Leach and Flummery

No, I'm not swearing in some ancient British dialect.  A leach, or "leche" and flummery are a sort of jellied dessert eaten in times past, especially by the wealthy in England.  I found a recipe for leach and flummery, here, on the same site that I got my "cheesecake" recipe, and was fascinated by the sculptural aspect of this dessert.

So, of course, I had to try it.  I love the challenge of antiquated craft.

One thing different that I did, was used Gelatin instead of "harts antlers" or Isinglasse...I wasn't about to kill a deer with my bare hands.  Also, since I didn't have my own cow to milk, I used whole cream.

The texture of these desserts are interesting.  It is firm, like Jell-o, but the taste is hard to describe.  It's almost a warm, milk, or tapioca flavor, without the beads.  But, then add in the Rose Water and you have a flavor, that I can only hope is an acquired taste....it's a bit like eating perfume. 

 In the pink glasses, I've made the original leach or flummery, using Rose water.  But in the little white jewels, covered with gold leaf, I used a little almond oil instead of the Rose Water, to satisfy our more modern pallets.

Why would I go to all of the trouble, you ask?  Well, I'm attending a picnic today with the Jane Austen Sewing Society.....and....well, everything must be historically accurate, of course.  More on this later.....