This section is from the book "Soyer's Standard Cookery", by Nicolas Soyer. Also available from Amazon: Soyer's Standard Cookery.
Ingredients. - Two pounds of icing sugar or fine castor sugar, two gills of cold water, two dessertspoonfuls of coffee essence.
Method. - Put the sugar and water into a stewpan, stir by the side of the fire until it reaches boiling-point, and simmer for four or five minutes. Pour the syrup into a bowl, add the coffee essence, and stir until the icing becomes less transparent as it cools. If used before it reaches this point it will have a dull appearance.
 
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