The Topeka state journal., 1903-06-17
A Taste of Sweetness.

"a 4ASC0 OF = SW66Iu5SS.
Candied fruits and flowers are among
the daintiest of the tasty little accessor-
les used to add to the appearance of as
Wen as increase the pleasure of eating
many sweet dishes.
They appeal to the housewife who de-
lights in setting forth little feasts that
charm and surprise the friend and guest
by their delicate and perfect touches
that indicate the taste and refinement of
the hostess.
In many instances the expense must
be considered first and the housewife
finds these essentials more costly
than her purse can buy if she must de-
pend on the store articles. She can,
however, be quite independent of the
purchased article and indulge in these
delightful confections to her hearts con-
tent if she learns the art of making
them successfully.
But few years ago we regarded this
branch Of the culinary art peculiar to
the French confectioner, but skill and
long practice of our deft handed work
men on theSPacific coast. now gives US
a variety of candied fruit which COM
pare most favorably in quality with the
imported fruits
The process is not at all difficult and
While 1t varies somewhat according to
individual ideas the chief design Is the
same-to extract the juice of the fruit
and replace IL with sugar syrup which
coats the fruit, penetrates every part
and hardening, preserves it from fer
mentation while It retains its natural
shape and color.
Fruits of all kinds are preserved in
this way; those most common are cher
ries, pears, peaches, aDricots. plums.
pineapple, figs, citrons. oranges, lemons
and melons. Rose leaves, violets and
mint leaves are also preserved in this
way and the bright green rhubarb
makes a very good substitute for the
much priced angelica.
When the work is done at home use
but one quality of fruit. The state or
degree of ripeness is of great import
ance. It must be picked in dry weather.
be perfectly sound and at the stage
when it is best for canning Not day
overripe, but better just commencing to
ripen or a little before.
Pears, ounces. peaches. apricots and
plneapples are pared. The latter cut
in slices The large stone fruits cut in
halves, the pits carefully removed so
that the fruit will not be bruised or
shape destroyed PineaPples are pared
and sliced. citren pared and cut into
quarters Candied fsuit will spoil by
fermentation if not Sufficiently cooked.
and by moisture if kept in damp
place or by heat if kept in too warm a
place
When the fruit is carefully prepared
it is put in a wire basket and immersed
in boiling water. this penetrates
through the pulp dilutes and extracts
from the water and drained the solid
part of the pulp is left intact There
must be considerable more than enough
water to cover the fruit in order to
tell readily when they are done enough
to come to the surface. for the length
of time they are cooked is very i'm
portant. This part of the process, cal
led "blanching." must be done to a
nicely. If overlooked they become
soft-or the pulp is left too dry and
woody If not done enough the juices
are not sufficiently extracted and the
syrup will not be completely absorbed
and eventually fermentation VIII take
place destroying the fruit. One, test is
to boil the fruit until it floats to the
surface, then remove it by lifting out
the basket or removing it with a skim
mer. Then throw into cold water drain
perfectly dry. At this stage note the
condition of the fruit-if there are diff
ferent degrees of softness it is best to
sort out the hard and soft as they Will
take up the sugar differently ana
therefore require different grades or
syrup, the soft fruit needing mucn
heavier syrup than the hard This rule
must be observed in regard to the diff
ferent kinds of fruit as we'll as the diff
ferent varieties.
Fruits that remain hard. such as
pears. citrons and pineapples preserve
while the softer kinds like Dlums, ap-
ricots. figs, etc. take best in syru9s
from 80 to 40 degrees, gauged by the
aerometer. The soft BALI degree an
swers for most erystalizing except for
the very hard fruits The fruit is put
into the boiling syruD. allowed to boil
up once then left standing in glazed
earthenware pans for about week. The
sugar will penetrate to the innermost
part Of the pulp. gradually withdraws
and replaces the fruit juices. remaining
after the scalding process. Watch the
fruit carefully for as the juices exude
and mingle with the transparent liquid,
filrny or clouded appearance IS pro-
duced. This is the beginning of fermen-
tation Allow this to reach fertain
stage. then place over the fire and heat
to 212 degrees Fair. This Will bring the
! impurities to the surface. skim careful
" In this wav the fermentation IS
corrected and the fruit thoroughly sat
urated with the sugar Repeat this pro-
cess as often as necessary for about six
weeks The last time the syrup must
be at the first degree-when dipping two
pieaes of wood in the boiling syrup, then
/ touching and Immediately and slowly
pulling aoart thread is formed which
soon breaks. Then drain the fruit firm
the syrup. wash in clear water and
l either glaze Of crystallize it, as you pre-