Baronial 12th Night - How to cover all kinds of Seeds, or little pieces of Spices, or Orange or Limon Pill, with Sugar for Comfits. The queen-like closet (1670)

How to cover all kinds of Seeds, or little pieces of Spices, or Orange or Limon Pill, with Sugar for Comfits. The queen-like closet (1670)

Thomas Dawson lists comfets (comfits) as one of the "necessaries appertaining to a banquet".

How to cover all kinds of Seeds, or little pieces of Spices, or Orange or Limon Pill, with Sugar for Comfits. First of all you must have a deep bottomed Basin of Brass or Latin, with two ears of Iron to hang it with two Cords over some hot Coals. You must also have a broad Pan to put Ashes in, and hot Coals upon them. You must have a Brass Ladle to let run the Sugar upon the Seeds. You must have a Slice of Brass to scrape away the Sugar from the sides of the hanging Basin if need be. Having all these things in readiness, do as followeth; Take fine white Sugar beaten, and let your Seeds and Spice be dry, then dry them again in your hanging Basin: Take to every two pounds of Sugar one quarter of a pound of Spices or Seeds, or such like.

If it be Aniseeds, two pounds of Sugar to half a pound of Aniseeds, will be enough. Melt your Sugar in this manner, put in three Pounds of Sugar into the Basin, and one Pint of Water, stir it well till it be wet, then melt it very well and boil it very softly until it will stream from the Ladle like Turpentine, and not drop, then let it seeth no more, but keep it upon warm Embers, that it may run from the Ladle upon the seeds.

Move the Seeds in the hanging Basin so fast as you can or may, and with one hand, cast on half a Ladle full at a time of the hot Sugar, and rub the Seeds with your other hand a pretty while, for that will make them take the Sugar the better, and dry them well after every Coat. Do thus at every Coat, not only in moving the Basin, but also with stirring of the Comfits with the one hand, and drying the same: in every hour you may make three pounds of Comfits; as the Comfits do increase in bigness, so you may take more Sugar in your Ladle to cast on: But for plain Comfits, let your Sugar be of a light decoction last, and of a high decoction first, and not too hot.

For crisp and ragged Comfits make your decoction so high, as that it may run from the Ladle, and let it fall a foot high or more from the Ladle, and the hotter you cast on your sugar, the more ragged will your Comfits be; also the Comfits will not take so much of the sugar, as upon a light decoction, and they will keep their raggedness long; this high decoction must serve for eight or ten Coats, and put on at every time but one Ladle full. A quarter of a pound of Coriander seeds, and three pounds of sugar, will serve for very great Comfits. See that you keep your Sugar in the Basin always in good temper, that it burn not in Lumps, and if at any time it be too high boiled, put in a spoonful or two of water, and keep it warily with your Ladle, and let your fire be always very clear, when your Comfits be made, set them in Dishes upon Paper in the Sun or before the Fire, or in the Oven after Bread is drawn, for the space of one hour or two, and that will make them look very white.

Comfits

1 tbsp. seed of choice (anise, fennel, caraway)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

To make smooth comfits you will want your sugar syrup heated to a lower heat, while jagged comfits you will need to heat your sugar to a higher heat. To make smooth comfits, I put the sugar and the water into a pot and then I heat it on low until the sugar has melted. At this point I heat the seeds in a large flat pan, similar to a wok or frying pan on low heat. If you can't comfortably reach into the pan and stir the seeds with your hand, then the pan is too hot.

Once the seeds are fragrant, and your syrup is heated take a teaspoon of it and pour it over the seeds in the pan. Using the back of a wooden spoon, (or your hand) stir the seeds until the sugar dries. If the seeds stick together, you have used too much syrup. If the sugar forms pellets in the bottom of the pan then you have used too much syrup.

The first few charges (coats) of the syrup the seed will look grayish, and then they will gradually begin to turn white. Continue to add syrup to your seeds until your comfits reach the size you want. They will lighten and whiten as they cool. If you wish to add color to your comfits add it to the syrup a few charges before your comfits reach the size you want.

Baronial 12th Night - Fig, Walnut and Candied Ginger Fruit Paste

Fig, Walnut and Candied Ginger (a rift of Rapeye--I claim cooks perogative)

Updated 6/15/2022 to include two steps I forgot!

