Mrs. Mary Ealess receipts | Page 7

them when the Skin cracks; let them have a Boil, and they will be very soon green; you may put some of them in Codling-Jelly, first boiling the Jelly with the Weight in Sugar.
To dry AMBER, or any WHITE PLUMS.
Slit your Plums in the Seam; then make a thin Syrup. If you have any Apricock-Syrup left, after your Apricocks are dry'd, put a Pint of Syrup to two Quarts of Water; if you have none, clarify single-refin'd Loaf-Sugar, and make a thin Syrup: Make the Syrup scalding hot, and put in the Plums; there must be so much Syrup as will more than cover the Plums; they must be kept under the Syrup, or they will turn red: Keep them in a Scald 'till they are tender, but not too soft; then have ready a thick Syrup of the same Sugar, clarify'd and cold, as much as will cover the Plums; let them boil, but not too fast, 'till they are very tender and clear, setting them sometimes off the Fire; then lay a Paper close to them, and set them by 'till the next Day; then boil them again 'till the Syrup is very thick; let them lye in the Syrup four or five Days, then lay them on Sieves to dry: You may put some in Codling-Jelly, first boiling the Jelly with the Weight in Sugar, and put in the Plums hot to the Jelly. Put them in Pots or Glasses.
To dry BLACK PEAR-PLUMS, or MUSCLES, or the GREAT MOGULS.
Stone your Plums, and put them in a large earthen Pot; make a Syrup with a Pound of single-refin'd Sugar and three Pints of Water; or if you have the Syrup the white Plums are dry'd out of, thin it with Water, it will do as well as Sugar; boil your Syrup well, and when it is cold enough to hold your Hand in it, put it to the Plums; cover them close, and let them stand all Night; heat the Syrup two or three Times, but never too hot; when they are tender, lay them on Sieves, with the Slit downwards to dry; put them in the Oven, made no hotter than it is after Bread or Pyes come out of it; let them stand all Night therein; then open them and turn them, and set them in a cool Oven again, or in an hot Stove, for a Day or two; but if they are too dry, they will not be smooth; then make a Jam to fill them with. Take ten Pound of Plums, the same Sort of your Skins, cut them off the Stones, put to them three Pound of Powder-Sugar; boil them on a slow Fire, keeping them stirring 'till it's so stiff, that it will lye in a Heap in the Pan; it will be boiling at least four or five Hours; lay it on Earthen Plates; when it is cold, break it with your Hands, and fill your Skins; then wash every Plum, and wipe all the Clam off with a Cloth: As you wash them, lay them on a Sieve; put them in the Oven, make your Oven as hot as for your Skins; let them stand all Night, and they will be blue in the Morning. The great white Mogul makes a fine black Plum; stone them, and put them in the Syrup with or after the black Plum; and heat the Syrup every Day, 'till they are of a dark Colour; they will blue as well as the Muscles, and better than the black Pear-Plums. If any of these Plums grow rusty in the Winter, put them into boiling hot Water; let them lye no longer than to be well wash'd: Lay them on a Sieve, not singly, but one on the other, and they will blue the better: Put them in a cool Oven all Night, they will be as blue and fresh as at first.
To preserve BLACK PEAR-PLUMS or DAMASCENES.
Take two Pound of Plums, and cut them in the Seam; then take a Pint and half of Jelly, made of the same Plum, and three Pound and a half of Sugar; boil the Jelly and Sugar, and scum it well; put your Plums in a Pot; pour the Jelly on them scalding hot: When they are almost cold, heat them again; so do 'till they are tender, and then let them stand two or three Days, heating them every Day; then boil them 'till they look clear and jelly: Don't boil them too fast.
To preserve WHITE PEAR-PLUMS.
Slit your Plums, and scald them in a thin Syrup; as for drying them, put them in a thick Syrup of clarify'd Sugar, as much as will cover them; let them boil very slow, 'till they are very clear, sometimes setting