For crisp and ragged Comfits make your decoction so high, as that it may run from the Ladle, and let it fall a foot high or more from the Ladle, and the hotter you cast on your sugar, the more ragged will your Comfits be; also the Comfits will not take so much of the sugar, as upon a light decoction, and they will keep their raggedness long; this high decoction must serve for eight or ten Coats, and put on at every time but one Ladle full.
A quarter of a pound of Coriander seeds, and three pounds of sugar, will serve for very great Comfits.
See that you keep your Sugar in the Basin always in good temper, that it burn not in Lumps, and if at any time it be too high boiled, put in a spoonful or two of water, and keep it warily with your Ladle, and let your fire be always very clear, when your Comfits be made, set them in Dishes upon Paper in the Sun or before the Fire, or in the Oven after Bread is drawn, for the space of one hour or two, and that will make them look very white.
257. [Transcriber’s note: so numbered in original] To make a fine Cullis or Jelly.
Take a red Cock, scald, wash, and dress him clean, seeth it in white Wine or Rhenish Wine, and scum it clean, put in a Pint of thick cream to it, then put in whole Spices, Sugar and Rosewater, and boil them together.
258. A white Jelly with Almonds.
Take Rosewater and Gum Dragon first steeped, or Isinglass dissolved, and some Cinamon whole, seeth these together, then take one pound of Almond blanched and beaten with Rosewater, then put them in and seeth them with the rest, stir them always, and when it is enough, sweeten it to your taste, and when it is cold eat it.
259. To make sweet Cakes without Sugar.
Wash some Parsnep roots, scrape them and slice them very thin dry them in a Dish in an Oven, and beat them to a Powder, mix them with an equal quantity of fine Flower, mix them with Cream, beaten Spice and Salt, and so make them and bake them.
260. To keep Roses or Gilliflowers very long.
Take them when they are very fresh, and in the bud, and gathered very dry, dip them in the whites of Eggs well beaten, and presently strew thereon searced sugar, and put them up in luted Pots, and set them in a cool place, in sand or gravel, and with a Filip of your finger at any time you may strike off the coat, and you will have the Flower fresh and fair.
261. How to keep Walnuts long fresh and good.
Make a lay of the dry stampings of Crabs when the Verjuice is pressed forth, then a Lay of Walnuts, and then Crabs again, till all be in, then cover the Vessel very well, and when you eat them, they will be as though they were new gathered.
262. To pickle Quinces.
Put them into a Vessel, and fill up the Vessel with small Ale, or white Wine Lees, which is better, and cover your Vessel well that no Air get in.