half of butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a quarter of an ounce of cloves and mace, three quarters of a pint of ale yeast, and a little rose water; boil as much milk as will serve to knead it, and when it is almost cold, put in as much caraway seed as will thicken it; work it all together at the fire, pulling it to pieces two or three times before you make it up.
To make Whetstone Cakes.
Take half pound of fine flour, and the same quantity of loaf sugar seered, a pound of caraway seeds dried, the yolk of one egg, the whites of three, a little rose water, with ambergris dissolved in it; mix all well together, and roll it out as thin as a wafer; cut them with a glass, lay them on floured paper, and bake them in a very slow oven.
To make Bean Cakes.
Take an equal weight of fine sugar and blanched almonds cut in long narrow slices; slice some preserved orange, lemon, and citron peel; beat the white of a new laid egg, with a little orange flower water, to a high froth; put as much of the froth into sugar as will just wet it, and with the point of a knife build up your almonds, piling it round as high as you can upon a water; let some ambergris be in your sugar, and bake them after the manner of a manchet.
To make Gum Cakes.
Take gum dragon, let it lie all night in rose water till it is dissolved, have doubled refined sugar beaten and seered, and mix your gum and sugar together; make it up into a paste, then roll some up plan, and some with herbs and flowers; all the paste must be kept separately, the herbs and flowers must be beat small before you make them into paste; but you may use the juice of the flowers and herbs only; sweet marjorum, red roses, marigolds, clove gilliflowers, and blue-bottle berries, all clipped from the white; when you have made all your colours ready, have to every one a little rolling-pan and a knife, or else the colours will mix; first lay a white and then a colour, then a white again, for two colours will not do well; so roll them up, and cut them the bigness of a six-pence, but in what form you please, minding that they are rolled very thin.
To make Honeycomb Cakes.
Boil your sugar to a candy height; then put in your flowers, which must be cut; have little papers with four corners ready; drop some of your candy on the papers, take them off when ready, and if they are rightly done they will look full of holes like honeycombs.
To make Lemon Cakes.
Take the best coloured lemons, scrape out the blacks, and grate off the peel clean: put the peel into a strainer, wet what sugar you think will serve, and boil it to a candy height; then take it off and put in the lemon peel; when it boils, take it off, squeeze in a little lemon juice, and drop them on buttered plates or papers; you may put in musk or ambergris if you please.
To make Lemon, Orange, and Flower Cakes.
Take sugar finely seered, and wet it with the juice of orange, or any flowers you fancy; there must be no more juice than will make your paste stiff and thick; set it upon the fire, when it begins to boil; drop it in little cakes, and they will come off presently; scurvygrass done thus is good against the scurvy; if it boils you will spoil it.
To make Violet Cakes.
Beat your sugar, wherein gum hath been steeped, put in the violets and the juice, and so work it well together with seered sugar, and dry them in a stove.
To make Wormwood Cakes.
Take one pound of double refined sugar sifted, mix it with three or four eggs well beat, and drop in as much chemical oil of wormwood as you please, drop them on papers; you may have them of various colours, by pricking them with a pin and filling the holes with the colour; the colours must be kept separate in small gallipots; for red, take a drachm of cochineal, some cream of tartar, and as much alum; tie them up severally in little bits of fine cloth, and put them to steep in a glass of water two or three hours; when you want the colours, press the bags in the water, and mix some of it in a little white of egg and sugar; saffron for the yellow, prepared as the red; for green mix blue with the saffron; for blue, put powder blue in water.
To make a Pound Cake.
Take a pound of butter, beat it in an earthen pan with your hand one way, till it is like a thick cream; then have ready twelve eggs, but half the whites; beat them well, and beat them up with the butter, a pound of flour beat in it, a pound of sugar, and a few caraways; beat it all well together for an hour with your hand, or a great wooden spoon; butter a pan and put it in, and then bake it an hour in a quick oven. For change, you may put in a pound of currants, clean washed and picked.
To make Butter Cakes.
