I have been doing some research on casting sugar and in the course of reading odd notes and articles, I came across an indication that the following work contained early sugar or candy recipes. Being the librarian that I am, I hunted the source up and eventually found the recipes.
Smith, Cyril Stanley and John G. Hawthorne. "Mappae Clavicula: A
Little Key to the World of Medieval Techniques." Transactions of the American Philosophical
Society, Vol. 64, No. 4 (1974), pp. 1-128. [Published by: American Philosophical
Society. and Available through Jstor.org Accessed: 29-01-2017]
On page 4, the authors note
“This is the Mappae
Clavicula. Of this there exist a fragment from the early ninth century, an
extended manuscript of the tenth century, and the most complete one dating from
the twelfth century, which we translate here.”
On page 19:
“The compiler of the Mappae
Clavicula incorporated all this: in addition he included some freshly translated
accounts of Arabic alloys, north European runes, ancient Greek pneumatic toys,
and a number of other recipes from various places on pigments and dyes,
alcohol, sugar candy, coffer-dam construction, and incendiary mixtures.”
The recipes of interest for sugar-candy are as follows:
"285. The recipe for
sesame candy
The recipe for sesame
candy. Put white pure honey near a moderate fire in a tinned [pan] and stir it
unceasingly with a spatula. Place it alternately near the fire and away from
the fire, and while it is being stirred more extensively, repeatedly put it
near and away from the fire, stirring it without interruption until it becomes
thick and viscous. When it is sufficiently thickened, pour it out on a [slab
of] marble and let it cool for a little. Afterwards, hang it on an iron bolt
and pull it out very thinly and fold it back, doing this frequently until it
turns white as it should. Then twist and shape on the marble, gather it up and
serve it properly.
286. Sugar candy Now
by a similar cooking process [put] some sugar soaked in a little water in a
tinned [pan] and defroth it when it boils and strain it well in a colander. In
this way, after adding in the ingredients that you know, stir it unceasingly
until it reaches [the correct] consistency. Pour it out in separate pieces on a
marble [slab] that has been lightly oiled. Carefully cool the pieces on the
marble, separate them from it by hand and keep them properly.[footnote 195]
287. Penidias candy
Now penidias candy [is made] like sesame candy after the sugar has been
defrothed and strained, but without stirring it. When it has been fully cooked,
work it on the bolt as described above, then shape it by cutting with shears."
[Footnote 195] On the
history of sugar, see M. F. Deerr (1949). Although sugar was known in classical
antiquity it was not much used in Europe until the twelfth century, after
Arabic influence. DEERR, N. F.
1949-1950. The History of Sugar (2 v., London).
I hope you enjoy them.