Many moulds had multiple purposes, often depending on the imagination of the cook. For instance, the ice comport above was made using the large copper mould opposite. The same two part mould could also be employed for making a similar table ornament out of nougat.

The main purpose of this page is to discredit the common assumption that all antique moulds were used for making jellies. It also provides links to pages scattered throughout the site that relate to moulds and their uses. It should be of interest to collectors and cooks alike. Our emphasis is on usage, rather than information about the makers etc., so many of the links lead to recipes. These all demonstrate how specific moulds were utilised in the period kitchen.

An 1890s advertisment for a mould used for making a cup out of ice, as on the right.

A dolphin tazza made by Ivan from the mould on the right for the Bowes Museum exhibition Royal Sugar Sculpture. The top tier is ornamented with a group of tiny winged sea horses.

The gum-paste tester bed with its little sugar cushions and an eiderdown of comfits.

A Victorian Royal Cheese Mould

A bread mould for making a 'yule dow', a little bread figure of the Christ child. The antiquarian John Brand, in Observations on Popular Antiquities (Newcastle:1777), tells us,'the Yule-Dough, (or Dow) a kind of Baby or little Image of Paste, which our Bakers used formerly to bake at this Season, in the same Manner as the Chandlers gave Christmas Candles'.