The Washington times., 1894-12-25
SIMPLE SUGAR PLUMS.
Delicious Bon Bons One Can Make Wit
out Cooking at Home.

Delicious Bon Bons One Can Make With
out Cooking at Home.
Confectioners' sugar is boon to all who like
to make their own Christmas candies. 1t can
be bought of any high. class grocer. Some
people have prejudice against homemade
candy; especially the uncooked kinds made
ofthis sugar. That is only because they
have eaten it when it was not sufficiently fla
vored. Put in great deal Of havoring; an
unreasonable amount as it seems to you, in
making it, and you will escape the rock on
which the amateur confectioner usua!lycomes
to grief.
The uncooked candies are far the easiest to
make. Confectioners' sugar made into
paste with white of egg and water in equal
parts is the base of all of them; equal paris''
in this case means in bulk; a tablespoonful of
wnite OF egg (unbeaten) to a tablespoonful of
water. Your flavoring should1be counted in
rs part Of your water, and in using some flaw
orings-fresh lemon juice or coffee, for in
stance-don't use any water; take simply as
much lemon juice or strong, clear coffee az
you do white OF egg. Make your paste quite
soft, for it hardens by keeping. Dates and
nuts are your stronghold in making up your
bon boDs. Split and stone your dates, and
put roll OF the paste between the halves lust
rs you see them in the shops. IL you will put
in the middle of your roll of paste a roasted
and peeled peanut a toothsome touch will be
added that the shops have not yet gotten
hold of.
Walnuts can be set on a loZenge of the
paste. again just as they look in the shops.
Candied fruits can be made to 90 much
farther, and to taste better, too, by being
chopped up ana put al through little loaf
of the paste, the loaf is sliced as you want it
and is one of the most delicious of confec-
tiOnS The Lind of Frnit in 10 : ba
better. Nuts can be made into a loaf in the
same way.
The DETER your fingers the more smooth
and pro essional you can make your candies
look, and when they are for presents their
appearance is important. Homemade pre-
serves can be used, and nothing tastes better
than preserved cherry, for instance, wrapped
up in a coating OF the paste. The Juice of
home made preserves is excellent for tinting
yonr naste but remember If you use this
liquid you must use just that much less
water with your white of egg, and don't rely
on such juice for favoring; 1t is not strong
enough, and must be reinforced with some
extract.
II you will take the trouble to do a little
cooking a new and superior caramel can be-
made equaled only by those bought in the
very SWEETEST shops Any good caramel re-
ceipt will answer for the proportions. Here
is an excellent one: A quarter OF pound of
chocolate grated in large cup OF sugar; q
cup of milk and heaping tablespoonful of
butter; boil all together, stirring all the time
till the syrup Will harden in cold water; just
before taking off the fire add a teaspoonfui of
vanilla; now comes the process peculiar to
the fashionable carame-begin TO beat Your
syrup as soon as it is off the fire and keep
that up till it stiffens and you tire too much TO
go on; ii you beat it hard minute and half
you will do well; before it is cold pour into
buttered pans and cut in squares. The result
will be something much better than the ordi-
nary bon bon; these will TO soft, not sugary
nor stiff but just a little waxy.
Fine peppermints are another thing that is
in high favor just now, aud these you can
compound Of the most delicious kind: Take
two cups OF granuated sugar. half cup of
cold wafer. AMI boil ten minutes without
stirring; let your sugar he melted slowly to
escape danger OF burning; then add eight
drops Of oil OF peppermint while still on the
fire; beat this with an egg beater till it falls
in long drops, when drop quickly on papers
or tin. Miss CRIsPARKLE.