DIY History | Transcribe | Szathmary Culinary Manuscripts and Cookbooks | English cookbook, 1799

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To preserve Apricots - Mrs Swire
Pare the apricots very thin cut them evenly in 1/2 & take out the stone without breaking the fruit. Take their weight of double refined sugar beaten & sifted. Put the apricots into a silver cup or china bowl cover them with the sugar & let them stand all night. The next day put them into a preserving pan, set them over a clear & gently fire & them simmer a little while till syrup has penetrated the fruit but not as much boiled as to break them. Then take the apricots carefully out of the syrup into Glasses or pots - let the syrup be boiled with a small quantity of Isinglass & skimmed till it is perfectly transparent pour it on the apricots when rather cool, when quite cold put paper wetted with Brandy, cover them & keep them in a dry place. The Kernals blanched & cut thin then while warm & boiled in the syrup gives it a very fine flavour let it remain in the preserve. The great beaty of which depends on the extreme fineness of the sugar & the great care in boiling. The fruit should be in the full perfection of ripeness many are spoiled by being fully ripe which prevents them swelling in the syrup & causes them to look shrivelled & poor - approved

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To preserve Apricots - Mrs Swire Pare the apricots very thin cut them evenly in 1/2 & take out the stone without breaking the fruit. Take their weight of double refined sugar beaten & sifted. Put the apricots into a silver cup or china bowl cover them with the sugar & let them stand all night. The next day put them into a preserving pan, set them over a clear & gently fire & them simmer a little while till syrup has penetrated the fruit but not as much boiled as to break them. Then take the apricots carefully out of the syrup into Glasses or pots - let the syrup be boiled with a small quantity of Isinglass & skimmed till it is perfectly transparent pour it on the apricots when rather cool, when quite cold put paper wetted with Brandy, cover them & keep them in a dry place. The Kernals blanched & cut thin then while warm & boiled in the syrup gives it a very fine flavour let it remain in the preserve. The great beaty of which depends on the extreme fineness of the sugar & the great care in boiling. The fruit should be in the full perfection of ripeness many are spoiled by being fully ripe which prevents them swelling in the syrup & causes them to look shrivelled & poor - approved