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Iart XVI

ON THE MAN ACTURE OF SYRUPS AND FRUIT ESSENCES, INCLUDING A VALUABLE KECIPE OR MAKING RASPBERRY SYRUP WITHOUT RASP- BERRIES, AND TWENTY RECIPES FOR SODA WATER SYRUP.

In the preparation of syrups care should be taken to employ the best refined sugar, and either distilled water or filtered rain water; by which they will be rendered much less liable to spontaneous decomposition, and will be perfectly transparent, without the trouble of clarification. When inferior sugar is employed, clarification is always necessary. This is best done by dissolving the sugar in the water or fruit juices cold, and then beating up a little of the cold syrup with some white of egg, and an ounce or two of cold water, until the mixture froths well; this must be added to the syrup in the boiler, and the whole "whisked up" to a good froth; heat should now be applied, and the scum which forms removed from time to time with a clean "skimmer." As soon as the syrup begins to slightly simmer it must be removed from the fire, and allowed to stand until it has cooled a little, when it should be again skimmed, if necessary, and then passed through a clean flannel. When vegetable infusions or solutions enter into the composition of syrups, they should be rendered perfectly transparent, by filtration or clarification, before being added to the sugar. The proper quantity of sugar for syrups will, in general, be found to be two pounds (avoirdupois) to every pint of water, or thin aqueous fluid. These proportions (225) allowing for the water that is lost by evaporation during the process, are those best calculated to produce a syrup of the proper consistence, and possessing good "keeping qualities." They closely correspond to those recommended by Guibourt for the production of a perfect syrup, "which," he says, "consists of 30 parts of sugar to 16 parts of water.

In the preparation of syrups it is of great importance to employ as little heat as possible, as a solution of sugar, even when kept at the temperature of boiling water, undergoes slow decomposition. The plan which we adopt, is, to pour the water (cold) over the sugar, and to allow the two to lie together for a few hours, in a covered vessel, occasionally stirring, and then to apply a gentle heat (preferably that of steam or a water-bath) to finish the solution.

Some persons (falsely) deem a syrup ill prepared unless it has been allowed to boil well; but if this method be adopted, the ebullition should be only of the gentlest kind (simmering), and should be checked after the lapse of one or two minutes.

When it is necessary to thicken a syrup by boiling, a few fragments of glass should be introduced, in order to lower the boiling point.

To make highly transparent syrups the sugar should be in a single lump, and by preference taken from the bottom or broad end of the loaf; as, when taken from the smaller end, or if it be powdered or bruised, the syrup will be more or less cloudy.

Syrups are judged, by the manufacturer, to be sufficiently boiled, when some taken up in a spoon pours out like oil; or, a drop cooled on the thumb nail gives a proper "thread" when touched. When a thin skim appears on blowing upon the syrup, it is judged, by the party, to be completely saturated.

These rude tests often lead to errors, which might be easily prevented by employing the proper proportions, or determining the specific gravity.

A fluid ounce of saturated syrup weighs 577½ grs.; a gallon weighs 134 lbs. (avoirdupois); its sp. gr. is 1.319 to 1.321, or 35° of Baumé's Saccharometer, its boiling point is 221° Fah., and its density at the temperature of 212° is 1.260 to 1.261, or 30° Baume. The syrups prepared with the juices of fruits mark about 2° or 3° more on Baumé's scale than the other syrups.

In most works direction is given to completely saturate the water with sugar. Our own experience, which is extensive, leads us to disapprove of such a practice; since we find, that, under all ordinary circumstances, a syrup with a very slight excess of water keeps better than one fully saturated. In the latter case, a portion of sugar generally crystallizes out on standing, and thus by abstracting sugar from the remainder of the syrup, so weakens it, that it rapidly ferments and spoils. This change proceeds at a rapidity proportionate to the temperature. Saturated syrup kept in a vessel that is frequently uncorked or exposed to the air soon loses sufficient water, by evaporation from its surface, to cause the formation of minute crystals of sugar, which, falling to the bottom of the vessel, continue to increase in size, at the expense of the sugar in the solution. We have seen a single six-gallon stone bottle, in which syrup has been kept for some time, the inside of which, when broken, has been found entirely cased with sugar candy, amounting in weight to 16 or 18 lbs. On the other hand, syrups containing too much water also rapidly ferment, and become sour; but of the two this is the less evil, and may be more easily prevented. The proportions of sugar and water given above will form an excellent syrup, provided care be taken that an undue quantity be not lost by evaporation.

