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

[Plumbs in Jelly.] When your Plumbs are preserved in their first Sugar, and you have drained them in order to put them in a second, they are then fit to be put up Liquid, which you must do thus: Drain the Plumbs, and strain the Syrup through a Bag; then make a Jelly of some ripe Plumbs and Codlins together, by boiling them in just as much Water as will cover them, press out the Juice and strain it, and to every Pint of Juice boil one Pound of Sugar to blow very strong, put in the Juice and boil it a little; then put in the Syrup and the Plumbs, and give all a good Boil; then let them settle a little, scum them and fill your Glasses or Pots.

To preserve green Figs.

Take the small green Figs, slit them on the Top, and put them in Salt and Water for ten Days, and make your Pickle as follows.

Put in as much Salt into the Water as will make it bear an Egg, then let it settle, take the Scum off, and put the clear Brine to the Figs, and keep them in Water for ten Days; then put them into fresh Water, and boil them till a Pin will easily pass into them; then drain them and put them into other fresh Water, shifting them every Day for four Days; then drain them, and put them into a clarified Sugar; give them a little Warm, and let them stand till the next Day; then warm them again, and when they are become green give them a good Boil, then boil some other Sugar to blow, put it to them, and give them another good Boil; the next Day drain them and dry them.

To preserve ripe Figs.

Take the white Figs, when ripe, slit them in the Top, and put them into a clarified Sugar, and give them a good Boil; then scum them, and set them by; the next Day boil some more Sugar till it blows, and pour it upon them, and boil them again very well, scum them and set them in the Stove; the Day after drain them and lay them out to dry, first dusting them very well.

To preserve green Oranges.

Take the green Oranges and slit them on one Side, and put them into a Brine of Salt and Water, as strong as will bear an Egg, in which you must soak them at least fifteen Days; then drain them and put them into fresh Water, and boil them tender; then put them into fresh Water, again, shifting them every Day for five Days together; then give them another Scald, and put them into a clarified Sugar; then give them a Boil, and set them by till next Day, then boil them again; the next Day add some more Sugar, and give them another Boil; the Day after boil the Syrup very smooth and pour it on them, and keep them for Use.

Note, That if at any Time you perceive the Syrup begin to work, you must drain them, and boil the Syrup very smooth and pour it on them; but if the first prove sour, you must boil it likewise. Green Lemons are done after the same Manner.