[ To dry Cherries without Sugar.]
Stone the Cherries, and set them on the Fire, with only what Liquor comes out of them; let them boil up two or three Times, shaking them as they boil; then put them in an earthen Pot; the next Day scald them, and when they are cold lay them on Sieves, and dry them in an Oven not too hot. Twice heating an Oven will dry any Sort of Cherries.
[ To dry Cherries in Bunches.]
Take Kentish Cherries, or Morella, and tye them in Bunches with a Thread, about a Dozen in a Bunch; and when you have dry’d your other Cherries, put the Syrup that they come out of to your Bunches; let them just boil, cover them close, the next Day scald them; and when they are cold, lay them in Sieves in a cool Oven; turn them, and heat the Oven every Day ’till they are dry.
[ To make Cherry-Paste.]
Take Cherries, stone and boil them, breaking them well the while, and boil them very dry; and to a Pound of Cherries put a Pound and a Quarter of Sugar, sifted thro’ an Hair Sieve; let the Cherries be hot when you put in the Sugar; set it on the Fire ’till the Sugar is well melted; put it in a broad Pan, or earthen Plates; let it stand in the Stove ’till it is candy’d; drop it on Glass, and, when dry on one Side, turn it.
[ To preserve Cherries.]
Either Morella or Carnations, stone the Cherries: To Morella Cherries, take the Jelly of white Currants, drawn with a little Water; and run thro a Jelly-bag a Pint and a half of the Jelly, and three Pounds of fine Sugar; set it on a quick Fire; when it boils, scum it, and put in two Pounds of the ston’d Cherries; let them not boil too fast at first, take them off some Times; when they are tender, boil them very fast ’till they jelly, and are very clear; then put them in the Pots or Glasses. The Carnation Cherries must have red Currants-Jelly; and if you can get no white Currants, Codling-Jelly will serve for the Morella.
[ To dry Currants in Bunches or loose Sprigs.]
When your Currants are ston’d and ty’d up in Bunches, take to a Pound of Currants a Pound and half of Sugar; to a Pound of Sugar put half a Pint of Water; boil your Syrup very well, and lay the Currants into the Syrup; set them on the Fire, let them just boil, take them off, and cover them close with a Paper; let them stand ’till the next Day, and then make them scalding hot; let them stand two or three Days with the Paper close to them; then lay them on earthen Plates, and sift them well with Sugar; put them into a Stove; the next Day lay them on Sieves, but not turn them ’till that Side drys, then turn them, and sift the other Side: When they are dry lay them between Papers.