The Complete Confectioner (1800)/Oils

by Hannah Glasse and Maria Wilson

OILS.

To make Oil of Oranges.

Take a pound of sweet almonds well peeled, the flowers of lemons and oranges as much as you please, which must be divided into three equal parts; after this you must put a third part of the flowers upon a white linen cloth in a sieve strewing upon the flowers half of the almonds, which you must strew with another third part of the flowers; and then the rest of your almonds, which you must cover with the remainder of your flowers, so that the almonds must always be in the middle of the flowers in the sieve; leave them together for six days, renewing and changing them every day; then beat the almonds in a mortar, and press them in a white linen cloth till they issue out clear oil; then stop it up close in a vessel, and let it stand in the sun eight days.

To make Oil of Jessamine and Violets.

Take sweet almonds well peeled and beat, with as much jessamine as you please; lay them row upon row, and let them lie in a moist place for ten days or more; then take them away and squeeze out the oil in a press. Oil of violets and other flowers may be made in the same manner.

To make Oil of Nutmegs.

Take of the best nutmegs to the quantity of oil you wish to make, cut them in small pieces, and put to them as much malmsey as will cover them; put them in a glass for two or three days, beat them at the fire, and sprinkle them with rose water; squeeze them in a press, and you will have an excellent oil; it must be kept in a vessel close stopped.

To make Oil of Benjamin.

Take six ounces of benjamin well beat into powder, and dissolved a whole day in a pound of oil of tartar and a pound of rose water; then distil it with a fine pipe through a limbeck, and keep it as an excellent thing.

To make Oil of Storax.

Take what quantity of storax liquid you please, put it into rose water two or three days, and distil it as the benjamin; first there issues out oil somewhat foul, and then an excellent oil.

To make Oil of Myrrh.

Take eggs hard roasted, cut them in the middle, take away the yolks and fill them up with myrrh beaten into powder; put them in some moist place where the myrrh may dissolve gradually. This oil makes the face and other parts of the body soft, and takes away all scars.

To make Oil of Bay Salt.

Put bay salt in an iron pot, and set it over a charcoal fire till it is dissolved and done running; take it off, lay the salt on a marble, and it will run oil. Take four or five drops of this, rub it over your hands, and it will take all freckles and roughness off the skin.

Note.—In using any of these oils to perfume water, it must be dropt on sugar and then they will mix.

To make Oil of Eggs.

Take eight large eggs, new laid, boil them hard, and take the yolks out; be careful not to put any of the whites in, break them small, and let them stand to be cold; then have a quick fire ready, and put them in an iron ladle, with a bit of hog's lard, the bigness of a walnut; stir it with a stick cut flat at the end and when it begins to melt, keep stirring as fast you possible can; the moment before it turns to oil it will dry; you must have a cup ready to pour it in as fast as you see a drop of oil come: with that quantity of eggs you will have a tea cup full of oil, if you stir quick, if not, you will not see a drop.