Victorian Capillaire Syrup

Victorian Capillaire Syrup is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe from the 1860s for a classic simple syrup flavoured with orange-flower water. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Anglo-Indian version of: Victorian Capillaire Syrup.

prep time

10 minutes

cook time

10 minutes

Total Time:

20 minutes

Serves:

8–10

Rating:

Tags : Vegetarian Recipes Fusion Recipes British Recipes

This is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe redacted from the volume THE INDIAN COOKERY BOOK: A Practical Handbook to The Kitchen in India (author unknown), published by: WYMAN & CO., HARE STREET CALCUTTA circa 1869. The recipe comes at the end of the section on PORTUGUESE CURRY (VINDALOO OR BINDALOO), so this is a Vindaloo curry paste or a curry paste from Goa.

Original Recipe

366.—Capillaire

To a quart of water add three pounds of lump sugar, one pound of soft sugar, and the whites and
yolks of two eggs well beaten up; boil it gently, and skim well; on the scum ceasing to rise, remove
the pan from the fire, add two ounces of the best orange-flower water, and strain through flannel.

Modern Redaction

The original capillaire, or sirop capillaire to give it it's French name is a simple syrup prepared with maidenhair fern. This then, as here, came to resent any simple syrup, flavoured with orange-flowers or orange-blossom water. Originally this syrup was made from maidenhair fern (from the French name of which it gets its name) and was green in colour.

The original recipe calls for the use of egg yolks and whole eggs. Here the eggs were used to clarify the syrup, clearing any impurities in the sugar. As modern white sugar is already clarified, I'm not adding eggs to my modern redaction.

The syrup can be used to flavour cakes; it is also a simple syrup for flavouring cocktails.

Ingredients:

1.1l water
1.5kg white sugar
60ml orange-flower water

Method:

Combine the sugar and water in a large pan. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and bring just to the boil.

Take off the heat and mix in the orange flower water. Allow to cool then bottle and stor

Find more Victorian Recipes Here and more Curry Recipes Here. For the original version of The Indian Cookery book see my The Indian Cookery Book main page.