CANDY AND CONFECTIONS

"A wilderness of sweets."

— Milton — Paradise Lost.

The art of making candy is easily learned. It is cheaper to make good candy at home than to buy good store candy, and cheap candy should not be eaten, as it is frequently adulter- ated. When one has learned how to boil sugar for fondants, to dip chocolate and to properly cook caramels and other similar candies, it will be found comparatively easy to produce many toothsome dainties.

One advantage of home-made candy is the choice it affords of flavoring ingredients and combinations. In nut candy it is pos- sible to attain a great variety from the same recipes by utilizing the less common kinds of nuts. Crystalized fruits also permit of a large range of choice, while fresh fruits coated with fondant are always popular.

Boiled Sugar for Confections.

Eleven tests are considered for boiling sugar: — Small thread, 215 degrees F. The feather, 232 degrees F.

Large thread, 217 degrees F. Soft ball, 238 degrees F.

Pearl, 220 degrees F. Hard ball, 248 degrees F.

Large pearl, 222 degrees F, Small crack, 290 degrees F.

The blow, 230 degrees F. Crack, 310 degrees F.

Caramel, 350 degrees F.

Fondant, the basis of all French candy, is made of sugar and water boiled together (with a small quantity of cream of tartar to prevent sugar from granulating) to soft ball, 238 degrees F. The professional confectioner is able to decide when syrup has boiled to the right temperature by sound while boiling, and by testing in cold water; these tests at first seem somewhat difficult to the amateur, but only a little experience is necessary to make fondant successfully. A sugar thermometer is often employed, and proves valuable, as by its use one need not exercise his judgment.

CANDY AND CONFECTIONS. 263

White Fondant.

Two and one-half pounds sugar (5 cups); 13-^ cups hot water; ]4: teaspoon cream tartar. Put ingredients in a smooth granite stew pan; stir, place on range, and heat gradually to boiling point. Boil, without stirring, until when tried in cold water a soft ball may be formed that will just keep in shape, which is 238 degrees F. After a few minutes boiling, sugar will adhere to sides of kettle; remove this with a wooden spoon, covered with cloth to prevent fondant from granulating. Pour slowly on a slightly oiled marble slab. Let stand a few minutes to cool, but not long enough to be- come hard around the edge. Scrape fondant with chopping-knife to one end of marble and work with a wooden spatula until white and creamy. It will quickly change from this consistency and be- gin to lump when it should be kneaded with the hands until per- fectly smooth. Put into a bowl and cover with oiled paper to exclude the air, that a crust may not form on top and let stand 24 hours. A large oiled platter and a wooden spoon may be used in place of a marble slab and spatula. Always make fondant on a clear day, as a damp and heavy atmosphere has an unfavorable effect on the boiling of sugar. Fondant may be kept several months and is better after it is made some time.

For large quantity of fondant: 10 pounds sugar; 5 pints w^ater; 2 teaspoons cream of tartar.

Coffee Fondant.

Two and one-half pounds sugar; 34 cup ground coffee; 13^ cups cold water; 34 teaspoon cream of tartar. Put water and coffee in sauce pan and heat to boiling point. Strain through double cheese cloth, then add sugar and cream of tartar and cook as white fondant.

Maple Fondant. One and one-fourth pounds maple sugar; 1 cup hot water; 134 pounds granulated sugar; 3^ teaspoon cream of tartar. Mix maple and granulated sugar and add remaining ingredients and cook as white fondant.

Bon Bens.

(a) Centers of bon bons are made of fondant. Shaped in small balls. If white fondant is used, flavor as desired.

(b) Cocoanut centers: Work as much shredded cocoanut as possible into small amount of fondant.

264 THE MENDELSSOHN CLUB COOK BOOK.

(c) Nut centers: Surround the nut meats with fondant, chopped or whole meats, as desired.

(d) French candied cherries are excellent as centers. Cover with fondant.

(e) Lemon juice and powdered sugar may be mixed to form balls and orange juice may also be used.

(f) One teaspoon of strained raspberry jam and enough pow- dered sugar to make stiff paste, makes excellent centers.

(g) Grape jelly may also be used; allow balls to stand over night.

To Dip Bon Bons.

Put fondant in sauce pan and melt over hot water. Color and flavor as desired. Dip balls into melted fondant and put on oil paper.

