Spun sugar is used to ornament large candied pieces of
fruit and nuts, or nougat; for instance, the preceding piece,
the chartreuse of oranges, might be covered with spun sugar
after it is taken from the mould ; or a pyramid formed of
macaroons, cemented with white of egg ; or any large orna-
mental combination piece built up of candied nuts, fruit,
and macaroons ; or such a stand of candy as is shown upon
the table in the background of the accompanying engraving.
The sirup is boiled to the degree called " the crack," and
then a very little of it is poured from a spoon moved back
and forth over an oiled knife held as shown in the engraving.
The motion must be quick and. steady ; the spun sugar may
be made in the long sections shown in the picture, or in
1
Vi
v^
* <r
Making Spun Sugar,
520 PRACTICAL AMERICAN COOKERY.
shorter lengths ; or it may be spun directly over the piece to
be ornamented.
DEGREES OF BOILING SUGAR.
The degrees of boiling sugar for confectioners' purposes
are seven : /a lisse, or thread, small and large ; la perle, or
pearl, small and large ; le souffle, or blow ; la plume, or
feather ; le boulet, or ball, small and large ; la casse, or crack ;
and le caramel, or the point of burning.
The hand is used in testing, iirst dipping the fingers in
cold water, and then quickly into the boiling sugar : sugaj-
is also boiled by degrees marked on the saccharometer, an
instrument which registers the density of sirup ; the hand-
test is given here.
THE THREAD.
After the sugar has been boiling a few moments, wet the
forefinger, dip it into the sirup, and quickly withdraw it,
press it upon the thumb, and then pull it away ; the small
thread is when the sugar breaks after the thumb and finger
have been separated to a short distance ; the large thread,
when they can be stretched farther apart without breaking
the sugar.
THE PEARL.
The pearl is when the sugar reaches without breaking if
the fingers are extended nearly as far as possible ; the large
pearl, when the thread of sugar remains intact after the
fingers are stretched to their widest extent.
THE BLOW.
At this degree of boiling, small bubbles may be formed
by dipping a skimmer in the sugar, and then blowing through
the holes ; the bubbles fly apart, and sparkle on the reverse
of the skimmer.
DESSERT. 521
THE FEATHER.
When this point is reached, the bubbles formed by blow-
ing the sugar through the skimmer are larger ; and if the
skimmer is shaken, fine threads of sugar like floss fly off
from it.
THE BALL.
At "the ball," a little of the sugar can be rolled to a very
soft ball between the wet fingers. The next degree is the
larger and harder ball of sugar, which can be bitten with-
out sticking to the teeth.
The sugar should now be tested constantly.
THE CRACK.
As this degree of boiling appfoaches, large purling bub-
bles form upon the surface of the boiling sugar, and it is
very near the point for making spun sugar and candied nuts
and fruit. Wet the hand, and dip it into the boiling sugar,
and then again into the cold water ; if the sugar hardens at
once, and breaks with a crackling noise between the fingers
or the teeth, the proper point has been reached, and the
sugar must at once be taken from the fire, because there is
great danger that it will pass beyond the point of caramel.
CARAMEL.
Page 276
Presented as published in 1885. 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
Spun sugar is used to ornament large candied pieces of fruit and nuts, or nougat; for instance, the preceding piece, the chartreuse of oranges, might be covered with spun sugar after it is taken from the mould ; or a pyramid formed of macaroons, cemented with white of egg ; or any large ornamental combination piece built up of candied nuts, fruit, and macaroons ; or such a stand of candy as is shown upon the table in the background of the accompanying engraving. The sirup is boiled to the degree called " the crack," and then a very little of it is poured from a spoon moved back and forth over an oiled knife held as shown in the engraving. The motion must be quick and. steady ; the spun sugar may be made in the long sections shown in the picture, or in
v^
* <r
Making Spun Sugar,
shorter lengths ; or it may be spun directly over the piece to be ornamented.
DEGREES OF BOILING SUGAR.
The degrees of boiling sugar for confectioners' purposes are seven : /a lisse, or thread, small and large ; la perle, or pearl, small and large ; le souffle, or blow ; la plume, or feather ; le boulet, or ball, small and large ; la casse, or crack ; and le caramel, or the point of burning.
The hand is used in testing, iirst dipping the fingers in cold water, and then quickly into the boiling sugar : sugajis also boiled by degrees marked on the saccharometer, an instrument which registers the density of sirup ; the handtest is given here.
THE THREAD.
After the sugar has been boiling a few moments, wet the forefinger, dip it into the sirup, and quickly withdraw it, press it upon the thumb, and then pull it away ; the small thread is when the sugar breaks after the thumb and finger have been separated to a short distance ; the large thread, when they can be stretched farther apart without breaking the sugar.
THE PEARL.
The pearl is when the sugar reaches without breaking if the fingers are extended nearly as far as possible ; the large pearl, when the thread of sugar remains intact after the fingers are stretched to their widest extent.
THE BLOW.
At this degree of boiling, small bubbles may be formed by dipping a skimmer in the sugar, and then blowing through the holes ; the bubbles fly apart, and sparkle on the reverse of the skimmer.
THE FEATHER.
When this point is reached, the bubbles formed by blowing the sugar through the skimmer are larger ; and if the skimmer is shaken, fine threads of sugar like floss fly off from it.
THE BALL.
At "the ball," a little of the sugar can be rolled to a very soft ball between the wet fingers. The next degree is the larger and harder ball of sugar, which can be bitten without sticking to the teeth.
The sugar should now be tested constantly.
THE CRACK.
As this degree of boiling approaches, large purling bubbles form upon the surface of the boiling sugar, and it is very near the point for making spun sugar and candied nuts and fruit. Wet the hand, and dip it into the boiling sugar, and then again into the cold water ; if the sugar hardens at once, and breaks with a crackling noise between the fingers or the teeth, the proper point has been reached, and the sugar must at once be taken from the fire, because there is great danger that it will pass beyond the point of caramel.
CARAMEL.