Welcome to Celtnet's Hannah Glassse's Recipes for Wine, Brewing and Bread — This page gives you the entire contents of the Seventeenth Chapter: 'Of made-wines, brewing, French bread, &c.' from Hannah Glasses's 1747 volume,
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. Each recipe is given here in its original form, with a link underneath to the modern redaction, should you wish to replicate it. This is the first time that Hannah Glasse's book has been made available in its entirety on the internet. Enjoy...
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Hanna Glasse's Seventeenth Chapter
CHAP. XVII.
Of made-wines, brewing, French bread, &c.
To make raiſin wine.
Take two hundred of raiſins, ſtalks and all, and put them int oa large hogſhead, fill it up with water, let them ſteep a fortnight, ſtirring them every day ; then pour off all the liquor, and dreſs the raiſins. Put both liquors together in a nice clean veſſel that will juſt hold it, for it muſt be full ; let it ſtand till it has done hiſſing, or making the leaſt moiſe, then ſtop it cloſe and let it ſtand ſix months. Peg it, and if you find it quite clear rack it off into another veſel ; ſtop it cloſe, and let it ſtand three months longer ; then bottle it, and when you uſe it, rack it off into a decanter.
To make elder-wine.
PICK the elder berries when full ripe, put them into a ſtone jar, and ſet them in the oven, or a kettle or boiling water till the jar is hot enough ; then take them out and ſtrain them through a coarſe cloth, wringing the berries, and put the juice into a clean kettle ; to every quart of juice put a pound of fine Liſbon ſugar, let it oibl and ſkim it well. When it is clear and fine, pour it into a jar ; when cold, cover it cloſe, and keep it till you make raiſin wine : then when you tun your wine, to every gallon of wine put half a pint of the elder ſyrup.
To make orange wine.
TAKE twelve pounds of the beſt powder ſugar, with the whites of eight or ten eggs well beaten, into ſix gallons of ſpring-water, and boil three quarters of an hour. When it is cold, put into it ſix ſpoonfuls of yeaſt, and alſo the juice of twelve lemons, which being pared muſt ſtand with two pounds of white ſugar in a tankard, and in the morning ſkim off the top, and then put it into the water ; then add the juice and rinds of fifty oranges, but not the white parts of the rinds, and ſo let it work all together two days and two nights ; then add two quarts of Rheiniſh or white wine, and put it into your veſſel.
To make orange wine with raiſins.
TAKE thirty pounds of new Malaga raiſins piked clean, chop them ſmall, you muſt have twenty large Seveille oranges, then of them you muſt have twenty large Seville oranges, ten of them you muſt pare as thin as for perſerving ; boil about eight gallons of ſoft water till a third part be conſumed, let it cool a little, then put five gallons of it hot upon your raiſins and orange-peel, ſtir it well together, cover it up, and when it is cold let it ſtand five days, ſtirring it once or twice a ay, then paſs it thro' a hair-ſieve, and with a ſpoon preſs it as dry as you can, put it in a runlet fit for it, and put to it the rind of the other ten oranges, cut as thin as the firſt; then make a ſyrup of the juice of twenty oranges, with a pound of white ſugar, It muſt be made the day before you tun it up ; ſtir it well together, and ſtop it cloſe ; let it ſtand two months to clear, then bottle it up. It will keep three years, and is better for keeping.
To make elder-flower wine, very like Frontiniac.
TAKE six gallons of ſpring-water, twelve pounds of white ſugar, ſix pounds of raiſins o the ſun chopped. Boil theſe together one hour, then take the floers of elder, when they are falling, and rub them off to the quantity of half a peck. When the liquor is cold, put them in, the next day put in the juice of three lemons, and four ſpoonfuls o good ale yeaſt. Let it ſtand covered up two days, then ſtrain it of, nad put it in a veſſel fit for it. To every gallon of wine put a quart of Rheniſh, and put your bung lightly on a fortnight, then ſtop it down cloſe. Let it ſtand ſix months ; and if you find it is fine, bottle it off.
To make gooſeberry wine.
GATHER your gooſeberries in dry weather, when they are half ripe, pick them, and bruiſe a peck in a tub, with a woode nmallet ; then take a horſe-hair cloth, and preſs them as much as poſſibble, without breaking the ſeeds. When you have preſſed out all the juice, to every gallon of gooſberries put three pounds of fine dry powder ſugar, ſtir it all together till the ſugar is all diſſolved, then put it in a veſſel or caſk, with muſt be quite full. It ten or twelve gallons, let it ſtand a fortnight ; if a twenty gallon caſk, let it ſtand five weeks. Set it in a cool place, then draw it off from the lees, clear the veſſel of the lees and pour in the clear liquor again. If it be a ten gallon caſk, let it ſtand three months ; if a twenty gallon, four or five months, then bottle it off.
