Closet For Ladies: Part 2 Candying

Welcome to Celtnet's Closet for Ladies and Modern Redaction Recipes, section 2: Candying — This is the first section of the 1608 volume, Closet for Ladies. Here you will find recipes for 'Candying'. I have used a special font to present the recipes in as close a form to the original as possibleas well as side-by-side updates of the text to modern English orthography. I am also working on providing modern redactions for each and every recipe presented here. Enjoy...

These pages have been written to be as close to the font styles of the late 16th and early 17th century original as possible, within the limitations of HTML. As a result, the long-s symbol 'ſ' has been used in the text wherever it features in the original, as well as overbars and other symbols to represent abbreviations and the ligatures that link the c–t characters.

You will encounter many unfamiliar culinary terms and usages in this work. Where the recipe has been redacted into modern form, these are either defined in the redaction or a link to a definition is given. However, may of the terms can also be found by browsing or searching the glossary of cooking and food terms pages on this site.

The text presented here is derived directly from the original manuscript, rendered in a late Elizabethan style font. The font is embedded in this page to ensure, as far as possible, that the text renders correctly for you.

A Closet for Ladies: Section 2: Candying

To make Manus Chriſti. TAke halfe a pound of refined Suger, and ſome Roſe water, and boyle them together, till it come to ſuger againe, then ſtirre it about while it be ſomewhat cold, then take your leafe gould, and mingle with it, then caſt it according to art, That is, in round gobbets, and ſo keepe them. 1. To make Manus Christi*. Take half a pound of refined sugar and some rose water, and boil them together till it come to sugar again, then stir it about while it cools slighty, then take your gold leaf and mingle with it, then cast it according to art: that is, in round gobbets, and so keep them. To Candy Ginger. TAke very faire and large Ginger, and pare it, and then lay it in water a day and a night, then take your double refined ſuger, and boyle it to the height of Suger againe, then when your ſuger beginneth to bee cold, take your Ginger, and ſtirre it well about while your ſuger is hard to the panne, then take it out race by race, and lay it by the fier for foure howers, then take a pot and warme it, and put the Ginger in it, then tye it very cloſe, & euery ſecond morning ſtirre it about roundly, and it will be rocke Candied in a very ſhort ſpace. 2. To Candy Ginger. Take very fine and large ginger and pare it, and then lay it in water a day and a night, then take your double refined sugar, and boil it to the height of sugar again, when your sugar begins to be cold, take your ginger, and stir it well about while your sugar is hard to the pan, then take it out race by race, and lay it by the fire for four hours, then take a pot and warm it, and put the ginger in it, then cover it securely, and every second morning stir it about well, and it will be rock candied in a very shotr space [of time]. To Candy Roſe leaues as naturally as if they grew vpon the Tree. TAke of the fayreſt Roſe leaues, red or dammaske, and on a Sun-ſhine day ſprinkle them with Roſe water, and lay them one by one vpon faire paper, then take ſome double refined ſuger, and beat it very fine, and put it in a fine lawne ſearce, when you haue layd abroad all the Roſe leaues in the hotteſt of the ſunne, ſearce ſuger thinly all ouer them, then anon the Sun will candy the ſuger, then turne the leaues, and ſearce ſuger on the other ſide, and turne them often in the Sun, ſometimes ſprinkling Roſe water, & ſome times ſearſing ſuger on them, vntill they be ynough, and come to your liking: and being thus done, you may keepe them. 3. To Candy Rose petals as naturally as if they grew upon the Tree. Take the fairest rose petals, red or damask, on a sunny day. Sprinkle them with rose water, and lay them one by one upon fiar paper, then take some double-refined sugar, and beat it very fine, and put it in a fine lawn sieve. When you have spread out all the rose petals in the hottest of the sun, sift the sugar thinly all over them, then soon the sun will candy the sugar. Then turn the leaves, and sift the sugar on the other side, and turn them often in the sun, sometimes sprinkling rose water, and some times sifting sugar over them, until they are done sufficiently and are brought to your likin. And being thus done, you may keep them. To Candy Marigolds in wedges the Spanish faſhion. TAke of the faire yealow Marigold flowers, two ounces, and ſhred them, and dry them before the fire, then take foure ounces of ſuger, and boyle it to the height of Manus Chriſti, then poure it vpon a wet Pieplate, and betwixt hot and cold, cut it into wedges, then lay them on a ſheete of white paper, and put them in a ſtone. 