Punch Jelly

A jellied punch built on whatever "stock jelly" the book gives elsewhere; the whole thing hinges on the base being firm enough to carry a pint of cold liquid added at the end.

• Stock jellyThe 1-quart receipt referred to is elsewhere in the book; a period "stock jelly" of this kind would be a plain sweetened gelatin base, from calf's-foot stock or sheet gelatin. With modern powdered gelatin, a quart of firm jelly is roughly 2 to 2 1/2 envelopes (about 5 to 6 teaspoons).
• Make the base stiffer than usualYou are adding a cup of tea and a cup of wine and brandy to a finished quart, roughly a third again in volume. Increase the gelatin in the base, or reduce the water in it by the volume of the flavourings, or the jelly may not hold a slice.
• Alcohol works against the setSpirits weaken gelatin, so keep the wine-and-brandy cup at a cup and no more, and add it off the heat once the base has cooled to lukewarm. Boiling it off would also take the flavour the recipe is after.
• "A small cup"Probably a teacup rather than a US measuring cup, so perhaps 5 to 6 fl oz each. "Strong tea" means black tea brewed stronger than for drinking, then cooled completely.
• "Jet them float"A printer's error for "let them float." Slice the lemon paper-thin and add it only when the jelly has begun to thicken to the consistency of raw egg white, or the slices sink to the bottom of the mould.
• Pith and pipsWhole lemon slices left to stand in the jelly for hours turn it bitter. Trim the ends, cut across into rounds no thicker than a coin, flick out any seeds, and serve the same day.
• Setting and yieldAbout 2 1/2 pints of liquid in all, which is 8 to 10 small glasses or one 1.5-quart mould. Allow at least 6 hours in the refrigerator, longer for a moulded jelly that has to be turned out.
• ServingThe instruction to "dish up with pieces of lemon in each portion" suggests spooning it out rather than unmoulding it, which suits a jelly this soft and this alcoholic.