To make currant wine.
GATHER your currants on a fine dry day, when the fruit is full ripe, ſtrip them, put them in a large pan, and bruiſe them with a wooden peſtle till they are all bruiſed. Let them ſtand in a pan or tub twenty four hours to ferment ; then run it through a hair ſieve, and don't let your hand touch your liquor. To every gallon of this liquor, put two pounds and a half of white ſugar, ſtir it well together, and put it into your veſſel. To every ſix gallons put in a quart of brandy, and let it ſtand ſix weeks. If it is fine, bottle it ; if it is not, draw it off as clear as you can, into another veſſel or large bottles ; and in a fortnight, bottle it in ſmall bottles.
To make cherry wine.
PULL your cherries when full ripe off the ſtalks, and preſs them through a hair ſieve. To every gallon of liquor put two pounds of lump ſugar beat fine, ſtir it together and put it into a veſſel ; it muſt be full : when it has done working and making nay moiſe, ſtop it cloſe for three months, and bottle it off.
To make birch wine.
THE ſeaſon for procuring the liquor from the birch trees is in the beginning of March, while the ſap is riſing, and before the leaves ſhoot out ; for when the ſap is come forward, and the leaves appear, the juice, by being long digeſted in the bark, grows thick and coloured, which before was thin and clear.
The method of procuring the juice is, by boring holes in the body of the tree, and putting in foſſets, which are commonly made of the branches of elder, the pith being taken out. You may without huting the tree, if large, tap it in ſeveral places, four or five at a time, and by that means ſave from a good many trees ſeveral gallons every day ; if you have not enough in one day, the bottles in which it drops muſt be cork'd cloſe, and reſined or waxed ; however, make uſe of it as ſoon as you can.
Take the ſap and boil it as long as any ſcum riſes, ſkimming it all the time : to every gallon of liquor put four pounds of good ſugar, the thin peel of a lemon, boil it afterwards half an hour, ſkimming it very well, pour it into a clean tub, and when it is almonſt cold, ſet it to work with yeaſt ſpread upon a toaſt, let it ſtand five or ſix days, ſtirring it often ; then take ſuch a caſk as will hold the liquor, fire a large match dipt in brimſtone, and throw it into the caſk. ſtop it cloſe till the match is extinguiſhed, tun your wine, lay the bung on light till you find it has done working ; ſtop it cloſe and keep it three months, then bottle it off.
To make quince wine.
GATHER the quinces when dry and full ripe ; take twenty large quinces, wipe them clean with a coarſe cloth, and grate them with a large grate or raſp as near the core as you can, but none of the core ; boil a gallon of ſpring-water, throw in your quinces, let it obil ſoftly about a quarter of an hour, then ſtrain them well into an earthern pan on two pounds of double refined ſugar, pare the peel off two large lemons, throw in and ſqueeze the juice thro; a ſieve, ſtir it about till it is very cool, then toaſt a little bit of bread very thin and brown, rub a little yeaſt on it, let it ſtand cloſe covered twenty-four hours, then take out the toaſt and lemon, put it up in a caig, keep it threre months, and then bottle it. If you make a twenty gallon caſk, let it ſtand ſix months before you bottlet it ; when you ſtrain your quinces, you are to wring them hard in a coarſe cloth.
To make cowſlip or clary wine.
TAKE ſix gallons of water, twelve pounds o ſugar, the juice of ſix lemons, the whites of four eggs beat very well, put all together in a kettle, let it boil half an hour, ſkim it very well ; take a peck of cowſlips ; if dry ones, half a peck ; put them into a tub with the thin peeling of ſix lemons, then pour on the boiling liquor, and ſtir tem about ; when almoſt cold, put in a thin toaſt baked dry and rubbed with yeaſt. Let it ſtand two or three days to work : If you put in before you tun it ſix ounces of ſyrup of citron or lemons, with a quart of Rheniſh wine, it will be a great addition ; the third day ſtrain if off, and ſqueeze the cowſlips through a coarſe cloth, then ſtrain it through a flannel bag, and turn it up, lay the bung looſe for two or three days to xee if it works, and if it don't, bng it down tight ; let it ſtand three months, then bottle it.
To make turnip wine.