4. To Candy Marigolds in wedges the Spanish fashion. Take two ounces of fair yellow Marigold petals, and shred them, and dry them before the fire, then take four ounces of sugar, and boil it to the height of Manus Christi*, then poure it upon a wet pie plate and [when] between hot and cold, cut it into wedges, then lay them on a sheet of white paper and put them in a stove* [to dry]. To Candy all manner of flowers in their naturall colours. TAke the flowers with the ſtaulkes, and waſh them ouer with a little Roſe water, wherein Gum-arabecke is diſſolued, then take fine ſearsed ſuger, and dust ouer them, and ſet them a drying on the bottome of a ſiue in an ouen, and they will gliſter as if it were Suger-candy. 5. To Candy all manner of flowers in their natural colours. Take the flowers with the stalks and wsh them over with a little rose water in which Gum Arabic has been dissolved, then take finely-sifted sugar, and dust over them, and set them to dry in the bottom of a sive in an oven, and they will glisten as if it were sugar candy. To Candy all ſorts of flowers, fruits, and ſpices, the cleare rocke Candy. TAke two pound of Barbarie Suger, great grained, clarified with the whites of two egges, and boyle it almoſt as hie as for Mantus Chriſti, thē put it into a Pipkin, That is, not very rough, then put in your flowers, fruits and ſpices, and ſo put your Pipkin into a ſtill, and make a ſmall fire of ſmall coales vnder it, and in the ſpace of twelue dayes, it will be rocke candied. 6. To Candy all sorts of flowers, fruit, and spices, the clear rock Candy. Take two pounds of barbary sugar, large-grained, clarified wit hthe whites of two eggs, and boil it almost as high as for Manus Christi*, then put it into a Pipkin, that is, not very rough, then put in your flowers, fruit and spices, and so pot your pipkin* into a still, and make a small fire of small coals under it, and in the space of twelve days, it will be rock candied. To Candie Eringus rootes. TAke your Eringus ready to be preſerued, and weigh them, and to euery pound of your rootes, you muſt take of the pureſt ſuger you can get, two pound, and clarifie it with the whites of egges exceeding well, that it may be as cleere as Chriſtall: for then it will be very commendable: it being clarified, you muſt boyle it to the height of Manus Chriſti, & then dippe in your rootes, two or three at once, till they be all candied, and ſo put them in a Stow, and keepe them all the yeare. 7. To Candy Eringo* roots. Take your eringo ready to be preserved, and weigh them, and to every pound of your roots, you must take two pounds of the purest sugar you can get, and clarify it with the whites of eggs exceedingly well, that it may be as clear as crystal: for then it will be very commendable; it being clarified, you must boil it to the height of Manus Christi*, and then dip in your roots, two or three at once, till they be all candied, and so put them in a stove, and keep them all the year. To Candie Elecampane. TAke of your faireſt Enula Campana rootes, and take them cleane from the Syrupe, and waſh the ſuger off them, and drye them againe with a linnen cloth, then weigh them, and to euery pound of rootes you muſt take a pound and three quarters of ſuger, and clarifie it well, and boyle it to the height of Manus Chriſti, and when it is ſo boyled, dippe in your rootes, three or foure at once, and they will candie very well, and ſo ſtone them, and keepe them all the yeare. 8. To Candy Elcampane [roots]. Take your fairest elcampane roots and take them clean from the syrp and wash the sugar off them, and dry them again with a linned cloth, then weigh them and to every pound of roots you must take a pound and three quarters of sugar, and clarify it well, and boil it to the height of Manus Christi* and when it is boiled, dip in your roots, three or four at onece, and they will candy very well, and so stove them, and keep them all the year. To Candy Violet flowers. TAke of your Violet flowers which are good and new, and wel coloured, and weigh them, to euery ounce of your Violet flowers, you muſt take foure ounces of refined ſuger, which is very white and faire grained, and diſſolue it in two ounces of faire running water, and ſo boyle it til it come to ſuger againe, but you must ſcum it often, leaſt it be not cleare ynough, and when it is boyled to ſuger againe, then take it off, and let it coole, and then put in your Violet flowers, ſtirring them together till the ſuger grow hard to the pan: this done, put them into a boxe, and keepe them in a ſtoaue. 