The decimal part of the number denoting the specific gravity of a syrup, multiplied by 26, gives the number of pounds of sugar it contains per gallon, very nearly. In boiling syrups, if they appear likely to boil over, a little oil, or rubbing the edge of the pan with soap, will prevent it.

Syrups may be discolored by agitation with, or filtration through, animal chorcoal. The preservation of syrups, as well as of all saccharine solutions, is best promoted by keeping them in a moderately cool, but not a very cold place. "Let syrups be kept in vessels well closed, and in a situation where the temperature never rises above 55° Fah." They are better kept in small, rather than in large bottles, as the longer a bottle lasts, the more frequently it will be opened, and, consequently, the more it will be exposed to the air. By bottling syrups whilst boiling hot, and immediately corking down, and tying the bottles over with bladder, perferctly air-tight, they may be preserved, even at a summer heat, for years, without fermenting or losing their transparency.

The "candying," or crystallization of syrup, unless it be over saturated with sugar, may be prevented by the addition of a little acetic or citric acid (2 or 3 drachms per gallon).

The fermentation of syrups may be effectually prevented by the addition of a little sulphite of potassa or of lime. A celebrated French chemist recommends the addition of some (about 3 to 4 per cent) sugar of milk, with the same intention. Fermenting syrups may be immediately restored by exposing the vessel containing them to the temperature of boiling water. The addition of a little spirit is also good.

Plain Syrup.

Put into a very clean copper 100 lbs. of loaf sugar, and 3 gals. of water; take the white of 12 good eggs, whisk them up to a froth in a pan, and put them into the copper before the fire is lighted: stir them well in the sugar, make a good fire, and let the mixture be still. As it comes towards boiling, the scum will rise; be particular not to let it bubble or boil, but simmer; as soon as the scum is seen to break through the edge of the copper, damp the fire, and take off the first scum; then stir it up and let it simmer; keep skimming it until it becomes clear and bright, and the scum as white as milk; then draw your fire, and take it out of the copper, and it will be fit for use. The quantity thus made will be ten gallons. This syrup is used to dulcify or soften new brandy and other liquors, and is also employed in making cordials, cherry bounce, and wines. (See page 185, "Champagne.") Gum Syrup. 20 lbs. of best clear white gum arabic dissolved in 4, gals. of water, nearly boiling hot; take 60 lbs. of sugar, melt and clarify it with 1 gallon of water, add the gum solution, and boil for two minutes. 230 MANUFACTURE OF SYRUPS AND ESSENCES Lemon Syrup. 5 gals. lemon juice, 1 oz. best oil of lemons.

Dissolved in half a pint of alcohol, or the rinds of 16 lemons rubbed with sugar to extract the essential oil, dissolve 80 lbs. of sugar in the juice, and boil for two minutes; skim, then strain.

Orgeat Syrup. 10 lbs. of sweet almonds, 4 lbs. of bitter almonds.

Cover them with boiling-hot water; let them stand till near cold, and peel them by pressing through your fingers; beat them in a stone or brass mortar to a very fine paste with some sugar, adding water slowly; press through a linen cloth, so as to get 5 gals. of liquid, resembling rich milk; dissolve in this liquid 80 lbs. of sugar; boil up once, and add one pint of orange-flower water; then strain.

Arrack Punch Syrup. 534 lbs. of sugar, 3 gals. of water.

Boil up well, then add 10 gals. of lemon juice (to the boiling sugar), and stir till the liquid is clear; pour it in a clean tub, and, when nearly cool, add 5 gals. of Batavia arrack, then filter.

How to make Raspberry Syrup without Raspberries.

Recipe for making 16 gallons.

First make a syrup with 36 lbs. of white sugar and 10 gallons of water (see page 229,) and put it in a clean mixing barrel. Then dissolve 1/4 lb. tartaric acid in 1 quart of cold water, and add it to the syrup. Next take lb. powdered orris root, and pour over it gal. boiling water; let it infuse until cold, then filter and put it in the mixing barrel, being careful to stir it well. The syrup is now made, but to give it a raspberry tint, it should be colored with the following mixture: Take 1 Ib. mallow or malva flowers (see page 163), and macerate them in 1 gal. cold water for six hours. Then mash in a mortar, 1/4 lb. cochineal and 1/4 lb. alum, and pour over these two ingredients gal. boiling water, and when cold, filter. Then mix both colors together, and add them to the syrup, and stir well for fifteen minutes.

This is a very valuable recipe, for by following the above directions, the manufacturer will get sixteen gallons of good raspberry syrup, at a very trifling cost per gallon. If it is desirable to produce a richer syrup, add more sugar.

A good color may also be given to the syrup by the addition of a sufficient quantity of either aniline-red, or cherry juice.