Take a dish of butter and beat it with your hands till it is like cream, two pounds of fine sugar beat and sifted, three pounds of flour well dried, and mix the butter with twenty-four eggs, leave out half the whites, and then beat all together for one hour; when you are going to put it into the oven, add a quarter of an ounce of mace and a nutmeg beaten; a little sack and brandy, and seeds or currants, as you please.
To make Rice Cakes.
Take the yolks of sixteen eggs and beat them half an hour with a whisk, put to them three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar beat and sifted fine, and beat it well into the eggs; put in half a pound of the rice, a little orange flower water and brandy, and the rinds of two lemons grated; then beat seven whites with a whisk for an hour, and beat all together for a quarter of an hour, then put them in small hoops, and bake them half an hour in a quick oven.
To make Prussian Cakes.
Dry half a pound of fine flour well, a pound of fine sugar beaten and sifted, seven eggs, and beat the whites and yolks separately, the peels of two lemons grated fine, and the juice of one and an half, and a pound of almonds beat fine with rose water; as soon as the whites are beat to a froth put in the yolks, and everything else, except the flour, and beat them together for half an hour; beat in the flour just before you put it into the oven.
To make Bath Cakes.
Take half a pound of butter, and rub it into a pound of flour; add one spoonful of good yeast, warm some cream, and make it a light paste, and set it to the fire to rise; when you make them up, take four ounces of caraway comfits, work part of them in, and stew the rest on the top; form them into round cakes, about the size of a French roll, bake them on sheet tins, and send them in hot for breakfast.
To make Gingerbread Cakes.
Rub one pound of butter into three pounds of flour, one pound of sugar, two ounces of ginger beat fine and sifted, and a large nutmeg grated; then take a pound of treacle, a gill of cream, warm them together, and make up the bread stiff, roll it out, and form it into thin cakes, or cut it round with tea-cup or glass, or make it into nuts, of any form or shape you please; put it on oven plates, and bake it in a slack oven.
To make Cakes of Flowers.
Boil double refined sugar to a candy height, and strew in your flowers and let them boil once up; then with your hand lightly strew in a little double refined sugar sifted, and put it directly into little pans made of card, and pricked full of holes at the bottom; you must set the parts on a cushion, and when they are cold take them out.
To make a Cake, leaving out either Eggs, Sugar, or Butter.
Make your cake as you do the pound cake, leave out either the sugar, eggs, or butter; but then you must add thick cream instead of the butter; any of the three left out, the cake will be good.
To make Quince Cakes.
Take a pint of syrup of quinces and two quarts of raspberries picked, bruised, and rubbed through a coarse sieve, boil and clarify them together over a gentle fire, and as often as the scum rises skim it off; then add a pound and an half of sugar beat and sifted, and as much more boiled to a candy height, and pour it in hot; boil all up together, take it off the fire, keep it stirring till it is neatly cold; then spread it on plates, and cut it out in cakes of what shape you like, and dry them in a stove.
To make Savory Cakes.
Take an equal weight of eggs and sugar; separate the yolks and whites; put the sugar to the yolks and whites; put the sugar to the yolks, with some lemon peel finely chopped, powder of orange flowers, or a spoonful of the water; beat up this well together, and also the whites, which mix with the yolks, stirring continually, and half as much weight of flour as of eggs; pour it in the vessel it is to be baked in, well rubbed with butter; bake it in a soaking oven about an hour and an half; if it is of a good colour, you may serve it without garnishing, if not, as it may be too brown, or too pale it with white sugar.
To make Sugar Cakes.
Take three pounds of fine flour, dried well and sifted, add two pounds of loaf sugar beaten and sifted; put in the yolks of four eggs, a little mace, a quarter of a pint of rose water, and, if you chuse, musk or ambergris may be dissolved in your sugar; mix all together, make it up to roll out, then bake them in a quick oven, and sift some sugar on them.
To make Cream Cakes
Sift some double refined sugar, beat the whites of seven or eight egg, shake in as many spoonfuls of the sugar, grate in the rind of a large lemon, drop the froth on a paper, laid on tin, in lumps, at a distance, sift a good deal of sugar over them, set them in a middling oven, the froth will rise, just colour them; you may put raspberry jam, and clap two bottoms together; set them in a cool oven to dry.
To make a Fashion Cake.
