"Everything Imaginable Made of Sugar"
Translation of the third course of
The first banquet for Emperors for the early meal on a meat day, and
re-creation of a selection of said third course from
Ein New Kochbuch by Marxen Rumpolt
© 1999 by M. Grasse

As entered in the
Kingdom of the Outlands Queens Prize Competition 1998
By Gwen Catrin von Berlin

Also known as sugarpaste this medium starts out pliable, but when dry seems a fair imitation of plateware, though entirely edible. It is described in Delights for Ladies… by Sir Hugh Plat in recipes # 10 and 13.. And A Taste of History - 10,000 years of Food in Britain lists a recipe from A good housewife Jewel by Thomas Dawson. And in the Summer 1992 issue (#103) of Tournaments Illuminated, Alys katharine of Ashthorne Glen (Elise Fleming) wrote a very comprehensive article on "Sugar Paste: A Cooks Play Dough."

The only change I made in the sugar plate recipe is that the original called for raw egg white. Since modern science has alerted us to the dangers of salmonella I have chosen to substitute a meringue powder as a safer alternative. (I have since located "just whites" a powdered egg white only productwhich works quite well)

I used:

1 t gum tragacanth
2 t meringue powder
2 T orange flower water
powdered sugar

In a bowl combine the first three ingredients. Stir together to remove the lumps, then add enough powdered sugar to make a pliable dough.

Keep the bowl covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying. Shape into serving ware, animals, or anything that strikes your fancy. You may use a mold to create a pattern. Dust your mold with a little powdered sugar so your dough does not stick.

Let air dry for several hour. Overnight is good. Plateware may need several days to be thoroughly dry.