Take your Apple-water, and boil the Plums in it till it be red as Claret Wine, and when you have made it strong of the Plums, put to every pint half a pound of Sugar, and so boil it till a drop of it hang on the back of a spoon like a quaking gelly. If you will have it of an Amber colour, then boil it with a quick fire, that is all the difference of the colouring of it.
To make Marmalet of Oranges, or Orange Cakes, &c.
Take the yellowest and fairest Oranges, and water them three days, shifting the water twice a day, pare them as thin as you possible can, boil them in a water changed five or six times, until the bitterness of the Orange be boiled out, those that you preserve must be cut in halves, but those for Marmalet must be boiled whole, let them be very tender, and slice them very thin on a Trencher, taking out the seeds and long strings, and with a Knife make it as fine as the Pap of an Apple; then weigh your Pap of Oranges, and to a pound of it, take a pound and a half of sugar; then you must have Pippins boiled ready in a skillet of fair water, and take the pap of them made fine on a Trencher, and the strings taken out, (but take not half so much Pippins as Oranges) then take the weight of it in sugar, and mix it both together in a Silver or Earthen Dish; and set it on the coals to dry the water out of it, (as you do with Quince Marmalet) when your sugar is Candy height, put in your stuff, and boil it till you think it stiff enough, stirring it continually: if you please you may put a little Musk in it.
Touching Pastrey and Pasties.
To make Sugar Cakes.
Take three pound of the finest Wheat Flower, one pound of fine Sugar, Cloves, and Mace of each one ounce finely searsed, two pound of butter, a little Rose-water, knead and mould this very well together, melt your butter as you put it in; then mould it with your hand forth upon a board, cut them round with a glass, then lay them on papers, and set them in an Oven, be sure your Oven be not too hot, so let them stand till they be coloured enough.