Introduction to Comfit Making
Fool 3, May 2010
Margaurite des Champs (mka Faye Randle)
Candied Orange Peel
The Arte of Perseruing, Delightes for Ladies, Sir Hugh Plat, 1609
Take your orange pills, after they be preserued: then take fine sugar and rosewater and
boyle it to the height of Manus Christi: then draw thorow your sugar: then lay them on
the bottom of a sieue, and dry them in an ouen after you have drawn breade, and they
will be candied.
The Good Hus-Wives Jewell, 1597.
"Take Cytrons and cut them in peeces, taking out of them the juice or
substance, then boyle them in freshe water halfe an hower untilll they be tender, and
when you take them out, cast them into cold water, leave them there a good while, then
set them on the fire againe in other freshe water, doo but heate it a little with a small fire,
for it not seeth, but let it simper a little, continue thus eight daies together heating them
every day inn hot water: some heat the watre but one day, to the end that the citron be
not too tender, but change the freshe water at night to take out the bitternesse of the
pilles, the which being taken away, you must tkae suger or Honey clarified wherein you
must the citrons put, having first wel dried them from the water, & in winter you must
keep them from the frost, & in the Sommer you shal leave them there all night, and a
day and a night in HOnie, then boile the Honie or Sugar by it selfe without the orenges
or Citrons by the space of halfe an hower or lesse with a little fire, and being colde set it
agiane to the fire with the space of halfe an hower or lesse with a litle fire, and being
colde set it againe to the fire with the Citrons, continuing so two mornings: if you wil
put Honnie in water and not suger, you must clarifie it tow times, and straine it through a
strayner: having thus warmed and clarified it you shall straine and sett it againe to the
fire, with Citrons onely, making them to boyle with a soft fire the spae of a quarter of an
houre, then take it from the fire & let it rest at every time you do it, a day & a night: the
next morning you shall boyle it again together the space of half an hower, and doo so
two morninges, to the end that the Honie or Suger may be well incorporated with the
Citrons. All the cumuing sonsisteth in the boyling of this sirrope togetehr with the
Citrons, and also the Sirrope by it selfe, and herein heede must be takken that it take not
the smoke, so that it savour not the fire: In this manner may be drest the Peaches, or
lemmons Orenges, Apples, green Malnuts, and other liste being boile more or lesse,
according to the nature of the fruits."
My Modernized Recipe:
4 oranges
2 and 1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup water
Peel oranges, and place in a large pot with water to cover. Bring this to the boil and boil
for 1 hour. Remove from heat and strain the peels. Place peels in a sealable container
and cover with water. Seal and leave overnight. Change the water for fresh water the
next day. Do this for 9 days.
After 9 days, drain the peels. Scrape the pith from the orange peels (pith can be removed
before soaking but I find it easier to remove after it has been softened) Cut peels into ¼
inch strips.
In a med saucepan, bring 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water to the boil, stirring constantly to
ensure all sugar is dissolved. Once boiling, add the orange peels and boil for 45
minutes or until translucent. While peels are boiling prepare a bed of granulated sugar
(about 1 ½ cups in a baking sheet).
Remove from heat and strain peels. Immediately place on sugar and separate peels with
a fork so they don’t clump. Leave to dry in the sugar for an hour. Store in an air-tight
container.
Other fruits can be done this way, lemons need only 5 days soaking, and apples only
need to be boiled until soft then candied (it’s best to leave the peels attached to the soft
fruits). Peels can be stored in the freezer until enough have been accumulated to
complete the recipe.
Variations:
-use scented sugar for the sugar on the outside of the peels
-colourant can be used in the sugar syrup to augment the colour of the candy
Heathen Peas
Daz Buch von Guter Spise (1345 to 1354)
Original Recipe
Heidenische erweiz (Heathen (Saracen)Peas
Wilt du machen behemmische erweiz. so nim mandel kern und stoz die gar cleine. und
mengez mit dritteil als vil honiges. und mit guten wurtzen wol gemenget. so ers aller
beste hat. die koste git man kalt oder warm.
