combinations of these secondaries — purple, green, and
orange — can be brought about in such a manner as to
give all the most beautiful and delicate tints and shades
of the rainbow. A further combination of primaries and
secondaries gives tertiary colours — thus : yellow and green
give a yellow-green, blue and green a blue-green, and so on,
varying in intensity according to the colour preponderating.
Aniline Colours. — Many believe that those powerful colouring
agents are poisonous ; but although this may bo so of large
quantities, in small proportions, such as would be required
to colour sugar, no injurious effect need be anticipated.
To extract the colour from these dyes, it is only necessary
to boil them in alcohol. One or two drops will colour a
whole boiling of sugar.
Blue. — Use powdered Prussian blue (soluble) or ultramarine
blue of the best qualities only. Inferior or “ ordinary ”
Prussian blue is insoluble unless a small quantity of oxalic
acid (a deadly poison) is added; but the “pure soluble”
Prussian blue, being made from iron, is harmless in small
quantities. It may be dissolved in water to produce any
desii’ed depth of colour ; but 1 drachm in 1 wineglassful of
water will be found strong enough for all culinary purposes.
Green. — (1) Wash and pound a quantity of spinach. Take it out
in small lots, put it in a cloth, and twist the en Is of the cloth in
contrary directions ; when all the water is out, put the spinach
into a sugar-pan, and place the pan on the fire ; when the liquid
begins to curdle, pour it through a very fine sieve, so as to pre-
serve the colouring matter and not the water. The colouring,
which will be on the sieve like a puree, is removed with a spoon,
put into a glass, and placed in the cool until wanted.
(2) A perfectly harmless green colouring substance for can-
dies and other confectioneries can be produced from unroasted
coffee-beans. They must be reduced to powder, and the oil
extracted by macerating for a short time in ether ; then let
them be dried and mixed with sufficient white of egg to make a
kind of gruel. Let this remain exposed to the air for a few
days, and then bottle for use. It will yield a splendid emerald-
green colour.
Red. — ( 1 ) Carmine gives a beautiful colour, but is frequently
adulterated with starch and cheaper aniline dyes ; it should
be obtained from cochineal, and be very bright and lasting in
use. Take 2oz. of solid carmine in cakes (the best only should
be used), damp with a little water, pound in a glass mortar,
and dilute with 3J pints of syrup ; boil up again, and then
leave to get cold. Just before bottling this, add 1 teaspoonful
of sal-ammoniac for each 1J pints of syrup.
Colourings — continued.
(2) Take 150 grains of cochineal, damp it with 1 wine-
glassful of water, and pound in a glass mortar. Put this
into a saucepan with 100 grains of cream of tartar, 100 grains
of alum, and 200 grains of sugar, and put the pan over a
good fire to reduce the liquid to one-half its original bulk ;
add about J pint of spirits of wine, boil up again, and strain.
It is then ready for use, and can be put into bottles until
required.
Page 452
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
combinations of these secondaries — purple, green, and orange — can be brought about in such a manner as to give all the most beautiful and delicate tints and shades of the rainbow. A further combination of primaries and secondaries gives tertiary colours — thus : yellow and green give a yellow-green, blue and green a blue-green, and so on, varying in intensity according to the colour preponderating. Aniline Colours. — Many believe that those powerful colouring agents are poisonous ; but although this may be so of large quantities, in small proportions, such as would be required to colour sugar, no injurious effect need be anticipated.
To extract the colour from these dyes, it is only necessary to boil them in alcohol. One or two drops will colour a whole boiling of sugar.
Blue. — Use powdered Prussian blue (soluble) or ultramarine blue of the best qualities only. Inferior or “ ordinary ” Prussian blue is insoluble unless a small quantity of oxalic acid (a deadly poison) is added; but the “pure soluble” Prussian blue, being made from iron, is harmless in small quantities. It may be dissolved in water to produce any desired depth of colour ; but 1 drachm in 1 wineglassful of water will be found strong enough for all culinary purposes. Green. — (1) Wash and pound a quantity of spinach. Take it out in small lots, put it in a cloth, and twist the en Is of the cloth in contrary directions ; when all the water is out, put the spinach into a sugar-pan, and place the pan on the fire ; when the liquid begins to curdle, pour it through a very fine sieve, so as to preserve the colouring matter and not the water. The colouring, which will be on the sieve like a puree, is removed with a spoon, put into a glass, and placed in the cool until wanted.
(2) A perfectly harmless green colouring substance for candies and other confectioneries can be produced from unroasted coffee-beans. They must be reduced to powder, and the oil extracted by macerating for a short time in ether ; then let them be dried and mixed with sufficient white of egg to make a kind of gruel. Let this remain exposed to the air for a few days, and then bottle for use. It will yield a splendid emeraldgreen colour.
Red. — ( 1 ) Carmine gives a beautiful colour, but is frequently adulterated with starch and cheaper aniline dyes ; it should be obtained from cochineal, and be very bright and lasting in use. Take 2oz. of solid carmine in cakes (the best only should be used), damp with a little water, pound in a glass mortar, and dilute with 3J pints of syrup ; boil up again, and then leave to get cold. Just before bottling this, add 1 teaspoonful of sal-ammoniac for each 1J pints of syrup.
Colourings — continued.
(2) Take 150 grains of cochineal, damp it with 1 wineglassful of water, and pound in a glass mortar. Put this into a saucepan with 100 grains of cream of tartar, 100 grains of alum, and 200 grains of sugar, and put the pan over a good fire to reduce the liquid to one-half its original bulk ; add about J pint of spirits of wine, boil up again, and strain. It is then ready for use, and can be put into bottles until required.