SC - Last Minute details

[Amanda B. Humphrey]

>also would love to hear your 
>preparation for sugarplate as i hope to be doing some in the near future.
>
>thanx
>
>voldai
>

I used the cold recipe in the Good Hus-wives Jewell by Thomas Dawson.  It
was posted on here several weeks ago.  I was having trouble, but several
lovely people on this list helped me.  

The recipe I used from this list:
A period recipe: Thomas Dawson, _The Second Part of the Good Hus-wives
Jewell_, 1597, entitled "To make a past of Suger, whereof a man may make al
manner of fruits, and other fine things, with their forme, as Plates,
Dishes, Cuppes and such like thinges, wherewith you may furnish a Table." 

"Take Gumme and dragant as much as you wil, and steep it in Rosewater til
it be mollified, and for foure ounces of suger take of it the bigness of a
beane, the iuyce of Lemon, a walnut shel ful, and a little of the white of
an eg. But you must first take the gumme, and beat it so much with a
pestell in a brasen morter, till it be come like water, then put to it the
iuyce with the white of an egge, incorporating al these wel together, this
done take four ounces of fine white suger wel beaten to powder, and cast it
into the morter by a litle and a litle, until they be turned into the form
of paste, then take it out of the said morter, and bray it upon the powder
of suger, as it were meale or flower, untill it be like soft paste, to the
end you may turn it, and fashion it which way you wil, as is aforesaid,
with such fine knackes as may serve a Table taking heed there stand no
hotte thing nigh it. At the end of the Banket they may eat all, and breake
the Platters Dishes, Glasses Cuppes, and all other things, for this paste
is very delicate and saverous. If you will make a Tarte of Almondes stamped
with suger and Rosewater of this sorte that Marchpaines be made of, this
shal you laye between two pastes of such vessels or fruits or some other
things as you thinke good." 

Alys's approximations 

1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons rosewater (or more as needed)
1/2 to one lightly beaten egg white (can use reconstituted
dried egg white)
1 teaspoon gum tragacanth
up to a pound or so of powdered sugar (4 cups = 1 pound) 

Soak the gum tragacanth in the rosewater until it softens.  Mix it
thoroughly. It should become liquidy rather than pastelike. Add more liquid
(water, rosewater) as necessary. Mix it with the lemon juice and egg white.
Add the powdered sugar bit by bit, mixing well. If it becomes too stiff and
there is a great deal of sugar left, add additional liquid or the rest of
the egg white. Knead the dough on a board sprinkled with powdered sugar
until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Then use it to shape what you will.
Keep the unused portions and all scraps well covered under a glass jar, in
a plastic bag, or under a slightly damp cloth. (If the cloth is too damp
the paste will begin to dissolve. Add more powdered sugar and re-knead.)


Living in FL I have found that 1 whole egg white and 3 cups of sugar worked
best.

I hope this helps you as it helped me.

Lady Bebhinn     

 

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