[Sca-cooks] Fruit Paste...

[Holly Stockley]

I've done a few different things.

1.  Cheap wood boxes, with the interiors rubbed with beeswax.  Try to make 
sure they're food grade.  I had mine made by a handy-dandy woodworker who 
was feeling both experimental and helpful.

2. Stoneware "shortbread" molds.  Oil these up VERY well.  If they're very 
detailed, a paste will want to stick.

3. A flat surface like a metal baking sheet or a corian cutting board.  If 
you've cooked them down properly, you don't really need sides, it will stay 
as a mass about 1/4" thick.  I usually just dust the sheet with sugar, then 
pour the paste, then dust with more sugar.  When it hardens, I peel the 
whole sheet loose and cut into squares.

Any of these can then be stored in an airtight container.  Line it with 
aluminum foil or parchment paper if you like.  I've had them last at least 9 
months with no notable change in flavor or texture.  Left out, they'll get 
hard as rocks in time.

>From: Lilinah <lilinah at earthlink.net>
>Reply-To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
>To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
>Subject: [Sca-cooks] Fruit Paste...
>Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2006 14:55:22 -0800
>
>OK, this may sound silly, but i don't know what i should be pouring
>my fruit pastes into. I need to keep them about 6 weeks. Most
>"period" recipes say to pour them into boxes, but i don't have a
>handy supply of 16th C. fruit paste boxes around :-)
>
>I haven't made any fruit pastes yet because i haven't answered this 
>question.
>
>If it should be the consensus that plastic is the thing, i don't have
>any, so i'll have to buy some - what's good? AND i'd prefer to keep
>the fruit pastes from direct contact with the plastic. What should i
>line the plastic with that will peel off the fruit paste (and,
>please, not plastic wrap :-)
>
>Help!
>
>--
>Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
>the persona formerly known as Anahita
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