TAKE a good many turnips, pare them, ſlice them, put them in a cyder-preſs, and preſs out all the juice very well. To every gallon of juice have three pounds of lump ſugar, have a veſſel ready, juſt big enough to hold the juice, put your ſugar into a veſſel, and alſo to every gallon of juice half a pint of brandy. Pour in the juice, and aly ſomething over the bung for a week, to ſee if it works. If it does, you muſt not bung it down till it has done working ; then ſtop it cloſe for three months, and draw if off into another veſſel. When it is fine, bottle it off.
To make raſpberry wine.
TAKE ſome fine raſpberries, bruiſe them with the back of a ſpoon, then ſtrain them through a flannel bag into a ſtor-jar. To each quart of juice put a pound of double-refined ſugar, ſtir it well together, and cover it cloſe ; let it ſtand three days, then pour it off clear. To a quart of juice put two quarts of white wine, bottle it off ; it will be fit to drink in a week. Brandy made thus is a very fine dram, and a much better way than ſteeping the raſpberries.
Rules for brewing.
CARE muſt be taken in the firſt place to have the malt clean ; and after it is ground, it ought to ſtand four or five days.
For ſtrong October, five quarters of malt to three hogſheads, and twenty-four pound of hops. This will afterwards make two hogſheads of good keeping ſmall beer, allowing five pounds of hops to it.
For good middling beer, a quarter of malt makes a hogſhead of ale, and one of ſmall beer ; or it will make three hogſheads of good ſmall beer, allowing eight pounds of hots. This will keep all the year. Or it will make twenty gallons of ſtrong ale, and two hogſheads of ſmall beer that will keep all the year.
If you intend your ale to keep a great while, allow a pound of hops to every buſhel ; if to keep ſix months, five pounds to a hogſhead ; if for preſent drinking, three pounds to a hogſhead, and the ſofteſt and cleareſt water you can get.
Obſerve the day before to have all your veſſels very clean, and never uſe your tubs for any other uſe except to make wines..
Let your caſks be very clean the day before with boiling water ; and if your bung is big enough, ſcrub them well with a little birch broom or bruſh ; but if they be bery bad, take out the heads, and let them be ſcrubbed clean with a hand-bruſh and ſand and fullers-earth. Put on the heat again and ſcald them well, throw into the barrel a piece of unſlacked lime, and ſtop the bung cloſe.
The firſt copper of water, when it boils, pour into your maſh-tub, and let it be cool enough to ſee your face in ; then put in your malt, and let it be well maſhed, have a copper of water boiling in the mean time, and when your malt is well waſhed, fill your maſhing-tub, ſtir it well again, and cover it over with the ſacks. Let it ſtand three hours, then ſet a broad ſhallow tub under the cock, let it run very ſoftly, and if it is thick throw it up again till it runs fine, then throw a handful of hops in the under tub, and let the maſh run into it, and fill your tubs till all is run off. Have water boiling in the copper, and lay as much more on as you have occaſion for, allowing one third for boiling and waſte. Let that ſtand an hour, boiling more water to fill the maſh-tub for ſmall beer ; let the fire down a little, and put it into tubs enough to fill your maſh. Let the ſecond maſh be run off, and fill your copper with the firſt wort ; put in part of your hops, and make it boil quick. About an hour is long enough ; when it is half boiled, throw in a handful of ſalt. Have a clean white wand and dip it into the copper, and if the wort feels clammy it is boiled enough ; then ſlacken your fire, and take off your wort. Have ready a large tum, put two ſticks acroſs, and ſet your ſtraining baſket over the tub on the ſticks, and ſtrain your wort thro' it. Put your other wort on to boil with the reſt of the hops ; let your maſh be ſtill covered again with water, an thin your wort that is cooled in as many things as you can ; for the thinner it lies, and the quicker it cools, the better. When quite cool, put it into the tunning-tub. Mind to throw a handful of ſalt into every boil. When the maſh has ſtood an hour draw it off, then fill your maſh with cold water, take off the wort in the copper and order it as before. When cool, add to it the firſt in the tub ; ſo ſoon as you empty the copper, fill the other, ſo boil your ſmall beer well. Let the laſt maſh run off, and when both are boiled with freſh hops, order them as the two firſt boilings ; when cool, empty the maſh-tub, and put the ſmall beer to work there. When cool enough, work it, ſet a wooden bowl full of yeaſt in the beer, and it will work over with a little of the beer in the boil. Stir your tun up every twelve hours, let it ſtand two days, then tun it, taking off the yeaſt. Fill your veſſels full, and ſave ſome to fill your barrels ; let it ſtand till it has done working, then lay on your bung lightly for a fortnight, after that ſtop is as cloſe as you can. Mind you have a vent-peg at the top of the veſſel ; in warm weather, open it ; and if your drink hiſſes, as it often will, looſen it till it has done, then ſtop it cloſe again. If you can boil your ale in one boiling it is beſt, if your copper will allow of it ; if not, boil it as conveniency ſerves. The ſtrength of your beer muſt be according to the malt you allow, more or leſs ; there is no certain rule.