Mix a handful of flour with a pint of good cream, half a pound of beef suet, melted and sifted, a quarter of a pound of sugar powder, half a pound of raisins stoned and chopped, dried flowers of orange, a glass of brandy, a little coriander and salt; bake it as all other cakes, about an hour, and glaze or garnish it.
To make Puff Cakes.
Make some fine puff paste, roll it as thin as a crown piece, take a dish of the bigness of the cake you design to make, and place the same over the pate, which cut round; then put it on a sheet of paper, or a tin plate; make another round piece of paste in the same manner, cutting it in what figures you please; fill the first abbess either with a marmalade of apricots, or apples, or with a cream of pistachios, and cover it with your abbess cut out into figures; then bake your cake, and when done strew some fine sugar over it, and glaze it with a red hot fire shovel; put it in a dish, and serve it up either hot or cold; if it is filed with cream, serve it up always hot.
To make Sword Knots.
Make a second-best paste, and roll it very thin; cut it in thongs like ribbons, some with a knife, and some with a dented paste cutter, to make the scollop; fold them like a sword knot; wet the paste with eggs, where it should join together; bake them on a baking plate; and when ready to serve, garnish with currant jelly, apricot marmalade, frothed cream, or any thing else.
To make Lisbon Cake.
In order to make this cake, get four or five pounds of fine flour, make a good puff paste, and roll it as thin as a half-crown piece; then put over it a dish of the bigness of the cake you design to make, cut your paste round it, and put it upon a sheet of paper; cut out in the same manner seven or eight abbesses more, cutting one of them into several figures, to be placed on the top of your cake; let them be baked separately, then glaze the abbess cut out into figures, and make your cake as follows: put over one of these abbesses a laying of apricot marmalade; over this another abbess with a laying of currant jelly; then another abbess over the last with gooseberry jelly; continue after the same manner to place the rest of your abbesses, putting between them your several layings of preserved raspberries, apple jelly, &c. place on the top your figured and glazed abbess, so that the rest may not be seen: the cake must be glazed with a white, green, and cochineal colour glaze, that it may appear no more than one abbess. Make the glaze thus: beat together in an earthen vessel with a wooden spoon about a pound of powder sugar, the white of two eggs, and the juice of half a lemon; if this mixture proves to be thin, put some more sugar in it; then divide this composition into three parts; in the first put nothing, but leave it white as it is; in the second, put a little cochineal, to make it red; and the third green, with some juice of spinach; glaze the cake from top to bottom, first with a streak of the white composition, then with a streak of the red, and afterwards with a streak of the green; following the same order till your cake is entirely glazed; dry the icing, by putting the cake for a little while in a warm oven, or before the fire, turning it round pretty often; then lay it on a dish and serve it up; it may be made as small or as large as you please.
To make a Cake in the Form of a Snail.
Get some puff paste and cream made after the same manner as has been before directed; it may be made either white or green; spread your paste the length of one or two yards, of the breadth of four or six fingers, and about the thickness of two crown pieces; put your cream in the middle of the whole length of it, and close the paste so that your cream may not run out, and make it in the shape of a sausage; then put it on paper well buttered, turning it round to imitate the form of a small, and rub it with beaten eggs; bake it in a moderate oven, and glaze it.
To make white Loaves.
Take double refined sugar, a little musk, and ambergris, wet them with the white of an egg, beaten to a froth, to the thickness of a paste; when beaten and tempered well together with a wooden spoon, take as much as a filbert, made up and cut round the middle like a loaf; put them in the oven upon papers, taking care it be not too hot, for they must be perfectly white, only a little coloured at the bottom of the sugar; the longer they are beaten with the back of the spoon the better.
To make common Biscuits.
Beat up six eggs, with a spoonful of rose water, and a spoonful of sack; then add a pound of fine powdered sugar, and a pound of flour; mix these into the eggs by degrees, with an ounce of coriander seeds; shape them on white thin paper or tin moulds, in any form you please. Beat the white of an egg, and with a feather rub it over, and dust some fine sugar over them. Set them in an oven moderately heated, till they rise and come to a good colour; and if you have no stove to dry them in, put them into the oven at night, and let them stand till morning.
