895. Gum Paste

Put some gum dragon into a basin with warm water enough to cover one inch above the gum, set this in a warm closet for four and twenty hours; have a new tammy ready laid over a dish, spread it on it and squeeze through as much as you can at first, then open the tammy, then spread the gum out again and then squeeze it; repeat this till the gum is through, then lay it on the slab, work it well with your hands, put in the juice of lemon and add a pound of double refined sugar by degrees as you work it, but before you have put in the whole of the sugar, put in some of the best starch powder; blend them well together till the paste begins to make an impression, then roll it in a cloth and let it lie in a damp place for a week; work it with powder and it will cut and mould to any shape. When you want to harden it, set it in the cool, and when you want to colour it, for red use cochineal or carmine, for blue, for violet use indigo, for yellow saffron, for green beet leaves; scald over the fire, the thick part mix with the paste.

896. Gum Paste Of Gum Dragon

Put your gum to soak all night, the next day twist the gum through a clean coarse cloth, mix in equal quantity of starch powder, mix well and very stiff, in your mortar.

The same weight of sugar, butter, flour, and eggs, the grating of a lemon, a pinch of salt, work all this together, add half a 'glass of brandy, a quarter of a pound of ground sweet almonds, and a few litter ones, then spread the paste on a baking sheet quite smooth and even, put it in the oven; when it is set cut it into any shape you may fancy, return it again into the oven, and brown it on both sides. Dish on a napkin.

898. Fancy Pastry

Use some fancy cutter, and use the second paste as before, cutting-each piece a quarter of an inch thick, egg them and glaze them, and bake them a light brown, when cold put different coloured sweetmeats, such as apple jelly, red currant jelly into devices upon the top of each piece, dish them upon a napkin.

899. Sandwich Pastry

The prepared second paste you will cut into lengths about three inches and a half or quarter thick, lay each piece on its side upon the baking sheet without paper, each an inch apart; it will take twenty-four pieces to make a dish. "When half baked cover each piece thickly over with sifted sugar, then return them to the oven until getting a little coloured, take them out and hold the red hot shovel at a distance over them until they are a beautiful gloss, then take them off upon paper on a dish; spread one piece with some sort of jam, then place the other cup on it until all is done, dish them on a napkin round.

900. Sweet Or Biscuit Crust

Put half a pound of flour on your board, put into it two yolks of eggs, mix this all up that you cannot see the egg, then add a good dessert-spoonful of fine sifted sugar; work it all well in the flour, then work in about two ounces of butter, then mix a.little water or milk sufficient to make a stiff paste. Beat it with your rolling pin well, and work it well with, your hands until quite smooth, roll half a quarter of an inch thickness, for your tarts either for slip tarts or covered, glaze the covered tarts either before going into the oven or after, if first, beat up a little white of egg, spread it on the top of your tart, then cover it with sifted sugar, then gently sprinkle the sugar with water until all is damped, then sugar it again, bake it in a slow fire, notch the edge of your tart very fine.