I took several liberties with this recipe in order to accommodate allergies. First, the fruit was not cooked in wine, secondly I did not use pine nuts, apples were substituted for currants in order to get pectin and make the paste set up, and lastly, I added candied ginger in place of the other spices. It is in fact almost a completely different recipe then the original, but the method is the same.

Ingredients  (Serves 24)

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3 cups sugar
1 1/2-2 cups finely chopped dried figs
2-3 tbsp. candied ginger sliced into small slivers
1 cup toasted walnuts

OPT: Cinnamon Stick

Directions

1. Place cored apples and figs into a pot and add water. Bring to a boil and cook until the fruit is very tender and starting to fall apart. 

2.  Place your fruit into a food processor and process until it forms a very smooth puree. Do not strain your fruit. 

3. Return fruit puree to the pan and add lemon juice, optional cinnamon and sugar and heat on low until the sugar has melted. 

4. Once sugar has melted into the fruit puree, increase heat to medium, and stir constantly until mixture becomes extremely fragrant, darker and thickens enough that a spoon pulled through the fruit leaves a furrow behind. 

5.  Remove from heat and add candied ginger and toasted walnuts. Stir until thoroughly mixed. 

6. Pour your paste into a lightly oiled mold, or onto a lightly oiled parchment lined cookie sheet and leave in a warm oven overnight. Alternatively, you could pour your paste into a cupcake or muffin pan. 

7. Unmold before serving. 

 

Fig. Walnut and Candied Ginger Fruit Paste in the pan 

Baronial 12th Night - To make Marmalade of Damsins or Prunes, The treasurie of commodius conceits (1573)

To make Marmalade of Damsins or Prunes, The treasurie of commodius conceits (1573) - TAke Damsins, which ar ripe, boyle them on the Fyre with a lyttle fayre water tyll they bee softe, then draw them through a course Boulter as ye make a tart set it on the Fyre agayne seeth iton height with sufficient sugar, as you do your Quinces, dash it with sweete water. &c. and box it. If you wil make it of Prunes, euen likewise doo put some Apples also to it, as you dyd to your Quinces.

This wise you may make Marmylade of Wardens, Peares, apples, & Medlars, Seruits or Checkers, strawberys euery one by him selfe, or els mixt it together, as you thik good. Partridge, John., The treasurie of commodius conceits (1573)

Plum Paste

2 pounds plums, quartered with core removed
2 cups water
2 pounds sugar

Place stoned and quartered unpeeled plums into a pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer until the plums are very tender and starting to break apart. Put your plums into a blender and blend until they create a smooth paste. Strain your plum paste into your pot and add your sugar. Cook stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened, darkened and a spoon passed through the center of the paste leaves a trail behind it. Pour your paste into a lightly oiled mold, or onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and allow to dry. Alternatively, you can pour your paste into a jar, and can it. Cooking times vary on your fruit. I found that the plum paste was ready in about 35-40 minutes.

Plum Paste drying in the pan 

Baronial 12th Night - To Make Candied Orange Peel, Le Menagier de Paris, 1393 and To candy any roote, fruite or flower - English Housewife, 1615

To Make Candied Orange Peel, Le Menagier de Paris, 1393

To Make Candied Orange Peel, divide the peel of one orange into five quarters and scrape with a knife to remove the white part inside, then put them to soak in good sweet water for nine days, and change the water every day; then cook them in good water just till boiling, and when this happens, spread them on a cloth and let them get thoroughly dry, then put them in a pot with enough honey to cover them, and boil on a low fire and skim, and when you believe the honey is cooked, (to test if it is cooked, have some water in a bowl, and let drip into this one drop of the honey, and if it spreads, it is not cooked; and if the drop of honey holds together in the water without spreading out, it is cooked;) and then you must remove your orange peel, and make one layer with it, and sprinkle with ginger powder, then another layer, and sprinkle etc., and so on; and leave it a month or more, then eat.

Candied Orange Peel (easy method)

Orange peel
2 c. sugar
1 c. water
Additional sugar for dredging peels

To begin, cut your peel into quarter inch strips. Put into a pot and bring to a boil about 15 minutes. Drain, rinse and repeat. At this point you can choose to drain, rinse and repeat the boiling process a third time or, move forward with candying. Since I like a touch of bitter with my candied peels I only do this twice.