To make Ratifia Biscuits.
Take four ounces of bitter almonds, blanch and beat them as fine as you can; in beating them, put in the whites of four eggs, one at a time, and mix it up with sifted sugar to a light paste; roll the cakes, and lay them on wafer paper, or tin plates; make the paste so light as to take it up with a spoon; then bake them in a quick oven.
To make Sugar Biscuits, a Cheap Way.
Take one pound of fine flour, one pound of powder sugar, a few almonds blanches and pounded; mix these with six spoonfuls of rose water, and the yolks and whites of eight eggs beat a full flour; when well mixed, put it into small tin pans of various forms, and bake them only with the heat of the oven after the batch is drawn, and stop the oven very close
To make Savoy Biscuits.
Take eight eggs, separate the whites from the yolks, and beat the whites till they are very high; then put your yolks in with a pound of sugar, beat this for a quarter of an hour, and when the oven is ready,put in one pound of fine flour, and stir it till it is well mixed; lay the biscuits upon the paper and ice cream, only taking care the oven is hot enough to bake them speedily.
Another Way.
Take twelve eggs, leave out half the whites, beat them up with a small whisk, put in two or three spoonfuls of rose or orange flower water, and, as your beat it up, strew in a pound of double refined sugar well beat and finely sifted; when the eggs and sugar are as thick and white as cream, take pound and two ounces of the finest flour that is dried, and mix with it; then lay it in long cakes, and bake them in a cool oven.
To make Naples Biscuits.
Put three quarters of a pound of very fine flour to a pound of fine sugar sifted; sift it three times, then add six eggs well beat, and a spoonful or rose water; when the oven is almost hot, make them, but take care that they are made up too wet.
To make Sponge Biscuits.
Beat the yolks of twelve eggs for half an hour, then put in a pound and an half of fine sugar beat and sifted, whisk it well till you see it rise in bubbles, them beat the whites to a strong froth, and whisk them well with the sugar and yolks; beat in a pound of flour, with the rind of two lemons grated, butter your tin mould, put them in, and sift fine powder sugar over them; put them in a hot oven, but do not stop the mouth of it at first; they will take half an hour baking.
To make Spanish Biscuits.
Beat the yolk of eight eggs for half an hour, then beat in eight spoonfuls of fine sugar, beat the whites to a strong froth, then beat them well with your yolks and sugar for half an hour; put in four spoonfuls of fines flour, and a little lemon peel grated; bake them on papers in a moderate oven.
To make Drop Biscuits.
Beat the yolks of ten eggs, and the whites of six, with one spoonful of rosewater, half an hour, then put in then ounces of loaf sugar beat and sifted; whisk them well for half an hour, then add one ounce of caraway seeds crushed a little, and six ounces of fine flours; whisk in your flour gently, drop them on wafer papers, and bake them in a moderate oven.
To make French Biscuits.
Having a pair of clean scales ready, in one scale put three new laid eggs; in the other scale as much dried flour as is equal in weight with the eggs; take out the flour, and as much fine powdered sugar; first beat the whites of the eggs up well with the whisk, till they are of a fine froth; put in half an ounce of candied lemon peel cut very thin and fine, and beat well; slip in the yolks, and with a spoon temper it well together; shape your biscuits on fine white paper with a spoon, and throw powdered sugar over them; bake them in a moderate oven, bot to hot, giving them a fine colour on the top; when they are baked, with a fine knife cut them off from the paper, and lay them in boxes for use.
To make Lemon Biscuits.
Take the whites of four eggs, and yolks of ten, beat them a quarter of an hour with four spoonfuls of orange flower water; add to it one pound of loaf sugar beaten and sifted; heat them an hour longer, stir in half a pound of dry flour, and the peel of a lemon grated off; butter the pan, seer some sugar over them as you put them into the oven, and when they are risen, take them out and lay them on a clean cloth; when the oven is cool put them in again on sieves, and let them stand till they are dry and will snap in breaking.
To make hard Biscuits.
