1308. How To Clarify Sugar

Take the quantity of fine white loaf sugar you intend to clarify, add to it of very clean warm water half a pint for every pound; when dissolved add to it the white of one or two eggs - as the quantity may require - well whipped, put it on the fire, and when it comes to a boil pour into it an ordinary tea-cupful of cold water; on its rising again to a boil remove it and let it settle for twenty minutes, skim the scum from the top, pour off the syrup into a clean vessel with sufficient quickness to leave all the sediment at the bottom, and such steadiness as to prevent any of the latter rising and mixing with it.

1309. How To Clarify Sugar

Break into pieces four pounds of sugar; into a preserving-pan put the white of an egg, and a glass of clean spring water: mix them well with a whisk; add another, still whipping, until you have added two quarts of water: when the pan is full of froth throw in the sugar, and set it on the fire, being very careful to skim it every time the scum rises, which will be the case as the sugar boils up. After a few boilings, the sugar will rise so high as to run over the edges of the pan, to prevent which throw on it a little cold water; this will lower it instantly, and give time for the skimming, for the scum should never be removed while the sugar is bubbling. The cold water stills it, and that is the moment to skim it. Repeat this operation carefully three or four times, when a whitish light scum only will rise; then take the pan off, lay a napkin, slightly wetted, over a basin, and pour the sugar through it. The scum thus taken off put into a china basin, and when the sugar is clarified wash the pan and the skimmer with a glass of water, which put to the scum, and set aside for more common purposes.

1310. How To Boil Sugar For Baskets Or Spinning

Fill quite full a pint and a half stewpan with pieces of lump sugar, fill the stew-pan with clear spring water, let the water barely cover the sugar, put it on to boil, skim it all the time that any scum arises; let it boil fast with the stew-pan flat upon the fire, not halfway; it will not boil over if your fire is regular. Then get ready a large basin of cold water, and when it has boiled some time and begins to appear all froth or bladders do not go away and leave it; after having boiled so for some few minutes have a silver spoon and dip it into it, and then into the water, if it is getting to a substance pour in the juice of half a lemon, free from pips, still keeping it boiling on the fire, keep frequently trying it by dropping and spinning a little in the cold water, and when it makes a crackling noise and is very brittle take off your stewpan and pour it into a cold stewpan; work it well with your spoon, give it one more boil, then take it off and hold the stewpan in cold water, stirring it all the time, for a minute or two, it is then ready for a basket, or spinning, or what you may require it for.

It is but very little used now for second courses; at breakfasts and ball suppers it is generally introduced and liked, but it too frequently answers the purpose of lock and key, saying as much, " this must not be touched;" many think it will do again, and do not like to break through it.