The encyclopædia of practical cookery

(5) Take 41b. of large red Cherries, thoroughly ripe, remove their stalks, and stone them. Put them into a preservingpan, and stir them over a gentle fire till they are reduced to one-half of the original bulk. Clarify 81b. of loaf sugar and boil it to the degree of heat at which if the finger be dipped in cold water, then instantly dipped into the boiling sugar and immediately back again into cold water, the sugar will roll from the finger in a ball in the water, and will become rather hard as it cools (set Sugar-boiling). When the sugar has attained this degree of' heat, add the boiled Cherries to it, and keep stirring till the bottom of the pan can be seen ; it is then boiled enough. Take the pan from the fire, let the marmalade cool a little, and put it into pots. Lay over the marmalade in each pot a piece of white paper dipped in brandy and cover the pots air-tight. Cherry Marzipan. — Blanch 31b. of almonds, put them in a mortar, and pound to a paste with a little cold water. Boil in a preserving-pan 2½lb. of sugar to the degree of heat at which if the finger be dipped in cold water, then instantly into boiling sugar, and immediately back again into the water, the sugar will roll from the finger in a ball, but the ball will remain soft when cold (see Sugar-boiling). When the sugar is boiled to this degree, mix the almond paste with it. Take lib. of ripe red Cherries, remove the stalks and stones, bruise, and squeeze the juice out of them; add this juice to the paste in the pan and mix it well. Keep the pan on hot ashes, and stir and work up this paste constantly with a wooden spatula for two hours, taking very great care that none of the paste be allowed to stick to the pan. If on touching it then it does not stick to the finger, it is done enough ; if so, push it all to one side of the pan. Clean the bottom and side that has been cleared of the mixture and dredge it well with flour, then put all the paste on the floured part and clean and flour the rest of the pan. Now take the pan by both handles and give it a sort of circular shake, or move it round and round till the paste all unites together. Lay it in paper, or, if required for immediate use, on a well-floured table. Cherry and Noyeau Cream Bonbons. — These are worthy of more than ordinary attention, having . been contrived by Francatelli when Confectioner to the Queen. Work 2oz. of soaked and strained gum arabie, j pint of noyeau, and some sugar, to an elastic paste. Then take 1 gill of Cherry-juice, the whites of two eggs, and the remainder of the 21b. of sugar (of which some was used to make the paste)-, and make an icing. With these two mixtures make the bonbons Cherries — continued. as follows : Put the paste into a biscuit-forcer having a jin. hole at the end, and squeeze it out on to a baking-sheet previously dusted with finely-powdered sugar. Taking the forcer with the left hand, have a small knife in the right, and cut off the paste as it comes out in pieces about the size of filberts. Then place the baking-sheet before the fire for ten minutes to dry their surfaces. With the tip of a fork, take each one separately and dip it into the icing, put it on a wire strainer, and place them when ready again in front of the fire for ten minutes, when they will be fit to be put in boxes with paper between the layers.