Take half a peck of fine flour, one ounce of caraway seeds, the whites of two eggs, a quarter of a pint of ale yeast, and as much warm water as will make it into a stiff paste; form it into long rolls, bake them an hour, and the next day pare them round; then slice them into pieces about half an inch thick, dry them in the oven, draw and turn them and dry the other side, and they will keep a whole year.
To make iced Biscuits, the French Way.
Take the whites of eight, and the yolks of six eggs, put to them one pound of loaf sugar beat and seered, and beat them two hours; have ready fourteen ounces of fine flour double beat; sifted, and well dried in an oven coals; when the oven is swept and your plates buttered, put in the flour as fast as you can mingle them together, and lay them upon the plates, putting a little musk and ambergris, finely beat, into them; you must be very quick after the flour is in, and set them in a quick oven; this will make twenty large ones, laying one spoonful out for each.
To make Orange Biscuits.
Take your oranges and water them two days, boil them tender, shift the water they are boiled in, and put them to another that is hot; when they are tender take them up, and put them in a cloth to dry, minding the meat be taken out of the oranges; then take their weight and half of double refined sugar, finely beaten; let your oranges be beat in a stone mortar, strew the sugar on them as they are beating, and when the pulp is very small, and the sugar taken up with beating, then take it out and lay it on glasses like your paste, minding to be quick in laying it out, for fear it should grow rough and dry too fast; in a stove or dry; beat the pulp of your oranges very small, or else they will look rough, dark, tough, and harsh.
To make Anniseed Biscuits.
To every twelve pounds of dough put twenty ounces of butter, a pound of sugar, two ounces of anniseeds, with a little rose water, and what spice you think fit, and bake it in a moderate oven.
To make Nuns' Biscuits.
Take the whites of six eggs, and beat them to a froth, take also half a pound of almonds, blanch and beat them with the froth of the whites of your eggs as it rises; then take the yolks, with a pound of fine sugar; beat these well together and mix your almonds with the eggs and sugar; put in a quarter of a pound of flour, with the peel of two lemons grated, and some citron finely shred; bake them in little cake pans in a quick oven, and when they are coloured, turn them on tins to harden the bottoms; but before you set them in the oven again, strew some double refined sugar on them finely sifted; remember to butter your pans, and fill them but half full.
To make Black Caps of Apples.
Pare them, lay them in your pan, strew a few cloves over them, a little lemon peel cut very small, and two or three blades of cinnamon, with some coarse sugar; cover the pan with brown paper, set them in an oven with the bread, and let them stand till the oven is cold.
To make Chocolate Almonds.
Take a pound of chocolate, finely grated, and a pound and an half of the best sugar, finely sifted; soak some gum dragon in orange flower water, and work them into what form you please; the paste must be stiff; dry them in a stove. You may write devices on paper, roll them up, and put them in the middle.
To make Wafers.
Take a pound of fine flour, and eight eggs,beat them well together; put in a penny loaf grated, one nutmeg, two glasses of sack, a spoonful of yeast, better than half a pound of melted butter, and as much milk as will make it a thick batter; let it stand three or four hours to rise; they must be well beaten, and when you have rolled them out thin, put them into any shape, and bake them.
Another Way.
Dry the flour very well, either in a silver or pewter bason, on a charcoal fire; stir it often that it may not burn, and when cold sift it through a hair sieve; then make a thin batter with cream, a little water, sack, cinnamon, and mace beaten and sifted, with double refined sugar; mix and beat all well together, and when your irons are clean and very hot, rub them with a little butter an a clean rag, then put them on and turn the irons, first one way and then another, till you think they are brown, which will be in a short time; take them off the irons, and roll them about your fingers or a stick, and keep them in a tin pot near the fire; you must make them over a quick charcoal fire, or else they will not come off the irons whole.
To make Sugar Wafers.
Sift some fine sugar, put about two spoonfuls at a time in a small silver porringer or silver ladle; wet it with juice of lemon till it be a little thin; put in two drops of sack, with what perfume you like, throw it over a very slow fire; when a thin white skin rises, stir it, and drop it on square papers as broad as your hand: if you make coloured ones, mix the colours as you do lemons, and make them as thin as you can, which you must do by turning your papers up and down; make it run, and spread it with your fingers; about two spoonfuls will make three or four wafers; they do best upon thin papers, that you may turn them round, and work them together as is used to be done for sugar; place and pin them up at one corner, in a warm place, till they are dry: it must not be in too hot a place when it comes off.