When you come to draw your beer, and find it is not fine, draw off a gallon, and ſet it on the fire, with two ounces of iſinglaſs cut ſmall and heat. Diſſolve it in the beer over the fire ; when it is all melted, let it ſtand till it is cold, and pour it in at the bung, which muſt lay looſe on till it has done frmenting, then ſtop it cloſe for a month.
Take great care your caſks are not muſty, or have any ill taſte, if they have, it is the hardeſt thing in the world to ſweeten them.
You are to waſh your caſks with cold water before you ſcald them, and they ſhould lie a day or two ſoaking, and clean them well, then ſcald them.
The beſt thing for rope.
MIX two handfuls of bean flower, and one handful of ſalt, throw this into a kilderkin of beer, don't ſtop it cloſe till it has done fermenting, then let it ſtand a month, and draw it off ; but ſometimes nothing will do with it.
When a barrel of beer has turned ſour.
TO a kilderkin of beer throw in at the bung a quart of oatmeal, lay the bung on looſe two or three days, then ſtop it down cloſe, and let it ſtand a month. Some throw in a piece of chalk as big as a turkey's egg, and when it has done working ſtop it cloſe for a month, then tap it.
To make white bread, after the London way.
YOU muſt take a buſhel of the fineſt flour well dreſſed, put it in the kneading-trough at one end rady to mix, take a gallon of water (which we call liquor) and ſome yeaſt ; ſtir it into the liquor till it looks of a good brown colour and begins to curdle ; ſtrain it and mix it with your flour till it is about the thickneſs of a good ſeed-cake ; then cover it with the lid of the trough, and let it ſtand three hours, and as ſoon as you ſee it begin to fall take a gallon more of liquid, and weight three quarters of a pound of ſalt, and with your hand mix it well with the water : ſtrain it, and with this liquor make your dough of a moderate thickneſs, fit to make up into loaves ; then cover it again with a lid, and let it ſtand three hours more. In the mean time, put the wood into the oven and heat it. It will take two hours heating. When your ſpunge has ſtood its proper time, clear the oven, and cloſe it up, and three hours will juſt bake it. When once it is in, you muſt not open the oven till the bread is baked ; and obſerve in ſummer that your water be milk-warm, and in winter as hot as you can bear your finger in it.
Note, As to the exact quantity o liquor your dough will take, experience will teach you in two or three times making, for all flour does not want the ſame quantity of liquor ; and if you make any quantity, it will raiſe up the lid and run over, when it has ſtood its time.
To make French bread.
TAKE three quarts of water, and one of milk ; in winter ſcalding hot, in ſummer little more than milk-warm. Seaſon it well with ſalt, then take a pint and a half of good ale yeaſt not bitter, lay it in a gallon of water the night before, pour it off the water, ſtir in your yeaſt into the milk and water, then with your hand break in a little more than a quarter of a pound of butter, work it well till it is diſſolved, then beat up two eggs in a baſon, and ſtir them in, have about a peck and a half of flour, mix it with your liquor ; in winter make your dough pretty ſtiff, in ſummer more ſlack ; ſo that you may uſe a little more or leſs of flour, according to the ſtiffneſs of your dough ; mix it well, but the leſs you work the better. Make it into rolls, and have a very quick oven, but not to burn. When they have lain about a quarter of an hour turn them on the other ſide, let them lie about a quarter longer, take them out and chip all your French bread with a knife, which is better than raſping it, and makes it look ſpungy and of a fine yellow, whereas the raſping takes off all the fine colour, and makes it look too ſmooth. You muſt ſtir your liquor into the flour as you do for pye-cruſt. After your dough is made cover it with a cloth, and let it riſe while the oven is heating.
To make muffins and oat-cakes.