Allow peels to drain while you make your syrup. Mix together sugar and water and cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase your heat until the syrup comes to a boil. Add your peels, lower to simmer and cook until the peels become translucent (between 30 and 45 minutes).

Place your additional sugar into a ziploc bag, using a fork or slotted spoon remove the peels a few at a time, drain the syrup from them and place them into the ziploc bag (sounds more complicated than it is). Put the drained peels into the sugar, shake until well coated then place the sugared peels onto a wire rack to dry. Drying can take 1-2 days. Store peels in an airtight container. If you wish to recreate the flavor of the peels, substitute honey for sugar, and add ginger to the sugar you coat your peels with.

To candy any roote, fruite or flower - English Housewife, 1615

Dissolue Sugar, or sugar candy in Rose-water, boile it to an height, put in your rootes, fruits or flowers, the sirrop being cold, then rest a little, after take them out and boyle the sirrop againe, then put in more roots, &c. then boile the sirrop the third time to an hardnesse, put∣ting in more sugar but not Rose-water, put in the roots, &c. the sirrop being cold and let them stand till they candie.

Candied Fruit (quince, plums and pears)

I chose to make the candied fruit from quince, pears and plums for this event. The process is simple, and does not require days on end. Simply peel, core and slice your fruit into slices and add them to your syrup using the same portions as you would use for the candied orange peels, and cook till fruit is transparent. Cooking times and drying times will vary.

Baronial 12th Night - Coriander Flavored Marzipan -A Daily Exercise for Ladies and Gentlewomen, 1621

Coriander Flavored Marzipan -A Daily Exercise for Ladies and Gentlewomen, 1621

To Make Callishones - Take halfe a pound of Marchpane paste, a thimble-full of coriander seeds beaten to a powder, with a graine of Muske, beat all to a perfect paste, print it and drie it.

Recipe

10 ounces almond paste

1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander

up to 1/2 cup confectioner sugar

1 tsp. rosewater

This works best if the almond paste is cold, so I put mine in the refrigerator overnight. I grated it into a bowl and added 1/2 tsp. ground coriander to the grated paste. I then added the remainder of the coriander to the sugar, and put a small handful of it onto a piece of wax paper. I took 1/3 of my almond paste and pressed it on both sides into the sugar/coriander mixture. I rolled it out to approximately 1/4" thick and cut it out with cookie cutters. I got about 80 pieces of candy from this.

To finish, I mixed gold luster dust with ground coriander and painted the edges of the callishones with rosewater before running the edges through the coriander/luster dust mix, before setting it out to dry.

To make the almond paste I used a mix of equal parts almond flour to confectioner sugar and then add 1-2 tsp. almond extract, a tsp. of orange flower or rose-water plus an egg white. I know, I should be worried about salmonella, but these were super fresh eggs purchased at the market that morning.

Baronial 12th Night - Marchpane A Book of Cookrye, 1591

Marchpane, Gingerbread, Coriander Flavored Marzipan (Callishones) decorated

with White Coriander Comfits

How to make a good Marchpane. - First take a pound of long smal almonds and blanch them in cold water, and dry them as drye as you can, then grinde them small, and put no licour to them but as you must needs to keepe them from oyling, and that licour that you put in must be rosewater, in manner as you shall think good, but wet your Pestel therin, when ye have beaten them fine, take halfe a pound of Sugar and more, and see that it be beaten small in pouder, it must be fine sugar, then put it to your Almonds and beate them altogither, when they be beaten, take your wafers and cut them compasse round, and of the bignes you will have your Marchpaine, and then as soone as you can after the tempering of your stuffe, let it be put in your paste, and strike it abroad with a flat stick as even as you can, and pinch the very stuffe as it were an edge set upon, and then put a paper under it, and set it upon a faire boord, and lay lattin Basin over it the bottome upwarde, and then lay burning coles upon the bottom of the basin. To see how it baketh, if it happen to bren too fast in some place, folde papers as broad as the place is & lay it upon that place, and thus with attending ye shal bake it a little more then a quarter of an houre, and when it is wel baked, put on your gold and biskets, and stick in Comfits, and so you shall make a good Marchpaine. Or ever that you bake it you must cast on it fine Sugar and Rosewater that will make it look like Ice.

