638
In tliis way a man and two boys will run off about 3 cwt.of bonbons per day.
J.iqueur-Almonds. — Almond-shaped liqueur-bonbons,which contain a syrup, are enveloped with the white mix-ture in the same way as smooth-comfits ; but in order thatthey may not be destroyed in the operation, they are firstcovered with gum-mucilage, and then thrown into a mix-ture of gum-arabic and sugar reduced to a fine powder :they are afterwards dried, and again submitted to thesame operation as often as is necessary to produce a coat-ing of the desired thickness.
Solid Sugar-Bonbons are east in the. same way, but witha much stronger syrup.
Gum-Drops. —Gum raspberries are made of syrup andgum-mucilage; they are cast in the same manner, anddried to an elastic solid.
Fondants, which melt like ice in the mouth, are like-wise run into starch-moulds; they are composed of asyrup, which is first evaporated to a certain point of con-centration, and then beaten until it forms a frothy paste.
Crystallized Bonbons.— All the different kinds of sweet-meats hitherto described are sometimes covered with acrystalline coating of sugar, by putting them into a strongsvrup contained in shallow trays placed on shelves in adrying-chamber heated by steam. A piece of linen islaid on the surface of the syrup to prevent its forming acrust; and by lifting this linen from time to time, theprogress of the operation is ascertained: this usuallyoccupies from one to two days. The excess of syrup isdrained off in the same room, as soon as the sweetmeatsare sufficiently covered w ith crystals of sugar; they arethen removed and air-dried.
Flowers, Piping. —All piped ornaments are composedof a mixture of white of egg and sugar, w hich is called“ glazing.” For the modelling of flowers the workmanuses a series of supports which, at the upper part, are ofsuch a shape that they would nearly fit the under side ofthe flower; a depression being made in the summit tosuit the shape of the calyx. The modelling-tools consistof a series of small funnel-ends not much bigger than athimble, with openings of various shapes ; as for example,narrow slits of different breadths, and round and othershaped holes of various sizes. These funnel-ends arefastened with gum to the bottom of paper funnels, intowhich the workman places the glazing, and then closesthe funnel by doubling over the paper, liy pressing the ipaper funnel with the thumb, he squeezes out just whatlie requires; and by dexterous manipulation, curls and ;twists it into any form he chooses. This operation is jcalled piping, and is much employed in ornamenting ]bride-cakes. ;
Painted Bonbons. —Bonbons intended to be painted arecovered with a layer of glazing, and are then ornamentedwith coloured piping. The last finish is given by paint- jing them with body-colours, mixed with gum mucilage :anil syrup. The nature of the colours will be describedhereafter iu speaking of the contributious from France .
Manufacture of Chocolate — Confectionary.
The following is the method practised by the PartsChocolate Company (France , 873, p. 1221), who inClass VI. have exhibited their machinery, which was 'made bv M. G. Hermann, of No. 92 Hue de Charenton,Paris . V I
The cocoa, or cacao-nuts, are first screened to remove :any dust, and are then roasted in a cylindrical or globular ;vessel, which revolves over a fire ; the operation of roast- |ing being one requiring much care and attention. After iroasting, the husk is beaten oft’by means of a winnowing- Imachine. The roasted nuts are now placed in a tritu- irating or mortar-mill, encased with an outer jacket, and ,heated to 50° C. (122° F.) by means of steam; by the jaction of this machine they are reduced to a thin paste, jon account of the large quantity of oil which they contain. ■Sugar previously separately ground in a similar, but cold,mill, is now added, and the action of the hot-mill con-tinued until it is well mixed with the cocoa paste ; vanillais also added if the chocolate is to be flavoured with it.
The thick paste of sugar and cocoa is then levigatedto the utmost degree of fineness, by means of a mill formed
of three rollers working in a horizontal plane; the secondcylinder revolving at twice the speed of the first, and thethird at twice the speed of the second. The chocolate-paste is put into a long funnel or “hopper,” fixed overthe two first rollers, which draw down a certain quantityon their surfaces, and by their mutual pressure, and dif-ference of speed, spread it into a thin and even coating.The third roller, by working at a still quicker speed,produces a farther grinding of the paste, which is scrapedoff by a ductor-knife and returned once or twice to themill. A coil of steam-pipes placed under the machineprevents the cooling of the paste during the operation.
The manipulations of chocolate for confectionary arevery similar to that already described for sugar-confec-tionary.
The preservation of soft fruits in brandy is an art ofsome importance in the United States , and one whichevery year is becoming better understood. The peach isthe favourite conserve, large quantities of which are an-nually prepared, chiefly for home-consumption ; hut fromthe experience which the Exhibition has afforded of thepossibility of sending them to England in a state of per-fect preservation, there is but little doubt that they willsoon traverse the Atlantic. The white Ileath-peach isthat deservedly most esteemed. Two American Exhibitorshave sent Brandy-peaches.
Canada sends an unimportant contribution of confec-tionary, consisting of Horehound-candy,reputed in Canada to be a most excellent specific for a cold ; a merit whichan experiment did not confirm : aud also another of Hasp-berry-vinegar.
From the Cape of Good Hope there is a collection ofseveral kinds of conserved Fruits, which for the most partwere found to be in a good state of preservation. Someare in syrup, and others partially dried. Van Diemen'sLand has contributed Kaspberry aud Currant-jam, Greengooseberry-jam, Ked gooseberry-jam, and Quince-jam.
The only description of confectionary in the Chinesesection is the Finger-citron (Citrus sarcodactylus ) preservedin syrup. Large quantities of sugar conserves of variouskinds are, however, made in China , and it would havebeen interesting to compare them with those from othercountries: jams, jellies, dry-conserves and syrups, aresuch as most resemble those of Europe ; but besides these,are preserved seeds, as the Millet seed; roots, for example,the root of the Nelumhium, and the young tender shootsof various plants, as the bamboo.
The trade in these preparations is very extensive, bothat Canton and Ningpo ; and from the town of Foo-telieou44,000lbs. were exported during the first half of the year1846.*
The contributions from Egypt are very interesting, asrepresenting not only the confectioner’s art in Egypt atthe present time, hut also as offering to our view conservesprobably identical with those of ancient history: theyconsist of Dates preserved in honey, from Two Exhibitors:one description is a preserve in clarified white, the otherin dark-coloured honey. Besides these, there is a smallquantity of Sugar-candy.
The preservation of fruit in sugar, and the manufactureof sugar- aud chocolate-confectiouary, are highly im-portant branches of industry in France ; important, notonly from the number of workpeople immediately em-ployed in these manufactures, hut also on account of severaltributary arts connected with them, which occupy even afar greater number. The artist, the lithographer, thecolourer, the varnisher, the paper-maker, the pasteboard-maker, the die-sinker, the embosser, the fancy-braid-maker,
* Etude Pratique dn Commerce d'Exportation de la Chine ,par Natalis Kondot, pp. 69, 70.