Translation
How you want to make heathen peas. So take almond kernels and pound them very
small. And mix it with a third as much honey. And with good spices well mixed. So it
has the very best. One hands this out greedily, cold or warm.
Modernized Recipie
4 cups ground almonds
1 cup honey
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
Place the almonds in a large bowl and mix in cinnamon. Bring the honey to the boil,
remove from heat and add to the almonds, stirring well.
Keeping a bowl of warm water near by (to rinse your hands occasionally), take a
generous pinch of the honey/nut mixture and roll into a ½ inch ball. Continue until all of
the mixture is used. Keeps well in a cool place, sealed container. Makes approximately
180- ½ inch balls
Variations:
-roasting 3 cups of the nuts will eliminate any bitter taste. Place ground nuts on a baking
sheet and place in a 400 degree F oven for 5 minutes. Add to the remaining cup of
almonds them add cinnamon and proceed as above.
-For a spicier version add ¼ tsp cloves and 1tsp ginger with the cinnamon.
Comfits
Delights for Ladies, to adorne their Perfons, Tables, Clofets, and Diftillatoriess,
With Beatuies, Banqvets, Perfumes & Waters, 1609
54.The art of comfet-making, teaching how to cover all kinds of seeds, fruits or spices
wiht sugar.
First of all you must have a deepe bottomed bason of fine cleane brasse or latten, with
two eares of Iron to hang it wiht tow several cords over a bason or earthen pan with hot
coales.
You must also have a broad pan to put ashes in, and hot coales upon them.
You must have a clean latten bason oto melt your sugar in, or a faire brasen skillet.
You must aslo have a fine brasen ladle, to let run the sugar upon the seeds.
You must aslo have a brasen slice, to scrape away the sugar from the hanging bason if
neede require.
Having all these necessarie vessells and instruments, worke as followeth.
Choose the whitest, finest, and hardest sugar, a qarter of a pound of Anniseed; or
Coriander seeds, and your comfits will be great enough; and if you will make them
greater, take halfe a pound more of sugar, or one pound more, and then they will be
faire and large.
And hhalfe a pound of Annis-seeds with two pounds of sugar, will make fine small
comfits.
You may also take quarter and a halfe of Annis-seeds, and three pound of Sugar, or
halfe a pound of Annis seeds, and foure pound of sugar Do the like in Coriander-seeds.
Melt your Sugar in this manner:viz. Put three pounds of your powder-sugar into the
bason, and one pint of cleane running water thereunto; stirre it well with a brazen slice,
until all be moist and well wet: then set it over the fire, without smoke or flame, and melt
it well, that there bee no whole gristie sugar in the bottome, and let it seethe mildely,
untill it will streame from the Ladle like Turpentine, with a long streame, and not drop:
when it is come to his decoction, let it seethe no more, but keep it upon hot embers, that
it may run from the Ladle upon the seeds.
To make them speedily, let your water be seething hot, or seething and put powder sugar
to them: cast on your sugar boiling hote: have a good warme fire under the hanging
Bason
Take as much water to your Sugar, as will dissolve the same.
Never skim you sugar, if it bee clean and fine.
Put no kind of starch or Amylum to your sugar.
Seeth not your Sugar too long: for, that will make it black, yellow or tawnie.
Moove the seeds in the hanging bason as fast as you can or may, when the sugar is in
casting.
At first coate put on but one halfe spoonefull with the ladle, and all to move the bason,
move, stirre and rubbe the seeds with thy left hand a pretty while, for they will take
sugar the better, and drie them well after every coate.
Doe this at every coat, not onely moving the bason, but also with the stirring of the
comfits with the left hand, and drying the same, thus dooin you shall make good speed in
the making:as, in everie three houres you may make three pound of comfits.
And as the cofits doe increase in greatness, so you may take more Sugar in your ladle to
cast on. But for plaine comfits, let your Sugar be of a light decoction last, and of a
higher decoction first, and not too hote.
For cripe and ragged comfits, make your sugar of a high decoction, even as high as it
may runne from the ladle, and let fall a foothigh or more from the ladle, and athe hottter
you cast in your sugar, the more ragged will your comfits bee. Aslo the comfits will not
take so much of the sugar as they will upon a light decoction, and they will keepe their
raggednesse long. This high decociton must serve for eight or ten coates in the end of
the worke, put on at every time but one spoonefull,and have a light hand with your
bason,casting on but little sugar.
