SC - Chocolate - Yes I know its not period!
ChannonM at aol.com
ChannonM at aol.com
Fri Nov 5 06:58:36 PST 1999
If you would like to employ a heraldic device, I suggest going to a cake
makers store and look through their chocolate molds, you can even paint with
coloured chocolate that is made wiht the pretend "white chocolate". The sizes
would be perfect for individual servings at a feast. You could even go to the
extant of making say a marzipan shield and making the various charges in
chocolate and placing them appropriately upon it. I have used various molds
for doing marzipan sublteties. I have a recipe that works well for the sheild
(I did various devices for a 15thC feast a few years ago). I'll post that now.
Marchepane
The sweet confection, currently known as marzipan is made from ground
almonds, rose water, confectioners sugar and egg whites. This sweet was a
discovery of the later Middle Ages as it required refined sugar to make. The
origin of marzipan is difficult to determine as many countries claim its
discovery. It is believed, however, that the name marchpane was first
used in Italy in the 13th Century11. Many countries have claimed to be the
place of origin of marzipan, however, it should be noted that the name
marchpane can be compared to the Arabic word mautaban--meaning glazed
vessel12. Recipes for marchpane can be found that date back as far as 13th
Century France13. The extant recipes describe how to colour, flavour and
create "subtleties". Subtleties were sweets that were often used as
Illusion Foods. An Illusion food was a food made to look like something it
wasn't. Marzipan was sculpted into shapes of castle scenes, heraldic coats of
arms, diminutive fruits and vegetables, and allegorical animals. These
fantastic creations would be paraded around the feast hall only to be
dismantled and eaten by the guests. The following is a recipe reproduced from
the manuscript entitled "Delights for Ladies" by Sir Hugh Plat (1609).
The Art of Preserving
12. To make an excellent Marchpane paste to print off in moulds for
banquetting dishes.
Take to every Iordan Almond blanched, three spoonefuls of the whitest refined
sugar you can get: searce your sugar, and now and then, as you see cause, put
in two or three drops of damask Rose-water: bear great labour, vntil you have
brought it into a dry steffe paste: one quarterne of sugar is sufficient to
worke at once.........You may mix canel or ginger in your paste, & that will
both grace the taste, and alter the colour, but the spice must passe thorow
a fair searce; you may steep your almonds in cold water all night, & so
blanch them cold....
the instruction in the recipe reproduced from "Delights for Ladies" , " Take
to every Iordan(Jordan) Almond blanched three spoonefuls of the whitest
sugar(refined)..." to indicate that the weght must be at least equal. In
testing this theory I weighed 3 almonds to 2 teaspoons of confectioners
sugar. Considering that the modern sugar would be denser I still found that
the weight was comparable at.5 gm for the almonds to .5 gm for the sugar. To
ens
ure accuracy, these weights were obtained on an electronic scale at my local
bulk food store Therefore 1 almond would weigh in at approximately 1.66 gm
and 1 tsp of sugar approximately 2.5 gm. This has lead me to the conclusion
that the 2 and 2/3 cups of sugar must be 2 and 2/3 POUNDS. This is the amount
of sugar that was used in the recipe presented today.
Colours: You may use artificial or natural food dyes, be creative
Grind the almonds to a thick paste using a food processor, Add small
amounts of rose -water 1/2 tsp at a time to prevent the almonds from becoming
to oily. Place almond paste in a bowl.
gradually beat in sugar.
knead mixture. Separate the marzipan into several sections, one for each
colour required. Place sections in a separate bowl and seal. Allow these to
age for 24 to 48 hours. Mix the colouring agents into the aged marzipan. It
will be easier to knead if allowed to warm. Sculpt the paste according to
your wildest fancy. Use fingers , cookie cutters, molds or knives
Note:After experimenting with this "redacted" recipe, I have found that the
original call for only 22/3 CUPS of sugar was not nearly sufficient to
satisfy both the taste factor and the "sculpturability" of the paste. In
addition I have considered the instruction in the recipe reproduced from
"Delights for Ladies" , " Take to every Iordan(Jordan) Almond blanched three
spoonefuls of the whitest sugar(refined)..." to indicate that the weght must
be at least equal. In testing this theory I weighed 3 almonds to 2 teaspoons
of confectioners sugar. Considering that the modern sugar would be denser I
still found that the weight was comparable at.5 gm for the almonds to .5 gm
for the sugar. To ens
ure accuracy, these weights were obtained on an electronic scale at my local
bulk food store Therefore 1 almond would weigh in at approximately 1.66 gm
and 1 tsp of sugar approximately 2.5 gm. This has lead me to the conclusion
that the 2 and 2/3 cups of sugar must be 2 and 2/3 POUNDS. This is the amount
of sugar that was used in the recipe presented today.
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