The Art of Confectionary / Shewing the Various Methods of Preserving All Sorts of Fruits, Dry and Liquid; viz. Oranges, Lemons, Citrons, Golden Pippins, Wardens, Apricots Green, Almonds, Goosberries, Cherries, Currants, Plumbs, Rasberries, Peaches, Walnuts, Nectarines, Figs, Grapes, &c., Flowers and Herbs; as Violets, Angelica, Orange-Flowers, &c.; Also How to Make All Sorts of Biscakes, Maspins, Sugar-Works, and Candies. With the Best Methods of Clarifying, and the Different Ways of Boiling Sugar.

by Edward Lambert

Take of the smaller Sort of Walnuts, when full grown, and not shelled; boil them in Water till very tender, but not to break, so they will become black; then drain them, and stick a Clove in every one, and put them into your preserving Pan, and if you have any Peach Syrup, or of that of the white Walnuts, it will be as well or better than Sugar; put as much Syrup as will cover the Walnuts, boil them very well, then scum them and set them by; the next Day boil the Syrup till it becomes smooth, then put in the Walnuts and give them another good Boil; the Day after drain them and boil the Syrup till it becomes very smooth, adding more Syrup, if Occasion; give all a Boil, scum them, and put them in your Pot for Use.

Note, These Walnuts are never offered as a Sweet-meat, being of no Use but to purge gently the Body, and keep it open.

To preserve Nectarines.

Split the Nectarines, and take out the Stones, then put them into a clarified Sugar; boil them round, till they have well taken Sugar; then take off the Scum, cover them with a Paper and set them by; the next Day boil a little more Sugar till it blows very strong, and put it to the Nectarines, and give them a good Boil; take off the Scum, cover them, and put them into the Stove; the next Day drain them and lay them out to dry, first dusting them a little, then put them into the Stove.

To preserve green Amber-Plumbs.

Take the green Amber-Plumbs, when full grown, prick them in two or three Places, and put them into cold Water; then set them over the Fire to scald, in which you must be very careful not to let the Water become too hot, lest you hurt them; when they are very tender, put them into a very thin Sugar, that is to say, one Part Sugar, and two Parts Water; give them a little Warm in this Sugar, and cover them over; the next Day give them a Warm again; the third Day drain them and boil the Syrup, adding a little more Sugar; then put the Syrup to the Plumbs, and give them a Warm; the next Day do the same; the Day following boil the Syrup till it becomes a little smooth, put in the Plumbs and give them a Boil; the Day after boil the Syrup till very smooth, then put it to the Plumbs, cover them, and put them into the Stove; the next Day boil some more Sugar to blow very strong, put it to the Fruit and give all a Boil, then put them into the Stove for two Days; then drain them and lay them out to dry, first dusting them very well, and manage them in the Drying as other Fruits.

Note, If you find them shrink when first you put them into Sugar, you must let them lie in that thin Syrup three or four Days, till they begin to work; then casting away that Syrup, begin the Work as already set down.

To preserve Green Orange-Plumbs.

Take the green Orange-Plumbs, when full grown, before they turn, prick them with a fine Bodkin, as thick all over as possible you can; put them into cold Water as you prick them, when all are done, set them over a very slow Fire, and scald them with the utmost Care you can, nothing being so subject to break, for if the Skin flies they are worth nothing; when they are very tender, take them off the Fire and set them by in the same Water for two or three Days; when they become sour, and begin to float on the Top of the Water, be careful to drain them very well; then put them in single Rows in your preserving Pan, and put to them as much thin Sugar as will cover them, that is to say, one Part Sugar, and two Parts Water; then set them over the Fire, and by Degrees warm them till you perceive the Sourness to be gone, and the Plumbs are sunk to the Bottom, set them by; and the next Day throw away that Syrup, and put to them a fresh Sugar, of one Part Sugar, and one Part Water; in this Sugar give them several Heats, but not to boil, lest you burst them; then cover them, and set them in a warm Stove that they may suck in what Sugar they will; the next Day drain the Sugar, and boil it till it becomes smooth, adding some more fresh Sugar; pour this Sugar on them, and return them into the Stove; the next Day boil the Syrup to become very smooth, and pour it upon your Plumbs, and give all a gentle Boil, scum it and put them into the Stove; the Day following drain them out of that Syrup, and boil some fresh Sugar, as much as you judge will cover them, till very smooth put it to your Plumbs, and give all a very good covered Boiling; then take off the Scum and cover them, let them stand in the Stove two Days, then drain them and lay them out to dry, dusting them very well.