How to make a good Marchpane. - First take a pound of long small almonds and blanch them in cold water, and dry them as dry as you can, then grind them small, and put no liquor to them but as you must needs to keep them from getting oily, and that liquor that you put in must be rosewater, in manner as you shall think good, but wet your pestle therein. When ye have beaten them fine, take half a pound of sugar and more, and see that it be beaten small in powder, it must be fine sugar. Then put it to your Almonds and beat them all together, when they be beaten, take your wafers and cut them round with a compass, the size of your marchpane. As soon as you can after the tempering of your (marchpane) stuff, let it be put in your paste, and strike it abroad with a flat stick as even as you can, and pinch the very stuff as it were an edge set upon, and then put a paper under it, and set it upon a fair board, and lay lattin Basin over it the bottom upwards. Lay burning coals over the basin. To see how it bakes, if it happen to brown too fast in some places, fold papers as broad as the place is & lay it upon that place. And thus with attending you shall bake it a little more than a quarter of an hour, and when it is well baked, put on your gold and biskets, and stick in comfits, and so you shall make a good marchpane. Or ever that you bake it you must cast on it fine sugar and rosewater that will make it look like Ice.

Marchpane

2cups almond flour
1cup confectioners' sugar
1 - 2 tbsp. Rosewater or water, or juice of choice

To Make the Icine

Confectioner sugar
Rose water

I made the Marchpanes over three separate days, and each day, the amount of liquid needed to make the dough varied between 1 and 2 tbsp. To begin, you will want to sift the almond flour and the sugar together, and then you add enough liquid that a stiff dough is formed. I used a spring form tart pan to press the dough into. I then removed the dough from the bottom pan and placed it onto a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place the dough into the oven set to your lowest setting. The goal is to dry and bake the dough but not brown it (as you can see I had some difficulty on a few of these keeping them from browning...they were delicious despite being brown). This took about 15 minutes in my oven. I chose not to decorate the marchpanes, but the time to add decorations is when they come out of the oven and before you ice them.

To make the icing, add rosewater to confectioner sugar and pour over your marchpane. Allow icing to dry before serving. Note--these store well.

12th Night Feast - Gyngerbrede Harl. MS 279, 1430 - Gingerbread

Marchpane, Gingerbread, Coriander Flavored Marzipan (Callishones) decorated
with White Coriander Comfits

iiij - Gyngerbrede. Take a quart of hony, and sethe it, and skeme it clene; take Safroun, pouder Pepir, and throw ther-on; take gratyd Brede, and make it so chargeaunt (Note: stiff) that it wol be y-lechyd; then take pouder Canelle, and straw ther-on y-now; then make yt square, lyke as thou wolt leche yt; take when thou lechyst hyt, an caste Box leves a-bouyn, y-stykyd ther-on, on clowys. And 3if thou wolt haue it Red, coloure it with Saunderys y-now.

4. Gingerbread - Take a quart of honey and cook it, and skim it clean; take saffron, powder pepper and throw there-on; take grated bread, and make it so stiff that it will be sliced; then take powder cinnamon, and strew there-on enough; then make it square, like as you will slice it; take when you slice it, and cast box-leaves above, stick there-on cloves. And if you will have it red, color it with saunders enough.

Gingerbread

1 pound honey (I use raw honey)
1 pound bread crumbs
2 tsp. pepper ** see below
1 tbsp. cinnamon
Opt. 1 tbsp. ginger, 1 tsp. grains of paradise, ½ tsp. white pepper

Bring honey to boil and skim off the scum that rises.\, once the honey is cleaned remove from heat. Add spices to bread crumbs and mix well (you don't want clumps of spice), mix honey and spiced bread crumbs together, shape, and allow to cool. Once mixture is cool it can be sliced. I prefer to shape the gingerbread into bite sized balls.

**I like to use this mix for pepper which is my version of powder forte)

1 tbsp. mixed peppers (black, long pepper, grains of paradise and cubebs)
1/2 tsp. each nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger
1/4 tsp. clove

Baronial 12th Night - To make white leach of creame - A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen (1602) and Jellied Ypocras

To make white leach of creame - A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen (1602) - To make white leach of creame. TAke a pint of sweete creame, and sixe spoone-fuls of Rose water, and two graines of Muske, two drops of oyle of Mace, or one piece of large Mace, and so let it boyle with foure ounces of Isin-glasse: then let it run downe through a gelly bagge, when it is cold, slice it like brawne, and so serue it out: this is the best way to make leach.

