Take a good Quantity of white Pear-Plums, as many as you think will make three Pints, with as much boiling Water as will cover them; boil them very fast, ’till they are all to Pieces; then have ready three Pints of Apple-Jelly, and put it to the Plums, boiling them very fast together; then run it thro’ a Jelly-bag: To a Pint put a Pound and half of sifted Sugar; first boil the Jelly, and shake in the Sugar; let it scald on the Fire ’till it is melted; put it in Pots in the Stove; dry and turn it as other Clear-Cakes.
[ To make White Plum-Paste.]
Take a Pound of fine Sugar, and a Pint of Water, or more, as the Quantity you intend to make requires; set it on the Fire, let it boil, and set a Pan of Water to boil; when it boils, put in your Plums; let them just boil, and then take them out with a Ladle, as they flip their Skins off; take off the Skins, and put the Plums into the Syrup; do this as fast as you can, that they may not turn: Boil them all to Pieces; and to a Quart of Plums put a Pint of Apple-Jelly; boil them well together, and rub it thro’ a Hair Sieve; to a Pint of this put a Pound and a half of sifted Sugar; let the Jelly boil before you shake the Sugar, and let it scald ’till the Sugar is well melted; skin it, put it in Pots, and dry it in the Stove.
[ To make Red Plum Clear-Cakes.]
Take white Pear-Plums, half White and half Black, or if you have no Black, one third of Damsins, and as much Water as will cover them; boil them very well; and to a Quart of the Plums put a Quart of Apple-Jelly; boil them very well together; run it thro’ a Jelly-bag; to a Pint of the Jelly put a Pound and Half of Sugar; let the Jelly boil, then shake in the Sugar; let it scald, but not boil; put it thro’ a thin Strainer in a broad Pan, to take off the Scum, and put it in Pots in a Stove: When it is candy’d, turn it as other Clear-Cakes: You may make it paler or redder, as you best like, with more or less black Plums.
[ To make Red Plum-Paste.]
Take half white and half red Plums, as you did for the Clear-Cakes; boil them with as much Water as will cover them; then, to a Quart of Plums put a Pint of Apple-Jelly; let them boil well together; rub it thro’ an Hair Sieve; to a Pint of Jelly put in a Pound and half of Sugar; boil the Jelly, and shake in the Sugar; let it scald ’till the Sugar is melted, skin it well, and fill in Pots; dry it as other Cakes: You may put some of this in Plates, and make Fruit-Jambals.
[ To dry Plums like the French Plums, with Stones in them.]
When you have laid out all your Plums that are to be stopt, put white Pear-Plums, or any large black Plums, in an Earthen Pot, and make your Plum-Syrup almost scalding hot; put it to the Plums, and scald the Syrup every Day, ’till the Plums are tender and red; then lay them on Sieves, and dry them in an Oven, turning them every Day ’till they are dry; then lay them between Papers, and keep them in a dry Place.