Dipped Walnuts.

Melt fondant and flavor; dip halves of walnuts and place on oil paper. Pecans or whole blanched almonds may be used.

Cream Nut Bars.

1. Melt fondant and flavor. Stir in any kind of nut meats. Cut in pieces. Turn '-n oiled paper or pan. Cool and cut in bars with sharp knife.

2. Maple fondant is delicious with nuts.

Chocolate Creams.

Roll some of the fondant into small balls and press these flat between 2 halves of English walnuts. Melt a cake of bitter, un- sweetened chocolate in a basin of hot water for covering the can- dies with chocolate. Take the candies, one at a time, on a tooth- pick and pour the melted chocolate over them with a teaspoon, and when well covered, slip them upon oiled paper.

The mints with any desired flavoring, such as peppermint, wintergreen, vanilla or lemon, may be made by stirring some of the fondant in a double boiler until it melts. Add the flavoring and drop in small lumps on oiled paper. The lump will flatten out before hardening.

CANDY AND CONFECTIONS. 265

'He rolls it under his tongue as a sweet morsel."

— Psalm XXXVI.

Chocolate Fudge.

Four cups granulated sugar; 3^ cake Baker's chocolate; 2 cups milk; butter size of 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix all in- gredients, except butter and vanilla, and boil until it forms a ball when dropped into cold water. Add butter and vanilla and take from the fire and beat until nearly cool. Pour into buttered tins and cut into squares. Chopped nuts may be added, if desired.

— Agnes Doyle, Orland, 111.

Delicious Fudge.

One-fourth cup butter; 1 cup white sugar; 1 cup brown sugar; 3^ cup molasses; Yi cup cream; 2 squares chocolate (scraped fine); 13^ teaspoons vanilla. Melt butter, mix together in a separate dish, white and brown sugar, molasses and cream; add this to the but- ter and after it has been brought to a boil, continue boiling for 23^ minutes, stirring rapidly. Add chocolate and boil 5 minutes, stir- ring at first rapidly and then more slowly toward the end. Take from the fire and add vanilla. Then stir constantly until the mass thickens. Pour into buttered pan, and set in a cool place.

— Florence Carpenter.

Divinity Fudge.

Two cups sugar; 3^ cup boiling water; 3^ cup corn syrup; whites of 2 eggs, well beaten. Boil sugar, water and syrup together until it forms a ball when dropped into cold water. Pour the boil- ing syrup into the whites of eggs, stirring all the time until cool. Pour into buttered pan and cut in squares. 1 cup English walnuts

may be added, if desired. Flavor to taste.

— Mrs. John Haughey.

Squares of divinity fudge rolled in Croft's milk cocoa are

delicious.

— Miss Annie Walton.

Turkish Divinity Candy.

Three cups sugar; 3^ cup water; ^ cup corn syrup (Echo or Karo); 2 whites eggs, beaten stiff. Follow directions for divinity

266 THE MENDELSSOHN CLUB COOK BOOK.

fudge and when nearly done, add pecan or other nut meats, can- died pineapple or cherries. Mold in loaf and cut in slices when cold.

— Mrs. Reckhow.

Caramel Fudge.

Two cups sugar; 2 teaspoons butter; ^ cup cream; 2 tea- spoons vanilla; 1 scant cup of caramelized sugar.

Part 1. Place a scant cup of granulated sugar in a steel fry- ing pan and melt slowly over a moderate heat, until it reaches a light brown color and all the granules have disappeared.

Part 2. Place sugar and cream in sauce pan and let cook

slowly until boiling point is reached, then add the sugar which

has been caramelized; stir for a moment until thoroughly mixed,

then let mixture boil until it reaches the "soft ball" stage. Remove

from fire, add butter and vanilla and beat until cool and thick.

Walnuts, cocoanut or marshmallows are a great addition to this

— R. M. Carey.

Coffee Fudge.

Two cups sugar; 1 cup rich milk; Yi cup cold coffee; butter size of an egg. Boil ingredients until they make a soft ball in cold water. Then remove from fire and stir until cool. Pour into but- tered tins and cut into diamonds.

— Ethel Dullam.

Cocoa Fudge.

