Dissolve eight ounces of double refined sugar in three or four spoonfuls of water, and three or four drops of lemonjuice; then put it into a copper untinned skellet; when it boils to be thick, dip the handle of a spoon in it, and put that into a pintbason of water, squeeze the sugar from the spoon into it, and so on till you have all the sugar. Take a bit out of the water, and if it snaps, and is brittle when cold, it is done enough; but only let it be three parts cold, when pour the water from the sugar, and having a copper form oiled well, run the sugar on it, in the manner of a maze, and when cold you may put it on the dish it is to cover; but if on trial the sugar is not brittle, pour off the water, and return it into the skellet and boil it again. It should look thick like treacle, but of a bright light gold colour.
It is a most elegant cover.
Transparent Marmalade.
Cut the palest Seville oranges in quarters, take the pulp out, and put it in a bason, pick out the seeds and skins. Let the outsides soak in water with a little salt all night, then boil them in a good quantity of spring water till tender; drain and cut them in very thin slices, and put them to the pulp; and to every pound, a pound and a half of double refined sugar beaten fine; boil them together twenty minutes, but be careful not to break the slices. If not quite clear, simmer five or six minutes longer. It must be stirred all the time very gently.
When cold, put it into glasses.
To preserve Oranges or Lemons in Jelly.
Cut a hole in the stalk part, the size of a shilling, and with a blunt small knife scrape out the pulp quite clear without cutting the rind. Tie each separately in muslin, and lay them in spring water two days, changing twice a day; in the last boil them tender on a slow fire. Observe that there is enough at first to allow for wasting, as they must be covered to the last. To every pound of orange, weigh two pounds of double refined sugar, and one pint of water; boil the two latter together with the juice of the orange to a syrup, and clarify it, skim well, and let it stand to be cold; then boil the fruit in the syrup half an hour; if not clear, do this daily till they are done.
Pare and core some green pippins, and boil in water till it tastes strong of them; do not break them, only gently press them with the back of a spoon. Strain the water through a jellybag till quite clear; then to every pint put a pound of double refined sugar, the peel and juice of a lemon, and boil to a strong syrup. Drain off the syrup from the fruit, and turning the whole upwards in the jar, pour the applejelly over it. The bits cut out must go through the same process with the fruit. Cover with brandy paper.
Orange Chips.
Cut oranges in halves, squeeze the juice through a sieve; soak the peel in water, next day boil in the same till tender, drain them, and slice the peels, put them to the juice, weigh as much sugar, and put all together into a broad earthen dish, and put over the fire at a moderate distance, often stirring till the chips candy; then set them in a cool room to dry. They will not be so under three weeks.