TO MAKE FONDANT

FOR glace work, etc., 7 lbs. sugar (the best loaf or Dutch crushed, 2 \ lbs. water, J oz. cream of tartar, or 1 lb. glucose (liquid glucose is more reliable than the dry solid). Glucose is not crystallizable, and therefore its use is two-fold — by preventing the too rapid crystallization of the boiling sugar, and giving more gloss to the glac6d goods. The use of cream of tartar is to prevent the too rapid crystallization of the boiling sugar ; dissolve in a table-spoonful of water, and put it in as soon as the sugar begins to boil. Proceed to make the fondant by putting the water and sugar together into a stewpan or sugar- boiler, place on one side of fire, and stir slowly until the sugar is quite dissolved, but do not let it boil. It must be quite dissolved before commencing to boil. Then boil up rapidly on a fierce, clear fire. As soon as it begins to boil, dip your fingers into water and pass them round the inside of the boiler to wash down the dry crystals that have formed there by the water from the boiling sugar being evaporated by the hot sides, if they were to remain there, the fondant would be "grained" or crystallized, and therefore no good. When it has been boiling three or four minutes, and begins to throw up little pearling beads, dip a finger into cold water, and rapidly dip the finger into the boiling sugar and take up a little, gather it between thumb and finger, and if it forms a soft ball it is ready. Try with a thermometer, and when it registers over 235° Fahr., it is ready. It must not exceed 2400 Fahr. When boiling, before it is ready, and after the sides are washed down with water, put the lid on for

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3*4 THE BAKERS GUIDE.

a minute, so that the rising steam will be kept in and condense on lid and sides, and run down into the sugar, and by so doing ensure washing off the sides the forming crystals, which are so dangerous, by preventing smooth fondant. When boiled enough, have ready a slab, with pieces of square inch iron bars laid round to prevent the sugar running off, then sprinkle the slab with water, and pour the boiling sugar on to it, allow to cool for five minutes, and then with a good sized wood spatula work about it rapidly, gathering it up from the sides into the middle repeatedly : work hard upon it until it turns into a white smooth mass like butter.

Note. — The lower the degree, 2300 (so as to obtain smooth fondant), the more work must be put into it, but the better fondant will result in its being softer and more glossy and fine* in grain. The more it is boiled, and the hotter it is worked up after poured on to slab, the quicker it will cream up, but the coarser will be the grain and harder. Where it quickly forms a crust while cooling upon the slab, let cool ioo°, sprinkle over with water before beginning to work up.

When using fondant for glac6 put the quantity required into stewpan and slowly warm it to about 8o° or 900. It must never boil or get very hot after it is made, or it will be altered to anothef kind of boiled sugar, and be no good for this work. Then dip the article into it, or pour it over if it is large, and put the goods quickly into a drying oven, or mouth of oven, for a minute to; make the gloss perfect. If the fondant is too stiff when melted, reduce it with a little syrup (clarified sugar), which you shouid always have ready.

For chocolate glac6 melt about one part unsweetened best con- fectioners' chocolate to two parts fondant, and when both are melted, mix together. If good chocolate is used, it will melt like butter. Add any other colouring and flavouring matter you need when the fondant is melting.

Fondant is also cheaper, and, of course, better to use in place of water icing, because the water has been boiled into it and crystals dissolved. A very little apple jelly, or other bright jelly, added to chocolate glac6 makes it shine better.

Boil 2 lbs. sugar in half pint of water to over 3000, say 3100 \ when the sugar has had enough boiling, take off fire, and then beat in slowly 1 lb. almonds. This paste should be worked (by a machine, if you have one,) very smooth.

Marzipan and Almond Icing.