To make Bean or Almond Bread.
Take a pound of pure white almonds, and blanch them in cold water, taking care you pare not the almonds; take a pound of double refined sugar, beat and sifted;then do your almonds, and slice them the round way; as you cut them strew on sugar; be sure you have sugar to the last, and always stir them, for if they cleave to each other they will not be good; they must be put in an earthen bason; put in a small spoonful of caraway seeds, mingle these well together, and add a little gum-dragon dissolved in rose water and strained, put in also three grains of musk and ambergris, dissolved in fine sugar, and the froth of two eggs beaten with rose water; make your froth as light as you can, and put in two spoonfuls of fine flour; when these are well mixed, lay them on wafers as broad as macaroons, and the thickness of two flat almonds; open them with a knife or bodkin, lest two or three pieces stick together; lay them as hollow and low as you can to make them appear in the best manner, and the quicker you lay them out the more hollow they will be; put them in a well heated oven, minding they do not scorch, which will destroy their beauty; when they are half baked take them out, wash them with the white of an egg, scrape a little sugar over them, and let the egg be beaten to a froth, but let not your sugar be too gross; set them into the oven about half an hour, then you may take them out, and when cold put them up.
- Note.—You may lay out bean bread upon whole sheets of wafers, and cut round to their size; the quantity being, one pound of sugar, one pound of almonds, six sheets of wafers, and one pennyworth of gum-dragon. You may leave out either the musk or ambergris, if you please.
To make Tumbles of Almonds.
Take three ounces of almonds, blanch and cover them with a cloth from the air, beat them in a stone mortar very fine, and, as you beat them, drop in a little gum-dragon laid in a sack, to keep them from oiling; when they are almost beaten enough, take the white of an egg beaten to froth, one pound of double refined sugar finely beaten, and put it in by degrees, working it with your hands till it is all in a paste; roll it out and bake it upon buttered plates, and set them in an hot oven.
To make Jumbles.
Take a pound of fine flour and half a pound of sugar beaten and seered, rub in a piece of butter the bigness of an egg, a little mace finely shred, the yolks of four eggs, and the whites of three of them; beat them with rose water and few caraway seeds, make it up in paste, with cream, in what shape you please, and bake them: one pound of sugar and ten eggs make them extremely rich.
To make Lady Leicester's hollow Gumballs.
Take the white of three eggs, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, and the peel grated in; with a whisk beat it up to a froth, have ready half a pound of double refined sugar finely sifted, take off the froth as it rises, and put it into the sugar till it be wet and thick like paste, roll it into what form you please, lay them upon paper, and put them in a moderate hot oven.
To make Apricot Jumbles.
Take apricots, pare and slice them into a clean dish, set them on the fire, and with a wooden spoon bruise them so that the pulp may be small; dry them on the coals, stirring till they are dry and tough; lay them out in glasses in a stove, for two or three days, cut them out in long pieces and roll them into rounds and shapes like tumbles; they must be rolled in double refined sugar, and then dry them well in a stove.
To make Orange Tumbles.
Take four oranges, let the peels be large, with thick rinds; take out all the meat, and boil them in three several waters till they are tender, and the bitterness out of them; then squeeze them hard, dry them in a coarse cloth, beat them in a stone mortar till they are come to a pulp; then take as much double refined sugar, seered, as will work into paste, and roll it into what shape you think proper.
To make Sugar Puffs.
Take the whites of ten eggs and beat them till they use to a high froth; put it in a stone mortar, or wooden bowl, and add as much double refined sugar as will make it thick; put in some ambergris to give it a taste, and rub it round the mortar for half an hour; put in a few caraway seeds, take a sheet of wafers and lay it on as broad as a six-pence and as high as you can; put them in a moderate hot oven seven or eight minutes, and they will look as white as snow.
To make seed Puffs.
