SC - Sugar plate and moulds

[Philip & Susan Troy]

> Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 12:22:04 +0000
> From: Erin Kenny <Erin.Kenny at sofkin.ca>
> Subject: SC - Sugar plate and moulds
> 
> Ok, this is a question for everyone out there about sugar PLATE (not 
> PASTE) and similar things.
> 
> I was reading _Curye on Inglysch_, I believe the section was Goud 
> Cookery (but I don't have it with me) about sugar plate and how to 
> make figures out of sugar.  It talks about oiling the mould with 
> almond oil and then pouring in the liquid sugar, then you let it 
> solidify.

Kewl! It so happens I've just been making some anise in counfyt, from
the recipe immediately preceding. (Both are from Harl. 2378, recipes 12
and 13 in "Goud Kokery".) Details next week, _after_ Crown Tourney, OK?  
 
> My question is this -- does anyone have any idea what they would
> have used for moulds?  My husband's suggestion is to carve the item 
> out of soapstone, then pour a metal mould, but this is a VERY 
> non-trivial task.  If this is "THE way it was done" I am willing to 
> go to the effort (the joy of marrying a carver!), but I'd rather have 
> an intelligent clue first.  If anyone can even point me in the right 
> direction I'd appreciate it.

I _believe_ (bearing in mind I haven't yet had my dish of tay) that a
sugar plate recipe occurs in Sir Hugh Plat's Delightes for Ladies, and
he suggests making molds from some prepared calcium salt that is
essentially commercial Plaster of Paris. Of course, the sugar plate in
his recipe is uncooked, and so involves less heat than the kind of sugar
work we're doing. But it might be worth trying, if it was sufficiently
dry and oiled.

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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