9. To Candy Violet flowers. Take those violet flowers that are god and new and well coloured, and weigh them, and to every ounce of your violet flowers you must take four ounces of refined sugar, which is very white and fair-grained, and dissolve it in two ounces of fair running water, nad so boil it till it comes to sugar again, but you must scum it often, least it not be clear enough and when it is boiled to sugar agian, then take it off, and let it cool, and then put in your violet flowers, stirring them together till the sugar grows hard to the pan. This done, put them into a box and keep them in a stove. To Candy Goos-berries. TAke of your faireſt Berries, but they muſt not bee two ripe, for then they will not bee ſo good, and with a linnen cloth wipe them verie cleane, and picke off all the ſtaulkes from them, and weigh them, and to euery ounce of Berries, you muſt take two ounces of ſuger, and halfe an ounce of Sugercandy, and diſſolue them in an ounce or two of Roſe water, & ſo boyle them vp to the height of Manus Chriſti, and when it is come to his perfect height, let it coole and put in your Berries, for if you put them in hot, they will ſhrinke, and ſo ſtirre them round with a wooden ſpatter, till they bee candied: and thus put them vp and keepe them. 10. To Candy Gooseberries. Take the fairest berries, but they must not be too ripe, for then they will not be so good, and with a linnen cloth wipe them very clean and pick off all the stalks from them, and weigh them, and to every ounce of berries you must take two ounces of sugar and half an ounce of sugar-candy and dissolve them in an ounce or two of rose water, and so boil them up to the height of Manus Christi* and when it is come to his perfect height [ie reached the Manus Christi stge] let it cool and put in your berries, for if you put them in hot, they will shrink and so stir them round with a wooden spatula, till they are candied and thus pot them up and keep them. To Candy Roſemarie flowers. TAke of your Roſemarie flowers, readie pickt, and weigh them, to euery ounce of flowers, you muſt take two ounces of hard ſuger, and one ounce of Suger-candy, and diſſolue them in Roſemarie flower water, and boyle them till they come to ſuger againe; which done, put in your Roſemarie flowers, when as your ſuger is almoſt cold, and ſo ſtirre them together, vntill they be ynough, and then take them out, and put them in a boxe, and keepe them to your vſe in your ſtoaue. 11. To Candy Rosemary flowers. Take rosemary flowers, ready picked, and weigh them, and to every ounce of flowers you must take two ounces of hard sugar, and one ounce of sugar-candy, and dissolve them in rosemary flower water, and boil them till they come to sugar again [then take off the heat], which done, put in your rosemary flowers when you sugar is almost cold, and so stir them together until they are done. And then take them out and put them in a box and keep them to your use in your stove. To Candy Borrage flowers. TAke your flowers, & picke them very cleane, & weigh them, & vſe them in euery reſpect as you did your roſemary flowers, ſaue this, that when they be candied, you muſt ſet them in a ſtill, & ſo keepe them in a ſheete of white paper, putting euery day a chafindiſh of coales into your Still, and it will be candied very excellently, and that in a ſhort ſpace. 12. To Candy Borage flowers. Take your flowers and pick them very clean and weigh them and use them in every respect as you did your rosemary flowers, save this, that when they are candied, you must set them in a still, and so keep them in a sheet of white paper, putting every day a chafing-dish* of coals into your still, and it will be cnadied very excellently and that in a short space. Here endeth the sorts of Candying. Here ends the types of Candying. Notes: [*] This is a classic sugar confection made since the Middle Ages. Manus Christi was also a term used to indicate a sugar boiling temperature and you will find many recipes that call for sugar to be boiled to Manus Christi height. Manus Christi seems to have evolved as a medicinal confection in the Middle ages, hence the rosewater with ambergris and ground pearls. Later, in Elizabethan times Manus Christi became sugar confections coated in gold leaf. Theories vary about the temperature implied by Manus Christi (some believe it to be 102°C, but I think this is too low and you would not have a proper candy. Pesonally I believe it to be 112°C.) [*] The original word here is stone, but later editions of the book have this ammended to 'stove'. [*] A pipkin is an earthenware cooking pot used for cooking over direct heat from coals or a wood fire. It has a handle and three feet. Late medieval and postmedieval pipkins had a hollow handle in order to insert a stick in it for manipulation. (for more information and picture see the Pipkin information page). [*] Eringo roots, are the roots of the sea holly, Eryngium maritimum which was frequently candied as a sweetmeat and they were believed to be an aphrodisiac. This is becoming increasingly uncommon on our sea-shores, so I would not recommend that you use this recipe on any specimens you find. However, if you live on the sea-shore (or even inland in a sandy area) you can cultivate this pretty, if prickly, plant. [*] A chafing dish (from the Old French chauffer, "to make warm") is a kind of portable grate raised on a tripod, originally heated with charcoal in a brazier, and used for foods that require gentle cooking, away from the "fierce" heat of direct flames. They were also used to provide a gentle heat for distilling either being placed beneath an alembick or in the base of a large still.

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