[Sca-cooks] Re: Rock Candy

[Elise Fleming]

Rock Candy

I think there are earlier recipes, but can’t lay my hands on them right
now.  Also, much of the candy/confection-making was done by the apothecary,
not the regular cook.  I don’t have apothecary books which might contain
earlier accounts.  The approximate temperature for Manus Christi depends...
one source suggests 215 F.  Other authorities equate it to the thread stage
which is 230-234 F.

The Ladies Cabinet, 1655

#41 – To make the Rock Candies upon all Spices, Flowers and Roots.

Take two pound of Barbary sugar, clarifie it with a pint of water, and the
whites of two eggs, then boil it in a posnet to the height of Manus
Christi, then put it into an earthen Pipkin, and therwith the things you
will candy, as Cinamon, Ginger, Nutmegs, Rose buds, Marigolds, Eringo
roots, &c.  Cover it, and stop it close with clay or paste; then put it in
a Still with a leisurely fire under it, for the space of three days and
three nights; then open the pot, and if the Candy begin to coine, keep it
unstopped for the space of three or four dayes more, and then (leaving the
syrup) take out the Candy, lay it on a Wier grate, and put it in an oven
after the bread is drawn, there let it remain one night, and your Candy
will be dry.  This is the best way for Rock candy, making so small a
quantity.

William Rabisha, The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected, 1682

To Candy all sorts of Flowers, Fruits and Spices, the clear Rock-Candy.

Take two pound of Barbery Sugar great grained, clarified with the whites of
two Eggs: boyl it almost so high as for Manus Christi, then put it into a
pipkin that is not very rough, then put in your Flowers, Fruits, and
spices, so put your pipkin into a still, and make a small fire with
small-coals under it, and in the space of twelve dayes it will be
Rock-candyed.

Mrs. Mary Eale’s Receipts (Confectioner to her late Majesty Queen Anne),
1733

To make Rock-Sugar.

Take a red Earthen Pot, that will hold about four Quarts, (those Pots that
are something less at the Top and Bottom than in the Middle) stick it
pretty thick with the Sticks of a white Wisk, a-cross, one over the other;
set it before a good Fire, that it may be very hot against your Sugar is
boil’d; then take ten Pound of  double-refin’d Sugar finely beaten, the
Whites of two Eggs beaten to a Froth in half a Pint of Water, and mix it
with the Sugar; then put to it a Quart of Orange-flower-water and thee half
Pints of Water, setting it on a quick Fire; when it boils thoroughly put in
half a Pint of Water more to raise the Scum, and let it boil up again; then
take it off and skim it; do so two or three Times, ‘till it is very clear;
then let it boil, ‘till you find it draw between your Fingers, which you
mist often try, with taking a little in the Ladle; and as it cools, it will
draw like a Thread; then put it into the hot Pot, covering it close, and
setting it in a very hot Stove for three Days: It must stand three Weeks;
but after the three first Days a moderate Fire will do; but never stir the
Pots, nor let the Stove be quite cold; Then take it out, and pour out all
the Syrup, the Rock will be on the Sticks and the Pot-sides: set the Pots
in cold Water, in a Pan, on the Fire, and when it is thorough hot all the
Rock will slip out, and fall most of it in small Pieces; the Sticks you
must just dip in hot Water, and that will make the Rock slip off; then put
in a good Handful of dry Orange-Flowers, and take a Ladle with Holes, and
put the Rock and Flowers in it, as much as will make as big a Lump as you
wou’d like; dip it in scalding Water, and lay it on a Tin Plate; then make
it up in handsome Lumps, and as hollow as you can: When it is so far
prepar’d, put it in a hot Stove, and the next Day it will stick together;
then take it off the Plates, and let it lye two or three Hours in the
Stove; if there be any large Pieces, you may make Bottoms of them, and lay
small Pieces on them.

Household Discoveries, 1909, Sidney Morse

Rock Candy -  A special kettle is required to make fine rock candy.  This
kettle should be broad and shallow, the width being three or four times the
depth.  Place in the bottom of the kettle a circular rim of smooth tin
about 2 inches high and closely fitting to the inside of the kettle all
around.  Near the top of this make  ten or twelve holes in a circle all
around at equal distances from each other, and string across threads from
one side to the other on which the candy may crystallize.

Prepare the sirup in a separate vessel, and when it is done pout it into
the kettle so that it will reach an inch above the threads.  Place the
kettle on the stove at a moderate heat and leave it to crystallize, shaking
it from time to time.  It will require about six days.  Then the crystals
have formed pour off the remaining sirup and dash in a little cold water to
clean the crystals from the sediment left in the bottom of the kettle. 
Remove the rim with the rock candy adhering to the threads, and set it in a
clean vessel in a hot oven until it is dry and fit for use.

To prepare the sirup clarify refined granulated sugar, filter and boil
until it is ready to crystallize, which will be at 35 degrees on the sirup
test.


Elise Fleming
alysk at ix.netcom.com
http://home.netcom.com/~alysk/