To a buſhel of Hertfordſhire white flour, take a pint and a half of good ale yeaſt, from pale malt, if you can get it, becauſe it is whiteſt ; let the yeaſt lie in water all night, the next day pour off the water clear, make two gallons of water juſt milk-warm, not to ſcald your yeaſt, and two ounces of ſalt ; mix your water, yeaſt, and ſalt well together for about a quarter of an hour ; then ſtrain it and mix up your dough as light as poſſible, and let it lie in your trough an hour to riſe, then with your hand roll it and pull it into little pieces about as big as a large walnut, roll them with your hand like a ball, lay them on your table, and as faſt as you do them lay a piece of flannel over them, and be ſure to keep your dough covered with flannel ; when you have rolled out all your dough begin to bake the firſt, and by that time they will be ſpread out in the right form ; lay them on your iron ; as one ſide begins to change colour turn the other, and take great care they don't burn, or be too much diſcoloured, but that you will be a judge of in two or three makings. Take care the middle of the iron is not too hot, as it will be, but then you may put a brick-bat or two in the middle of the fire to ſlacken the heat. The thing you bake on muſt be made thus:
Build a place juſt as if you was going to ſet a copper, and in the ſtead of a copper, a piece of iron all over the top fixed in form juſt the ſame as the bottom of an iron pot, and make your fire underneath with coal as in a copper. Obſerve, muffins are made the ſame way ; only this, when you pull them to pieces roll them in a good deal of flour, and with a rolling-pin roll them thin, cover them with a piece of flannel, and they will riſe a proper thickneſs ; and if you find them too big or too little, you muſt roll dough accordingly. Theſe muſt not be the leaſt diſcoloured.
When you eat them, toaſt them with a fork criſp on both ſides, then with your hand pull them open, and they will be like a honeycomb ; lay in as much butter as you intend to uſe, then clap them together again, and ſet it by the fire. When you think the butter is melted turn them, that both ſides may be buttered alike, but don't touch them with a knife, either to spread or cut them open, if you do they will be as heavy as lead, only when they are quite buttered and done, you may cut them acroſs with a knife.
Note, Some flour will ſoak up a quart or three pints more water than other flour ; then yuo muſt add more water, or ſhake in more flour in making up, for the dough muſt be as light as poſſible.
A receipt for making bread without barm by the help of a leaven.
TAKE a lump of dough, about two pounds of your laſt baking, which has been raiſed by barm, keep it by ou in a wooden veſſel, and cover it well with flour. This is your leaven : then the night before you intende to bake, put the ſaid leaven to a peck of flour, and work them well together with warm water. Let it lie in a dry wooden veſſel, well covered with a linen cloth and a blanket, and keep it in a warm place. This dough kept warm will rise again the next morning, and will be xdufficient to mix with two or three buſhels of flour, being worked up with warm water an a little ſalt. When it is well worked up and thoroughly mixed with the flour, let it be well covered with linen and blanket, until you find it riſe ; then knead it well, and work it up into bricks or loaves, making the loaves borad, and not ſo thick and high as is frequently done, by which means the bread will be better baked. Then bake your bread.
As always keep by you two or more pounds of the dough of your laſt baking well covered with flour to make leaven to ſerve from one baking day to another ; the more leaven is put to the flour, the lighter and ſpongier the bread will be. The freſher the leaven, the bread will be the leſs ſour.
From the Dublin ſociety.
A method to preſerve a large ſtock of yeaſt, which will keep and be of uſe for ſeveral months, either to make bread or cakes.
WHEN you have yeaſt in plenty, take a quantity of it, ſtir and work it well with a whiſk until it becomes liquid and thin, then get a large wooden platter, cooler, or tub, clean and dry, and with a ſoft bruſh, lay a thin layer of the yeaſt on the tub, and turn the mouth downwards that no duſt may fall upon it, but ſo that the air may get under to dry it. When that coat is very dry, then lay on another till you have ſufficient quantity, even two or three inches thick, to ſerve for ſeveral months, always taking care the yeaſt in the tub be very dry before you lay more on. When you have occaſion to make uſe of this yeaſt cut a piece off, and lay it in warm water ; ſtir it together, and it will be fit for uſe. If it is for brewing, take a large handful of birch tied together, and dip it into the yeaſt and hang it up to dry ; take great care no duſt comes to it, and ſo you may do as many as you pleaſe. When your beer is fit to ſet to work, throw in one of theſe, and it will make it work as well as if you had freſh yeaſt.
You muſt whip it about the wort, and then let it lie ; when the vat works well, take out the broom, and dry it again, and it will do for the next brewing.
Note, In the building of your oven for baking, obſerve that you make it round, low roofed, and a little mouth ; then it will take leſs fire, and keep in the heat better than a long one and high-roofed, and will bake the bread better.
Back to the contents of Hannah Glasse's 1774 book
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy
