I’ve found some Victorian recipes for flower scented pastilles: violet and rose pastilles. The violet pastilles are flavored with orris root powder, while the rose pastilles are flavored with rosewater or rose oil. As soon as I find the time I’ll try out these recipes. I’d also like to make violet pastilles with real violet flowers, but haven’t found a recipe yet.
Orris Lozenges (The Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts in All the Useful and Domestic Arts, 1841)
- 1 ounce orris powder
- 2 pounds white sugar
- 1 pound starch
‘Mix with a weak decoction of Brazil wood.’
Violet Lozenges (The Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts in All the Useful and Domestic Arts, 1841)
- 1 ounce ounce orris powder
- 1 ounce gum arabic
- 2 pounds white sugar
- 1 drachm cochineal and 1 quart water macerated for two days
‘Make into a thick paste’.
Rose Lozenges (The Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts in All the Useful and Domestic Arts, 1841)
- 6 pounds sugar
- 1 pound starch
- 1 drachm attar of roses
- 12 ounces powdered gum
‘Mix with water, pinked with cochineal.’
Rose Drops (The Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts in All the Useful and Domestic Arts, 1841)
- 6 ounces rosewater
- 2 pounds sugar
‘Make into drops.’
I’m not sure I understand what you mean when you say, “I’d also like to make violet pastilles with real violet flowers, but haven’t found a recipe yet.” I love your site because of the many DIY and sewing ideas; how can you not know how to make sugared violets that don’t look like the candied, purple-fly things in stores and on most sites? Surely you’re asking for something I’m too dense to understand. Sorry, I didn’t mean to call you Shirley.(“Airplane!”)
Anyway, I found this and have made lovely dessert accents with my backyard violets.
https://boisdejasmin.com/2018/04/how-to-candy-violets.html
Thanks for sharing your knowledge in such an easy-to-understand & attractive way. Love the photographs and illustrations; the jewelry & clothing are so creative (the ice luminary is genius); and I really appreciate the attention to detail that goes into all of your instructions & historical references.
The ‘violet’ pastilles are flavored with orris root and not with violet flowers, and yes, I’ve already made candied violets as decoration for the Victorian Spanische Windtorte.