A White Leach

1 pint half and half
3/8 of a cup rosewater
1 drop musk flavoring
2 tsp. ground mace
2 packages unflavored gelatine

Bloom the gelatine in the rosewater. Put half and half and mace into a pan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for approximately five minutes, stirring constantly so that half and half does not burn. Add gelatin and stir until it is fully dissolved. Strain mixture into your mold or on a cookie sheet and place in refridgerator to cool for several hours.

To serve, cut into small squares or unmold.


Jellied Ypocras

I cannot take credit for the Jellied Ypocras. The recipe was came from Eulalia Hath A Blogge; Eulalia Piebakere's SCA projects and adventures in medieval reenactment.

Here is my recipe based on her interpretation:

Jellied Ypocras

3 cups red wine (I used Welch's Sangria flavored juice instead)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
5 cloves
5 peppercorns
1 large piece of mace
½ nutmeg
½ stick of cinnamon
4 packets unflavored gelatine

Pour the wine into a pot and add sugar and spices, bring to a boil. Bloom the gelatine in the water. Boil the wine and sugar for five minutes. Strain the wine into a bowl and add the gelatine until completely dissolved. Place and fridge and leave until the jelly has set completely.

To serve, cut into small squares or diamonds and pile lightly onto a serving dish.

Baronial 12th Night - Spiced apples and pears Chiquart's 'On Cookery’, 1420

                                    

Spiced apples and pears Chiquart's 'On Cookery’, 1420 Again, pears cooked without coals or water: to instruct the person who will be cooking them, he should get a good new earthenware pot, then get the number of pears he will be wanting to cook and put them into that pot; when they are in it, stop it up with clean little sticks of wood in such a way that when the pot is upside down on the hot coals it does not touch them at all; then turn it upside down on the hot coals and keep it covered over with coals and leave it to cook for an hour or more. Then uncover them and check whether they have cooked enough, and leave them there until they are cooked enough. When they are cooked, put them out into fine silver dishes; then they are borne to the sick person. Chiquart's 'On Cookery, 1420

Spiced apples and pears

Approximately 2 pound apples and pears
¼ cup sugar (I used brown)
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp. anise seeds (opt)
1/4 cup water

Peel and core your fruit and slice into even slices. Mix well with spices and sugars and place into a baking dish. Add water and bake in a 400 degree oven until tender. Alternatively, you can place in a crockpot and cook on low overnight.

Baronial 12th Night - Cheese & Nuts

Cheese & Nuts 

While researching dietary theory, specifically 15th century England, and brainstorming ways that the theory could be applied to modern day feasts specifically for SCA events, I learned that it was customary to serve later in the meal ripened or hardened cheeses (especially after meat) and nuts (after fish). Since I had served both at this event, I put together a "dessert" plate of cheeses, dried fruits and nuts.

For the nuts I used a mixture of walnut, almond, hazel and pistachio nuts. The cheeses included mild cheddar in slices, white cheddar curds, gouda, blue cheese and brie. I also added dried fruit to the tray including raisins and currants mixed together, dried cherries, dried apricots, dates and figs.

Baronial 12th Night - Roasted Chestnuts, Turnips and Sage Le Menagier de Paris, 1393

Roasted Chestnuts, Turnips and Sage Le Menagier de Paris, 1393 - - Venison of Deer or Other Beast, If you wish to salt it in summer, it is appropriate to salt it in a wash-tub or bath, ground coarse salt, and after dry it in the sun. Haunch, that is the rump, which is salted, should be cooked first in water and wine for the first boiling to draw out the salt: and then throw out the water and wine, and after put to partly cook in a bouillon of meat and turnips, and serve in slices with some of the liquid in a dish and venison.

Item, if you have small young turnips, you should cook it in water and without wine for the first boiling, then throw out the water, and then partly cook in water and wine and with sweet chestnuts, or if you have no chestnuts, some sage: then serve as above.

Roasted Chestnuts, Turnips and Sage

2 pounds turnips, peeled and quartered
Vegetable broth
1 cup white wine (opt. I used only vegetable broth)
1/4 pound shelled chestnuts
½ tsp. dried sage or 1 sprig fresh sage
salt to taste

Parboil turnips in 4 cups boiling, salted water for five minutes. Drain and recover with remaining cup of water and wine. Add shelled chestnuts and sage and a little more salt and bring back to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. --Courtesy Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks, By Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, Sharon Butler