235.—Red Colouring.
Beat 1 oz. of cochineal fine in a mortar, to which put 1½ pint of soft water and ½ oz. of cream of tartar; simmer them in a pan for half an hour over a slow fire. Take it off, and throw in ½ oz. of roach alum to strike the colour. You may ascertain the strength by dipping in a piece of writing paper. If not sufficiently strong, simmer it again for a short time. When nearly cold, strain it through a strong piece of canvas, and before you bottle it add 2 ozs. of double refined sugar.
236.—Yellow Colouring.
Put the best saffron down tightly in a small jar, pour a little boiling water over it, cover it closely up, and set it in a warm place for half an hour, turning it two or three times in the water; then strain and bottle it for use.
XII. LOZENGES.
Lozenges are made of loaf sugar finely ground, gum arabic dissolved in water, also gum dragon. They are mixed together into a paste, cut round or oval with cutters, and dried. To make the best sort of lozenges, 1 lb. of gum arabic should be dissolved in 1 pint of water; but the proportion of gum and water in general use is 2½ lbs. of gum arabic in 1 quart and ½ pint of water, and 1 oz. of gum dragon in ½ pint of water.
237.—Peppermint Lozenges.
Take some finely powdered loaf sugar, put it on a marble slab, make a bay in the centre, pour in some dissolved gum, and mix into a paste, flavour with the essence of peppermint, roll the paste on the marble slab until it is about an eighth of an inch thick. Use starch-powder to dust it with; this keeps it from sticking. Dust the surface with a little starch-powder and sugar, and rub it over with the palm of your hand. Cut out the lozenges and place them on wooden trays, and place them in the stove to dry. All lozenges are finished in the same way.