SC - Re: gooseberries + jelly

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Elise Fleming wrote:
> 
> Adamantius wrote:
> 
> >Oh, another little snippet. Some sugar paste recipes call for the
> >paste to be kneaded and rolled out with some rice flour to keep it
> >from sticking to the marble, don't they? I have no idea about
> >comparative percentages, but the final product would contains some
> >starch, just as it would if using modern confectioners' sugar.
> 
> Off the top of my head, I can't recall any of the _period_ ones that
> say that.  It might be that a) it was assumed you'd do so to prevent
> sticking; b) no one thought of it and didn't do so because they made
> the paste relatively non-sticky; c) this was a later addition OOP; d)
> they used more powdered sugar (see below) e) Alys can't remember well.

One example I have on hand is Harl. 2378 (see Goud Kokery, all you
manuscriptally challenged), which has  a _cooked_ sugar plate recipe,
calling for a dusting of rice flour from a bag like the rosin bag used
by a baseball pitcher. Used the same way, like a powder puff, shooting
out a fine spray of flour on impact. It may or may not have been used in
the later, uncooked versions, but it wouldn't be unreasonable if it
were. Of course, not being shocked if something occurred is not the same
as saying it occurred, but it's s start.

> Rice flour would be a logical addition but what
> _I_ do is sprinkle additional powdered sugar on the board when it gets
> sticky.

Even granulated sugar is used this way by modern confectioners,
especially for puff pastry. How old the technique is, I couldn't say.
Just about anything that will coat the surface of the putatively sticky
stuff without itself becoming sticky ought to work. I've done this with
sugar, grated cheese, cocoa, paprika, salt, etc. Ultrafine sugar,
unmixed with starch, doesn't seem to work as well, though, so it is an
interesting question as to whether the technique of using modern,
adulterated confectioners' sugar is derived from using starch or sugar.
I did find it interesting to see that it was rice flour, but not
amydoun, a more easily available starch, being used. Possibly a more
neutral flavor?

> Without looking at my cookery books, I would hazard that this
> might have been done during period rather than using rice flour.  In
> fact, I seem to recall (now that the brain cells are activating) that
> someone mentioned _not_ to use starch because that ruined it.  Which,
> then, would imply that some people _did_ use starch.  I gotta go look
> this stuff up!

Ye Olde Exceptionne Thatte Proveth Ye Rule...;  )

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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