The Italian confectioner, or, Complete economy of desserts : containing the elements of the art according to the most modern and approved practice, full and explicit directions respecting distillation, decoration, and modelling in all their branches, including figures, fruits, flowers, and animals in gum paste, and the art of moulding, casting, and gilding composition pastes of new and superior quality : the whole comprising every information requisite to form the complete confectioner, and to enable him to arrange the embellishments of the table with taste and elegance

Front matter

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Preface

The art of the Confectioner, in common with almost every other art, has been greatly improved by the aid of modern chemistry ; the events of the French Revo¬ lution also, which deprived many ingenious men of their situations in noble families, and compelled them to seek a subsistence by laying before the public the secrets of Confectionery, have done much towards the perfection of this agreeable art.

The Confectioner is not without books which pre¬ tend to teach the principles of his profession; but these are, in general, more applicable to the theory than the practice of Confectionery, and most of them are very imperfect; some recent publications being totally silent on matters of the first importance. There is not, indeed, any treatise in the English language,

VIII

PREFACE.

which can be of essential use to the Confectioner. The author, therefore, after twenty years successful practice of his art, ventures to present his Italian Confectioner to the public, in the full confidence that it will not only supply the defects of former treatises, but will be found to contain every important, particular which relates to, or is connected with Con¬ fectionery; including a variety of articles, entirely new, and describing processes little, if at all, known in England.

The work is divided into Sections, and treats at large of Sugar, and the manner of preparing it; of the numerous Candies and Bon Bons, as ihcy are made in France ; of the Imitation of Vegetables, Fruits, and other natural objects in Sugar, and of a great variety of Dro])s, Prawlings , &c. &c. ; of the best mode of preparing Chocolate and Cocoa ; of Syrups, Marmalades, Jellies, Fruit, and other Pastes, and of Preserved Fruits, including direc¬ tions for Preserving Fruit without sugar , according to the method of M. Appert ; with hints respecting the construction of Ovens and Stoves, and a Table of the various degrees of heat adapted to the different articles of Confectionery.

PREFACE ix

The “ Italian Confectioner” will also be found to contain Receipts to make Tablets and Rock Sugar ; the various Compotes ; the French method of preparing Comfits, the best manner of making Creams and Ices, with some important hints respecting the latter, upon which their excellence entirely depends ; how to Preserve Fruits in Brandy ; to make and arrange Pieces Montees ; Confectionery Paste, and the mode of producing Picturesque Scenery, with trees, lakes, rocks, &c ; Lozenges and Jellies; Cool Drinks for Balls and Routes ; Cakes , Wafers, Biscuits , (particularly those of Italy), Rich Cakes , Biscotini , Macaroons , &c. &c.

The Section on Distillation, includes Distilled Waters, Liqueurs composed of Spirits, and Ratafias of all kinds. That part of the work which regards the D ecoration of the Table, necessarily treats of the articles which compose the various ornaments used for this purpose, as Gum Paste , and the most approved mode of Modelling Flowers, Animals, Figures, &c. ; of Colours for Confectionery, with full instructions how to prepare them ; of Varnishing and Gilding ; of Moulding, with directions to enable every Confec¬ tioner to make his own moulds ; of Works in Paste-

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PREFACE.

board , Gold and Silver Papers , Borders , &c. &c. ; and, to complete the whole, and render the Confec¬ tioner independent of every other Artist, the manner of Engraving on Steel, and on Wood, is fully ex-

The various arts of Drawing-, Modelling, Engraving’, Carving, Moulding, and many other pursuits, usually considered foreign to the practice of the Confectioner, have been closely studied by the author for many years, and the very numerous processes described in his work, (many of which he invented,) have all been employed by him with the most complete success.

The Plates, it is hoped, will be found useful. Many of the tools and implements described were invented or improved by the Writer, and he can safely recom¬ mend them from long experience of their utility in his own practice.

In offering his first production to the Public, the Author feels the diffidence natural to a new attempt. His object has been to produce a useful, rather than a large, volume ; and, wherever the subject admitted of it, he has, as much as possible, compressed his mate-

PREFACE,

XI rials. In describing- the minutise of various processes used in liis art, (however familiar to himself in prac¬ tice), he fears he may not always have succeeded in conveying- his ideas so clearly as might be desired ; but the difficulty of explaining, by words alone, the most trifling- manual operation, is so well known to all who have made the experiment, that he solicits and relies upon the indulgence of the liberal critic for any deficiencies that may be found in this department of his Work : and, generally, for any other defects which he is apprehensive may have occurred from writing in a language not native to him.

G. A. J.