One-fourth cup milk; 13^ cups powdered sugar; pinch salt; 13^ tablespoons butter; 9 teaspoons (level) cocoa; y^ teaspoon vanilla. Put the milk and butter in a sauce pan and when the but- ter is melted, add the sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir until dissolved, then cook, stirring occasionally until it strings, which takes about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the vanilla, Y2 cup chopped nuts. Beat gently and when it just begins to thicken, pour into a buttered pan. When hard, cut in squares. The fudge must not be beaten much, for if it thickens, it cannot be poured into the pan.

Cocoanut Fudge.

Use the recipe for chocolate fudge, omitting the chocolate, and add just before beating some shredded cocoanut. Be careful not to be too generous with it, or the fudge will become grainy.

CANDY AND CONFECTIONS. 267

Maple Sugar Fudge.

Heat 2 cups (1 pound) of maple sugar, grated or broken in small pieces, and % cup of milk to the boiling point. Add 1 square or ounce of chocolate, and stir constantly until the chocolate is melted. Boil 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3^ cup of but- ter and boil about 7 minutes longer, or until a soft ball can be formed, when the syrup is tested in cold water (see recipe for fudge) . Remove from the fire and finish as in recipe for chocolate fudge. The chocolate may be omitted. From half to a whole cup of nuts,

broken in pieces, may be added.

— Mrs. Charles Reitsch.

'I am glad that my Adonis hath a sweet tooth in his head."

CARAMELS. .

Chocolate Caramels I.

One pound brown sugar; 3^ pound chocolate; Yi cup molasses; ^2 cup milk or cream; 3^ cup butter; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 cup chopped nut meats. Cook all together, except vanilla and nut meats. Cook to 254 degrees F or 124 degrees C. Take from fire, add nuts and vanilla and pour into buttered pan. When cool, cut into squares and then shape into cubes with 2 knives.

— Eldora Welch.

Chocolate Caramels II.

One-half cup butter; 1 cup molasses; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 13^ cups brown sugar; 3^ pound chocolate; % cup milk and a little salt. Follow directions of Chocolate Caramels No. 1.

Vanilla Caramels.

One and one-half cups white sugar; 3^ cup molasses; 3^ to 3^ cup butter; ^ cup water. Flavor with vanilla and cook same as chocolate caramel.

Chocolate Candy.

Three tablespoons butter; 3 tablespoons molasses; V-^ cup milk; 13^ cups sugar; 13^ squares chocolate. Melt the butter, add the molasses and the milk, then add sugar; heat to boiling point and

268 THE MENDELSSOHN CLUB COOK BOOK.

boil 8 minutes. Add the chocolate and stir until it is meltetl, then boil 6 minutes more, and add 3^ cup English walnut meats and 11^ tablesjDOons raisins and 3^ teaspoon vanilla; beat until creamy.

"Things sweet to taste prove indigestion sour."

— King Richard II.

Maple Penuche.

Two cups brown sugar; 1 cup maple syrup; 1 cup English wal- nut meats; 1 cup milk; 2 tablespoons butter. Mix sugar and milk, add maple syrup and butter. Cook until it grains. Add nuts. Pour into buttered pan. When cool, cut into long strips.

— Charlotte De Muth Williams.

Southern Pralines.

One and one-half pints C sugar; butter size of walnut; 3^ pint

cream. Stir all the time while cooking; cook until forms a soft

ball in cold water. When done, pour in % pound chopped pecans

and a little cinnamon. Beat until nearly cool; drop off the spoon

on oil paper.

— Mrs. Robert G. McCord, New Albany, Ind.

Pralines No. I.

One and seven-eighths cups powdered sugar; 1 cup maple syi'up; 3^ cup cream; 2 cups hickory nuts or pecan meats, cut in pieces. Boil first 3 ingredients until when tried in cold water, a soft ball may be formed. Remove from fire and beat until of a creamy consistency, add nuts and drop from tip of spoon in small piles on buttered paper.

Pralines No. II.

Two cups brown sugar; tablespoon butter; 1 cup water; 3^ cup chopped nuts; 3^ cup cocoanut. Follow directions of preced-

ing recipe.

-Mrs. Harry B. North.

Maple Cream Candy.

One-half pound maple sugar broken into small pieces; }4 pi^^t cream. Mix ingredients and cook to boiling point for 10 or 15 min-