SC - Sweets to serve with hot drinks

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> 
> >  Place
> > it alternately near the fire and away from the fire, and while it is
> > being stirred more extensively, repeatedly put it near and away from
> > the fire, stirring it without interruption until it becomes thick and
> > viscous.
> 
> Do any of you candy makers have any idea why this recipe calls for this
> to be put alternatively near the fire and away from it? What does this
> do that putting it in a spot between the two and just leaving it there
> would do? I'm assuming you are stirring continuously in either case.
> 
> While it could be to keep the cook from getting bored while continuously
> stirring this pot for a long time, I doubt that is the reason. :-)

It is probably a primitive (for which read "ingenious") form of
temperature regulation. Medieval and renaissance recipes sometimes
contain fairly specific details on exactly how many kilocalories, BTU's,
or let's just say, how much heat is applied to food, in a period when
thermometers weren't a part of every cook's toolkit, and working with
sugar is something where temperature needs to be pretty exact.

Bearing in mind, also, honey's rather dramatic tendency to boil over and
burn, more so than a cane sugar syrup.
I don't know why this should be, but it's a pretty widely accepted phenomenon.
 
Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com