Rich Plum Cake.
Take one pound of sifted sugar, one pound of fresh butter, and mix them with the hand in a earthen dish for a quarter of an hour. Then beat well ten yolks and five whites of eggs, put two thirds of them to the sugar and butter, and mix them together till it begins to be tough; after which add one pound and a half of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of citron, a quarter of a pound of candied orange or lemon peel cut into slices, a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds blanched and bruised very fine. Then pound a quarter of a pound of muscadine raisins, put to them a gill of sweet wine and a spoonful of brandy, strain the liquor through a cloth to the mixture, add the rest of the eggs, and mix all together as light as possible.
Dried Cherries.
Gather the largest flemish cherries (or english bearers) when nearly ripe, pick off the stalks and take the stones away; have ready a thin syrup boiling-hot, put the cherries into it, and let them remain till the next day; then strain and boil the liquor again, and add to the cherries; the same again on the third day; on the fourth day strain the syrup, add more sugar, and clarify it; boil it to a strong consistence, add the cherries, put them into jars, and when they are cold cover them close. When wanted for use take them out, lay them on large drying sieves, and put them in a very slack oven.
N. B. In the same manner may be done apricots, pears, plums, &c.
Pippins with Rice.
Boil two ounces of whole rice with half a pint of milk, and when it is nearly absorbed put the rice into a marble mortar, add a table spoonful of brandy, a little grated lemon peel, a small quantity of pounded cinnamon and cloves, two ounces of sifted sugar, two eggs, and pound all together. Then pare twelve large ripe golden pippins, core them with an apple scoop, mould over them some of the mixture with the hand, put writing paper on a tin-plate, rub it over with sweet oil or butter, put the apples on it, and bake them gently till done; then serve them up in a deep dish with melted butter over and a little of the syrup of quinces mixed with it.
To make English Bread.
Take a peck of the best white flour, sift it into a trough, make a cavity in the center, and strain through a hair sieve (mixed together) a pint of good yest and a pint of lukewarm water; mix them lightly with some of the flour till of a light paste, set it in a warm place covered over to prove for an hour; then mix the whole with two quarts of lukewarm water and a little salt, knead it, let it be of a good stiffness, prove it an hour more and knead it again; prove it another hour, mould it into loaves or batch two pieces together, and bake them in a brisk oven.