Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-13
The only trouble with these pies Is that
they are warranted not to keep.

they are warranted not to keep.
Similarly appropriate Christmas gifts
may be found in little individual plum pud-
dings and plum cakes, while the expert
home candy maker has field all her own
to work in. Packed in pretty box lined
with oiled paper, neatly wrapped and tied
with red ribbon, and the accompanying
sprig of holly, box of homemade BON
bonS is a gift not to be despised by man,
woman or child. And right here are some
excellent recipes for the always popular
chocolate fudge.
Stir to cream two cupfuls of soft sugar
and one Tablespoonful of butter. Add from
one-third to one-half cupful of milk. Put
on the stove and allow II to come to boil.
Stir in two squares of grated chocolate or
two teaspoonfuls Bakers cocoa. and boil
until it hairs. Flavor with vanilla, take
from the fire and stir until stiff. Pour in
buttered pans to cool, then cut in squares.
Nut Fudge-Boil together three cupfuls
graduated sugar. one cupful rich milk or
cream and tablespoonful of butter for ten
minutes or until it hairs. Take from the
fire, add one cupful chopped walnuts or
butternuts and half teaspoonful OF va
nila and stir briskly for few moments.
Pour in buttered tins and mark In squares.
skin and roll or chop fine. This quantity OF
nuts should make Just coffee cup full Put
a heaping coffee cup full of graduated sugar
in a granite or iron saucepan, set over
melts. remembering that it must melt quick
ly to be a success. Meanwhile put the nuts
in the oven to heat, and have pans buttered
and put on the back of the range where
they will be hot. AS soon as the last OF the
sugar is melted pour the hot peanuts into
it, take directly off the fire and pour into
the hot buttered pans. When cold. the
candy can be broken into pieces, and should
be thin, crisp and shiny.
While the uncooked candies made by mix
ing the white of an egg and an equal guam
tty of cold water with confectioners sugar
until the mass is stiff enough to handle,
have the advantage of being made quickly
and with a minimum of trouble, they are
not generally as satisfactory as those made
from the boiled sugar or fondant. cooked
sugar makes a softer and more creamy
mixture. though the uncooked answers very
well II used immedia tely.
In making the fondant great care must be
given to details and every step of the pro-
cess closely watched because the sugar
changes form so rapidly. 1t is best not to
have anything boiling on the stove that
will throw off steam when the fondant is
cooking. nor should it be made on a damp,
rainy day. To make the mixture put into
a fresh, bright saucepan three cups full Of
granulated sugar, one and a half cups full
Of cold water. Let it stand on a side table
for half an hour, then add large pinch of
cream tartar, put over the fire and stir I'M
til the sugar is dissolved, but no longer.
Skim off any impurities that rise, push the
slowly, but not burn and let it cook eight
or ten minutes without stirring. If it seems
to cook too fast, hold up from the fire a
moment. Test by dipping a stick knit
ting needle into the liquid syrup and then
dipping into cold water. If the mixture can
be rolled up like soft putty 1t has cooked
sufficiently and should at once be removed
from the fire. Turn into shallow earthen
dish or upon an oiled marble and knead or
stir with wooden spoon until 1t IS a soft
smooth, creamy mass. 1t is then ready to
use, though it will be much better if put
away in cold jar for use a few days later
When the mixture is just right, ii will keep
the mark of finger if pressed. If it is at
all brittle it has cooked too long, in which
case a spoon full of water may be added
and the fondant cooked for few moments
more.
If rightly made fondant will keep for a
long time, closely covered, a portion being
taken out al time and fruits, grated CO.
coanut. nuts and lavors added as desired.
In this way variety of candies may be
made from the same foundation.
To color and fiavor.-You may -knead the
coloring and fiavorng into the fondant or
stir ii in, first heating the fondant by sit
ting bowl of it in a pan of hot water to
soften. Both coloring and fayoring should
be strong enough so that but a small guam
tity will be required. Too much liquid
would make the fondant too soft to handle
In coloring yellow carrot juice or a very
little yolk of egg will answer, though both
color and flavor may be obtained by soak
ing the deep yellow rlnd of an orange il
some of it's juice, which should then be
strained before using. Spinach makes the
best green, and is prepared by cutting fresh
spinach into alcohol and using few drops
to color with Pink gelatine softened in
cold water, then dissolved over the tea
kettle, gives a pretty color, while cram
berry juice furnishes a delicate pink.
Having made the foundation candy, dates
and walnutS, candied cherries, figs, raisins,
bits of pineapple, chocolate for creams and
a little almond paste, will yield large
sortment of fancy candies. For cream wal
nuts the lump of fondant should be of mod
crate size and Wen shaped, the nut meats
sound and whole. With dates and cherries
the fruit should almost hide the sugar AS
it is slow work shaping the creams, the nut
or fruit bar will save time. Chop or cut
fine nuts or fruits. knead into the fondant
and press into box lined with paraffine
paper. Several layers of different color
and flavor may be added, and afterward
cut in strips cubes.
One should always strive to make the
appearance of the candy tempting to
the eye as the confectionery In packing
them also scrupulous care should be used
in the selection and arrangement. When
ready to send pack in fresh boxes, wrap
neatly in white paper and tie with narrow
ribbon, and you may be sure of the appre-
citation of your friends.