Take gum-dragon and steep it in rose water; some double refined sugar, seer and wet it with some gum as stiff as paste; work it with a spoon till it becomes white, roll it out upon white paper very thin, and cut it out in shapes with a jigging-iron, and bake it in an oven, taking care not to scorch it.
To make Tumblets.
Take of fine sugar and flour one pound each, eight eggs, with their white taken out, and beat the yolks with two spoonfuls of rose water; take the quantity of a walnut of butter, which, along with the eggs, put to half the quantity of sugar and flour, and mingle in the other half gradually. Some make tumblets thus: take a pound of sugar, and mix it to the white of an egg well beaten; put to it a little grated lemon peel, making it in little balls; put them upon round papers, and do them in a pan over the fire till they are enough.
To make Macaroons.
Take a pound of almonds, scald and blanch them, and throw them into cold water; dry them in a cloth, pound them in a mortar, and moisten them with orange flower water, or the white of an egg, lest they turn to oil; afterwards take an equal quantity of white powder sugar, the whites of four eggs, and a little milk; beat all well together, shape them round upon wafer-paper with a spoon, and bake them in a gentle oven on tin plates.
Another Way.
Take a quarter of a pound of almonds blanched, and there ounces of sugar seered, beat these together, with a little of the white of an egg and rose water, till it is thicker than batter; then drop it on wafer-paper and bake it.
To make brown Almond-Gingerbread.
Take a quarter of a pound of blanched almonds, beat exceeding fine with water wherein gum-arabic has been steeped, with a few drops of lemon juice, as much cinnamon beat, and some ginger finely grated and seered, as to make it brown; make it sweet, and smooth it well, roll it out, and cut it in square cakes rolled very thin; dry it in a stove or before the fire.
Another Way.
Take three pounds of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter rubbed in very fine, with two ounces of ginger, and a grated nutmeg; mix these with a pound of treacle and a quarter of a pint of cream warmed together; then make your bread stiff, roll them out, and make them in thin cakes, and bake them in a stove or oven.
To make Gingerbread.
Take a pound and an half of London treacle, two eggs beat, half a pound of brown sugar, one ounce of ginger beat and sifted, of cloves, mace, and nutmeg; all together, half an ounce; of very fine coriander and caraway seeds, half an ounce each; two pounds of butter melted, and mixed together; add as much flour as will knead it into a very stiff paste, and roll it out; cut it into what form your please, bake it in a quick oven on tin plates, and a little time will be sufficient.
Another Way.
Take three pounds of fine flour, the rind of a lemon dried and beat to powder, half a pound or more of sugar, and an ounce and an half of beat ginger; mix all these together, and make it stiff by adding and working in treacle; make it into what form you please; you may put candied orange peel and citron in it; butter the paper is baked on, and bake it hard and firm.
To make Whigs.
Take a pound of butter cut in slices and put it into a pint of milk, set it on the fire till it is melted, and take a quarter of a peck of flour, with some cloves, mace and ginger; then beat four eggs, a quarter of a pint of good yeast, and three or four spoonfuls of sack; when the milk is as warm as though just come from the cow, mix all together to a paste, and let it lie half an hour to rise; then put to it a pound of caraway comfits, mould them into whigs, and bake them on papers; the oven must be very hot, and they will take a considerable time in baking.
To make light Whigs.
Take a pound and an half of flour, and mix it with a pint of milk made warm; cover it, and let it lie by the fire half an hour; then take half a pound of sugar and half a pound of butter, work them in the paste, and make it into whigs with as little flour as possible, and if the oven is quick they will rise very much.
To make Chocolate Puffs.
Take half a pound of chocolate grated, and a pound of double refined sugar beat fine and sifted; with the whites of two eggs make a paste, and have ready some more sugar to strew on the tins; turn the rough side upwards, and bake them in a slow oven; you may form the paste into any shape, and colour it with different colours.
To make Black Caps, the best Way.
Take a dozen and a half of very large French pippins, or golden rennets, cut them in half and lay them as close to each other as you can, press the juice of a lemon into two spoonfuls of orange flower water, and mix them, altogether; shred some lemon peel into it, and grate some double refined sugar over it; put them into a quick oven, and half an hour's baking will be sufficient.