A quarter of a pound of Coriander seeds and three pound of sugar will make great huge,
and big comfets.
See that you keepe your Sugar alwaies in good temper in the bason, that it burne not
into lumpes or gobbets: and if your sugar bee at any time too high boyled, put in a
spoonefull or two of water, and keep it warily with the ladle, and let your fire alwaies
bee without smoke or flame.
Some commend a Ladle that hath a hoel in it to let the sugar run thorow of a height: but
you may make your comfits in their perfect forme and shape, onely with a plain Ladle.
Wehn you comfits be make, set your dishes with your comfits upon papers in them,
before the heat of the fire, or in the hot Sunne, or in an Oven after the bread is drawne,
by the space of an houre or tow:and this will make them to be very white.
Take a quarter of a pound of Annis-seeds, and two pound of Sugar and this proportion
will make them very great: and even a like quantity take of Carroway-seeds, Fennell
seeds and Coriander seeds.
Take of the fines Cinamon, and cut it into pretty small stickes beeing dry and beware
you wet it not, that deadeth the Cinamon: And then worke as in other comfits. Doe this
with Orenge rindes likewise.
My Modernized Recipe
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup (approx.) seeds, nuts, spice bits
Colourant (food colouring, saffron, flower petals) (optional)
Using a heavy pan, over low heat, combine sugar and water. Stir frequently until sugar
melts, using a damp pastry brush to remove any crystals that form on the side of the pan.
Once the syrup reached soft ball stage (170oF) it is ready to use. Keep the syrup on
lowest heat setting to keep from setting. (softball stage is when syrup is dropped in a
glass of water it will for a soft pliable ball) .
Place seeds in a medium plastic or metal bowl (leave yourself lots of stirring room).
Pour a tablespoon of the syrup onto the seeds, shaking the bowl as you pour. Working
quickly, begin to stir the seeds using the small fork. As the seeds separate they will
begin to roll, stirring until the seeds are separate and appear somewhat white. This will
require some effort and should be done with some speed. The first few coats will be
barely noticeable, but they will increase in size as more coats are added.
Avoid the temptation to use more than one spoonful per coat …especially during the
first 10 coats. Using too much syrup will result in clumps of seeds. Once the first coat
is dry, a second coat can be added. Allow the comfits to dry between each coat. Make
sure the syrup is not crystallizing or boiling. Comfits will take between 20-30 coats to
complete. If desired the syrup can be coloured for the final few coats, using food
colouring or natural colorants (like saffron).
Variations:
-to spice up nut comfits add a teaspoon or two of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or cloves …
or a mixture.
Additional Recipes:
To candy any root, fruit, or flower
The English Housewife. 1615
Dissolve sugar, or sugar-candy in rose-water, boil it t a height, put in your roots, fruits,
or flowers, the syrup being cold, then rest a little; after take them out and boil the syrup
the third time to a hardness, putting in more sugar, but not rose-water: put in the roots,
etc., the syrup being cold, and let them stand until they candy.
Spicy Nuts
Better Homes and Gardens Cookies and Candies 1968
(not period, but a great recipe for sugared nuts, and easier than making them the same
way as comfits)
2 ½ cups nut meats
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
In 2 quart saucepan combine sugar, water, cinnamon and salt. Cook and stir until sugar
dissolves and mixture boils. Cook, without stirring, to soft ball stage. Remove from
heat.
Beat by hand about one minute until mixture begins to get creamy. Add nuts; stir gently
until nuts are covered. Turn out onto a cookie sheet and separate at once using two
forks. Makes about 1 pound.
Scented Sugar
Sugar
Herbs, spices, flowers
Place granulated sugar in a large clean jar. Add dried herbs, dried flowers or whole
spices. Seal the jar. Leave for 6-8 weeks, shaking once a week. Sugar will take on the
flavour of the herbs or spices.
Use in place of regular granulated sugar.