In selecting dried currants secure the Zante variety. They are
not currants but a small seedless grape from the Zante Island, and
like all candied and dried fruit, such as citron, lemon and orange
peel, etc., should be moist, tender and without crystals of sugar on
them. In raisins the Sultanas or Seedless, which come to us from
Smyrna, packed in drums, and are of a light amber color, plump
and moist, rank first for fine cakes and puddings, but the Valencia
are cheaper and more commonly used ; for table, the loose Mus-
catels and layer raisins are preferred ; of the latter, the Dehesia Layer
is the finest, very large and fancy, the Cabinet Layer, in bunches,
stands second, and the London Layer third. All raisins exc^^pt the
Sultanas should be large, piiimp, tender and fleshy, with a bluish
cast and no crystals. The California raisins have a tough skin and
large seed, and are not nearly so desirable as foreign importations,
but are largely used on account of the very low price.
Candied Almonds. — Blanch any quantity of almonds, then fry
in butter till a light brown color; wipe nicely with a napkin, and
put into a pan. Make a syrup of white sugar✪ Candied Almonds, and boil to a thread
— ^that is, until on taking a drop of the sugar between the finger and
thumb it will produce a thread ; care must be taken to boil it to the
exact candying-point ; pour it boiling-hot upon the almonds, and stir
them till quite cold. An excellent methocl of preparing almonds or
any nuts for dessert. Or simply blanch them, roll while moirft in
powdered sugar, and place in oven to dry.
Candied Apples, — Squeeze juice of two or three lemons into
I)reserving kettle. Peel, core and slice small apples ; put into the
emon juice and shake over the fire a minute or two ana ^et aside to
312 DRIED FRUITS.
absorb as much juice as possible. When quite cold, put into a sjrrup
of boiling sugar and let simmer until the syrup is turned to sugar
a^ain. Take out the fruit and dry.^ Or peel Golden Pippins, or other
nice tart apples, and put them into a sauce-pan cold water; let
them gradually come to a boil, when remove a little from the fire,
and as soon as they begin to soften take up and drain. To one
quart water in which they were boiled put a pound and a half white
sugar✪ Candied Apples ; boil and skim it ; put in the apples, let come to a boil, and
take them from syrup ; repeat this operation three or four times and
put them on a sieve to dry, flatten them gently with the hands, and
arrange them in bon-bon boxes.
Candied Cherries. — Make a syrup of two pounds loaf sugar
and one cup water and boil until thick enough to "pull," as for can-
dy. Remove to side of range, and stir until it shows signs of gran-
ulating, and it is well to stir frequently while cooking, to secure
this end. When there are grains oi* crystals on the spoon, drop in
carefully stoned cherries✪ Candied Cherries, a few at a time. Let each supply lie in the
boiling syrup two minutes, when remove to a sieve set over a dish.
Shake gently but long, then turn the cherries out upon a cool, broad
dish, and dry in a sunny window. Enough for two quarts cherries.
Page 260 · 3 recipe records on this page
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
In selecting dried currants secure the Zante variety. They are not currants but a small seedless grape from the Zante Island, and like all candied and dried fruit, such as citron, lemon and orange peel, etc., should be moist, tender and without crystals of sugar on them. In raisins the Sultanas or Seedless, which come to us from Smyrna, packed in drums, and are of a light amber color, plump and moist, rank first for fine cakes and puddings, but the Valencia are cheaper and more commonly used ; for table, the loose Muscatels and layer raisins are preferred ; of the latter, the Dehesia Layer is the finest, very large and fancy, the Cabinet Layer, in bunches, stands second, and the London Layer third. All raisins except the Sultanas should be large, plump, tender and fleshy with a bluish cast and no crystals. The California raisins have a tough skin and large seed, and are not nearly so desirable as foreign importations, but are largely used on account of the very low price.
Candied Almonds. — Blanch any quantity of almonds, then fry in butter till a light brown color; wipe nicely with a napkin, and put into a pan. Make a syrup of white sugar, and boil to a thread — ^that is, until on taking a drop of the sugar between the finger and thumb it will produce a thread ; care must be taken to boil it to the exact candying-point; pour it boiling-hot upon the almonds, and stir them till quite cold. An excellent method of preparing almonds or any nuts for dessert. Or simply blanch them, roll while moist in powdered sugar, and place in oven to dry.
Candied Apples, — Squeeze juice of two or three lemons into
preserving kettle. Peel, core and slice small apples ; put into the lemon juice and shake over the fire a minute or two and set aside to
absorb as much juice as possible. When quite cold, put into a syrup of boiling sugar and let simmer until the syrup is turned to sugar a^ain. Take out the fruit and dry. Or peel Golden Pippins, or other nice tart apples, and put them into a sauce-pan with cold water; let them gradually come to a boil, when remove a little from the fire, and as soon as they begin to soften take up and drain. To one quart water in which they were boiled put a pound and a half white sugar ; boil and skim it ; put in the apples, let come to a boil, and take them from syrup ; repeat this operation three or four times and put them on a sieve to dry, flatten them gently with the hands, and arrange them in bon-bon boxes.
Candied Cherries. — Make a syrup of two pounds loaf sugar and one cup water and boil until thick enough to "pull," as for candy. Remove to side of range, and stir until it shows signs of granulating, and it is well to stir frequently while cooking, to secure this end. When there are grains or crystals on the spoon, drop in carefully stoned cherries, a few at a time. Let each supply lie in the boiling syrup two minutes, when remove to a sieve set over a dish. Shake gently but long, then turn the cherries out upon a cool, broad dish, and dry in a sunny window. Enough for two quarts cherries.
Records on this page
Candied AlmondsCandied ApplesCandied Cherries