N.B. Green gages or plums may be done in the same way, omitting the kernels or almonds.
Lemon Chips.—(No. 94.)
Take large smooth-rinded Malaga lemons; race or cut off their peel into chips with a small knife (this will require some practice to do it properly); throw them into salt and water till next day; have ready a pan of boiling water, throw them in and boil them tender. Drain them well: after having lain some time in water to cool, put them in an earthen pan, pour over enough boiling clarified sugar to cover them, and then let them lie two days; then strain the syrup, put more sugar, and reduce it by boiling till the syrup is quite thick; put in the chips, and simmer them a few minutes, and set them by for two days: repeat it once more; let them be two days longer, and they will be fit to candy, which must be done as follows: take four pints of clarified sugar, which will be sufficient for six pounds of chips, boil it to the degree of blown (which may be known by dipping the skimmer into the sugar, and blowing strongly through the holes of it; if little bladders appear, it has attained that degree); and when the chips are thoroughly drained and wiped on a clean cloth, put them into the syrup, stirring them about with the skimmer till you see the sugar become white; then take them out with two forks; shake them lightly into a wire sieve, and set them into a stove, or in a warm place to dry.
N.B. Orange chips are done in the same way.
Dried Cherries.—(No. 95.)
Take large Kentish cherries, not too ripe; pick off the stalks, and take out the stones with a quill, cut nearly as for a pen: to three pounds of which take three pounds or pints of clarified sugar—(see [No. 475],) boil it to the degree of blown (for which see last receipt); put in the cherries, give them a boil, and set them by in an earthen pan till the next day; then strain the syrup, add more sugar, and boil it of a good consistence; put the cherries in, and boil them five minutes, and set them by another day: repeat the boiling two more days, and when wanted, drain them some time, and lay them on wire sieves to dry in a stove, or nearly cold oven.
Green Gages preserved in Syrup.—(No. 96.)
Take the gages when nearly ripe; cut the stalks about half an inch from the fruit; put them into cold water, with a lump of alum about the size of a walnut; and set them on a slow fire till they come to a simmer: take them from the fire, and put them into cold water; drain, and pack them close into a preserving-pan; pour over them enough clarified sugar to cover them; simmer them two or three minutes; set them by in an earthen pan till next day, when drain the gages, and boil the syrup with more sugar, till quite thick; put in the gages, and simmer them three minutes more, and repeat it for two days; then boil clarified sugar to a blow, as at [No. 94], place the gages into glasses, and pour the syrup over, and, when cold, tie over a bladder, and upon that a leather; and should you want any for drying, drain and dry them on a wire sieve in a stove or slow oven.
Apricots or egg plums may be done in the same way.