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Lemon Essence

Erken's lemon essence from 1914: lemon peel steeps 3 weeks in cognac, is strained and mixed with sugar syrup and dissolved citric acid; bottled and used as flavoring in baked goods.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 589 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

From the preserving chapter of "Stor kokebok" (1914). Homemade lemon essence was a common aid for baked goods and drinks in a time when ready-made flavorings were expensive and hard to come by.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Steep the peel in cognac

    Wash the lemons well, peel off the zest and cut away all the white. Cut the peel into fine strips, put them in a bottle, and pour the cognac over. Let stand well corked for 3 weeks.

  2. 2

    Strain

    Strain the cognac from the peel strips.

  3. 3

    Cook the sugar syrup

    Cook sugar and water into a syrup, skim it well, and strain it.

  4. 4

    Mix

    Add the strained lemon cognac and the dissolved citric acid to the cooled syrup.

  5. 5

    Bottle

    Pour the essence into bottles and cork them at once.

Changes from the original

The amounts of cognac and water are partly illegible in the OCR text and have been set to ½ liter each, which is the most likely in the original. Units are modernized (gr. → g, l.). Citric acid is dissolved in a little water as the original assumes.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From19141949Modernised
To19141949Modernised
1949 (proofread, p. 707) → 1914 (proofread, p. 589)~46% of the text changedremovedadded
Sitronskall 1/2 Citronskal ½ l. konjakk 1/2 konjak ½ l. vann vand 250 gr. sukker 25 gr. sitronsyre. citronsyre Det vaskede sitronskall citronskal befries for alt hvitt, skjæres i fine strimler og has på haves paa en flaske; konjakken helles konjaken heldes over; står staar i 3 uker godt korket. Siles. Sukker og vann vand kokes til en sirup, skummes, siles, tilsettes sitronessens tilsættes citronessens og den opløste sitronsyre. Has på citronsyre. Haves paa flasker, som korkes straks.

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Frequently asked questions

Why does the peel stand in cognac for three weeks?
So that the cognac can draw out aroma and essential oils from the lemon peel. The three weeks (about 21 days) are therefore the entire "time" in the recipe – the work itself takes only half an hour. The bottle must stand well corked.
How do I prepare the lemon peel?
Wash the lemons, cut off the peel, and remove all the white (it gives bitterness). Cut the peel into fine strips and put them in a bottle before pouring the cognac over.
What does the essence consist of in the end?
After straining, ½ liter water is cooked with 250 g sugar into a syrup that is skimmed and strained. Then the strained lemon cognac is mixed in together with 25 g dissolved citric acid. Fill into bottles and cork at once.
Where does the recipe come from?
From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" from 1914, page 589, in the chapter on preserving and cordials.

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