Recipe Manuscript

To Candy Angelico Stocks

Name: To Candy Angelico Stocks
Prep time: PTPT13H
Cook time: PTPT1H30M
Yield: 20
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: Young angelica stems (Angelica archangelica, about 500 g); 1.5 liters water (for soaking and boiling); 450–680 g white sugar (loaf sugar, or substitute modern granulated sugar); 225–340 g caster sugar (double refined sugar, for candying syrup); White plates (for weighting and covering); Cloth (for drying); Extra water as needed

1707

From the treasured pages of Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707

Written by Rachel Kirk

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1707

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Candy Angelico Stocks

"Take your Angelico before it bee too old and stripp of the leaves and lye it to steep in water all night to take out the bitternes then set it on a pan of boyling water and boyle it till it will pill then pill it and sett a little of your water to coole then take as much washing water as you think will cover it with a little of that water you set it to coole then cover it with a white plate till you think it bee a good green then take it out and let it draine from the water then wipe it with a cloth then make a syrrup of a pound or a pound and a half of loaf Sugar and put to it as much water as will clarify your Sugar when you have boyled and scimmed your water put in your Angelico and let it have a boyle and cover it up with a white plate and when you think it is well taken of the Syrrup take it out and lye it on white plates to dry Then the worst of it and the small you must chopp it very small and boyle it on the Syrrup that left into cakes then keeps your other with burning till bee half dry then make a candy for it of half a pound or three quarters of a pound of double refined Sugar and when you have boyled it up to a candy Run your Angelico thorough and take it out as quick as you can and lay it to coolell:"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the florid, freeform prose of early 18th-century English cookery. Spelling was not standardized ('Angelico' for angelica, 'boyle' for boil, 'syrrup' for syrup, etc.) and punctuation was sparing, often replaced by 'and-then' instructions. Directions were experienced-based, assuming the cook's familiarity with processes like clarifying sugar and boiling to a candy stage. Quantities are often given imprecisely, referring to a 'pound' of sugar or juice to cover. Instrumental details are lacking since cooks were expected to judge things like color or 'when it will pill' (when the skin peels away) by eye and feel. The instructional style is conversational, reflecting knowledge passed orally as much as in writing.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 (1707)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Rachel Kirk

Era

1707

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A remarkable collection of early 18th-century recipes, Rachel Kirk's work invites readers into the kitchens of the past where classic culinary traditions and timeless flavors come alive. Expect a charming medley of savory feasts and sweet treats reflective of the era's sophisticated palate.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the early 18th century and is attributed to Rachel Kirk in 1707. At the time, candied angelica was a prized sweetmeat, enjoyed for its medicinal properties, vibrant color, and aromatic flavor. The process of candying stems like angelica was considered both a culinary art and a means of preservation before the advent of refrigeration. Such confections adorned dessert tables of well-to-do households and were often homemade by women using recipes passed through families and social circles. Angelica, with its sweet, herbal fragrance, was commonly grown in kitchen gardens. Recipes such as this would have delighted both guests and apothecaries, being believed to aid digestion and 'sweeten the blood.'

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in 1707, cooks would have used basic yet sturdy kitchen equipment: a large bowl or pan for soaking and boiling, a smaller saucepan for making sugar syrup, and white ceramic or pewter plates to keep the angelica submerged and to drain and dry the candied stems. Peeling and chopping were done with simple knives. The sugar was clarified over open flame, using a skimmer to remove impurities. The final candying was managed with careful hands, dipping stems quickly into hot syrup and removing them before they crystallized. All this would be done over a hearth with variable temperatures, requiring great attention and a practiced eye for sugar stages.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

13 hrs

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

Young angelica stems (Angelica archangelica, about 1.1 lb)
6 1/3 cups water (for soaking and boiling)
1–1.5 lb white sugar (loaf sugar, or substitute modern granulated sugar)
8–12 oz caster sugar (double refined sugar, for candying syrup)
White plates (for weighting and covering)
Cloth (for drying)
Extra water as needed

Instructions

Begin by selecting young, fresh stems of angelica (Angelica archangelica), removing the leaves and soaking the stems in water overnight to draw out bitterness.
The next day, simmer the stems gently in a bowl set over boiling water (a bain-marie), until the skin peels away easily.
Peel the stems and place them in clean water that has cooled slightly, covering with a white plate to retain a vibrant green color.
Let them steep until sufficiently green, then drain and pat dry gently.
Prepare a syrup by dissolving 1–1.5 pounds (450–680 grams) of white sugar in enough water to just cover, bringing it to a boil and skimming off impurities.
Add the angelica stems and simmer briefly.
Cover again with a plate while in the syrup, then remove the stems and spread them on plates to dry.
Finely chop any less attracive or smaller pieces, simmering them in the leftover syrup to make small candied cakes.
For the prettiest candied angelica, roll the still-half-moist stems in a candying syrup made from 8–12 ounces (225–340 grams) of double refined (caster) sugar boiled to the thread stage (240°F), then remove quickly and let cool on plates until set.
Store in an airtight container, useing as needed for cakes or decoration.

Estimated Calories

80 per serving

Cooking Estimates

This recipe takes time because you need to soak the angelica stems overnight, then peel, simmer, candy, and dry them. If you follow all the steps, including drying time, it will take a couple of days. You get about 20 candied stems from the batch, and each has around 80 calories due to the sugar.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.