Writings: Katira al-Maghrebiyya (aka Kay the Innocent of Bel Anjou)

Blue Bowl Competition
Late Period Desserts
Fettburg Yule A.S. XXXIV

Entrant: Kay the Innocent of BelAnjou
Recipe: To make a paste of Sugar, whereof a man may make al manner of fruits, and other fine things with their forms, as Plates, Dishes, Cuppes and such like thinges, wherewith you may furnish a Table.

Documentation

Source: The Second Part of the Good Hus-wives Jewell, 1597. As shown in an article in Tournaments Illuminated, Issue #103, by Eilise Fleming.

Recipe

Take Gumme and dragant as much as you wil, and steep it in Rosewater til it be mollified, and for foure ounces os suger take of it the bigness of a bean, the iuyce of Lemon, a walnut shel ful, and a little of the white of an eg. But you must first take the gumme, and beat it so much with a pestell in a brasen morter, till it be come like water, then put to it the iuyce with the white of an egge, incorporating al these wel together, this done take four ounces of fine white sugar wel beaten to powder, and cast it into the morter by a litle and a litle, until they be turned into the form of sugar, as it were meale or flower, untill it be like a soft paste, to the end you may turn it, and fashion it which way you wil. When you have brought your paste to this fourme spread it abroad upon great or smal leaves as you shal think it good and so shal you form or make what things you wil, as is aforesaid, with such fine knackes as may serve a Table taking heed there stand no hotte thing nigh it. At the end of the Banket they may eat all, and breake the platters, dishes, glasses Cuppes, and all other things, for this paste is very delicate and saverous. If you will make a tarte of Almondes stamped with suger and Rosewater of this sorte that Marchpaines be made of, this shal you laye between two pastes of such vessels or fruits or some other things as you thinke good.

Approximations as determined by Elise Fleming

1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp rosewater (or more, as needed)
1/2 lightly beaten egg white (add more if needed)
1 tsp gum tragacanth
approximately 1 lb. of powdered sugar (3 1/2 or 4 cups)

My Notes

After several sessions with this period play dough, I determined that I got a good dough with the whole egg white and less than a 1 lb. box of powdered sugar, but these amounts may differ with changes in humidity, etc. so Elise's redaction is a good starting place.

I found the gum tragacanth at Cake Art in San Rafael and is the period gum. Gum karaya can be substituted, but NOT gum arabic.

To produce sugar paste:

Soften the gum in the liquids. If it lumps, it seems to work out in the kneading. Add powdered sugar in bits, mixing well, until you have a relatively non-sticky lump. Put lump on a well powdered board and knead in more sugar until it is smooth and firm (rather like fresh pasta). Work quickly to form your shapes, keeping whatever you aren't using under wraps (in plastic bag, cover with damp cloth, etc.) If it drys, a little water can be introduced. Well wrapped portions keep well if your design requires several phases of construction like the candle holders.

The surface will quickly begin to firm up and moving a piece before it is fully firm and well dried will wrinkle the surface and can cause weak spots (like the "Mists" tray).

Color and flavor can be introduced as part of the liquid or as additional dry powder introduced during kneading.

For the Salt and Pepper "tartlettes", poudre douce (mixture of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, sugar, etc.) was added during the kneading. For the gold (West) "tray", yellow sugar crystals were kneaded in and the coloring spread to the paste. The tokens were colored with saffron in the liquid. The "cloved lemon" has "cloves" colored/flavored with ground cloves and the "lemon" was also colored with yellow sugar crystals.

Have fun and enjoy.

Last updated 01/03/2007