SC - Master William Blackfox

[Tyrca@aol.com]

Julleran wrote:

> I saw a science program for kids called Beakman's World and he gave a 
>recipe for making sugar "glass" like they use in movies. It used Karo 
>syrup. How did they make it in period? I saw a documentary on Lorenzo 
>Medici and they said that he had a lot of things made from candy glass 
>at his wedding. I've always wondered how it was done.

The Manuscrito Anonimo in Cariadoc's Collection tells about melting 
sugar and making all things with which to furnish a castle (also made 
of sugar).  I can print out the reference if it's wanted.

Curye on Inglysch, Book V: Goud Kokery, #13, has "To make suger plate." 
 Sugar is melted to a specific temperature and removed from the fire 
and stirred until it turns from its brown color to yellow. (The sugar 
must not have been pure white to start with...probably "cooking" sugar 
would have been of a less-fine quality than what would have been served 
"upstairs".  It is then turned out onto a marble stone with rice flour 
shaken on it.  You pour the sugar out as thin as you want, the thinner 
the better for plates.  In traditional after-the-fact style it is noted 
that you can add any kinds of leaves (petals) cut small when you first 
remove the syrup from the fire and begin to stir it.  Presumably this 
will color the syrup somewhat and may also add a slight flavor.  It is 
also noted that you can add rosewater.  If you want it red you can use 
clean, washed turnsole at the first boiling.

I have discovered that working with sugar syrup takes a lot of 
practice.  One might "luck out" the first time trying this but 
subsequent repetitions might lead to "failures."  I would be extremely 
supportive of anyone who would like to go into sugar sculpture and 
cookery as a specialty!  FYI, recipe 15 tells about making "images in 
sugar" and gives colors to _paint_ on.

A good place to start playing with melted sugar is to get a good candy 
book from the library.  I found an excellent one in a used book store, 
put out by Time-Life books.  It has detailed instructions, step-by-step 
pictures, and information on why or how something might go wrong.  (I 
can't tell you how many batches of fruit pastes have refused to set 
until I "messed" with them!)

Someone from Ansteorra taught a class at Pennsic around Pennsic 17, 18, 
or 19 on making stained glass from melted sugar.  While a stained glass 
window wouldn't be "period", the melting of the sugar, pouring it into 
a mold to make an image, or pouring it into a square shape to make a 
trencher, would.

I saw a reference to one of the English coronations (Henry V or VI? The 
child one, I believe) where there were crowns with jewels that shone 
like enamels.  My guess is that these might have been poured from 
melted sugar (the jewels, at least).  Can we get some tinsmiths to make 
some simple molds that sugarworkers can use for flat forms??

Alys Katharine



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