Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-06
VALENTINE SWEETS
Hints for a Party on Feb
ruary IA.
HOME M ADEF UDG E
POPCORN CRACKLE AND PING
PONG cARAMELs.
Try Old-Time Molasses Candy and
Cream Nuts, Dates and
Figs.
HOME MADE F UDG E

Written for The Evening Star.
With an aluminium dish in which to cook
homemade candies, the danger of burning
is reduced to a minimum. Since heat dis
tributes itself equally through all parts of
the metal, the point over the blaze is no
hotter than are the sides of the utensil
Moreover, an aluminium pan in which to
cool the mixture requires no oiling to keep
1t from sticking.
Many confections-notably the Judges,
creams and pulled bars-are at their best
when homemade. For fudge there are
about as many formulate as there are wo
men who make it, and each pretty surely
claims for her product the distinction of pos
sessing the most delicate flavor and texture.
Molasses candy, less often than others. is
well made in the home kitchen, although,
when properly treated there, it Is more
delicious than the professionals kind.
Cream candies made Of fondant lend
themselves to great variety. For a one
toned table in pink yellow or green and
white, they are easily adapted. Pink may
be obtained from cranberry juice or from
the pink coloring sold by all grocers; yellow,
green. from spinach juice or from the vege
table colorng sold by grocers Coffee and
chocolate give the browns.
of cream to two cupfuls Of sugar is decried
by the best fudge makers, who hold that
the less liquid there Is, and consequently
the less cooking, the more delicate the
texture of the candy. A rule for chocolate
fudge, that has stood long test, calls for
one-half cupful of cream or milk, one cup
full of granulated sugar, one-half cupful Of
coffee "C' sugar of shaved maple sugar,
one teaspoonful of vanilla and butter the
size Of a walnut. Use little more butter,
if milk and not cream is employed. Bring
the sugar and milk or cream to boil. Add
the chocolate-there is no need to CRATE it
and cook until the syrup spins a hair or
until, when cooled 1t forms soft ball in
the fingers. Stir in the butter, and when
1t has blended, the vanilla, and beat until it
begins to grain. Turn the mixture into a
pan, and when it has set sufficiently
ma TX 1t in squares.
If cream fudge with nuts is wanted use
the same proportions, emitting the choco-
late and vanilla. 1t
For maple fudge substitute grated maple
sugar for the graduated and coffee CO..
sugar and leave out the vanilla Nuts In
the proportion of a cupful of meats to the
above rule may be used with either the
chocolate, cream or maple fudge. Butter
nut meats are ideal for the purpose, but
can be had in comparatively few comrnu-
mites. mixture of pecans and English
walnuts is excellent. For variety, candied
cherries and cocoanut are sometimes mixed
with them.
Popcorn Crackle.-Pop a big dishpan
nearly full of perfect kernels. Then make
a syrup of one cupful of New Orleans mo-
lasses, one-half cupful of granulated sugar,
piece of butter the size Of a hazel nut and
tablespoonful of vinegar. Boil slowly
until the mixture spins hair. or until it is
brittle when dropped on Ice or snow. Pour
1t, little by little, while hot, over the corn,
mixing it in lightly with the kernels, until
every one has light coating and there is
enough to adhere lightly to the mass.
hoy CHI hn tyr-n cnrc IN n 10 -nna
to poise the kettle, the other. armed with
two long-handled spoons, to keep the corn
turned over from the bottom. The more
careful the handling the more delicate the
crackle will be. 1t should not be pressed
into a cake or into balls. When it is coat
ed turn 1t into an oiled punch bowl or other
big dish and put it where 1t will get cold
and brittle. This is at it's best the day 1t is
made.
Turkish~Delight.-Th dainty deserves to
be known, for, carefully made, it is very
delicious. Bring to a boil three cupfuls of
graduated sugar and one cupful of water.
Add one and one-third ounces of gelatine
which has been softened in three-fourths of
a cupful of cold water. Boil the mixture
steadily for twenty-five minutes. Then add
the juice and rind of one orange and one
lemon; boil again for one minute and turn
into wet pans to cool Cut into squares
and roll them in cornstarch and confec-
TONERS sugar, mixed. Pistachio nut meats
or other nuts may be added in small guam
titles after the cooking process is finished.
Molasses Candy.-By following these d-
rections, a bar as porous and light as that
of the confectioner may be made, but sug
sestion two at the start Too much but
ter makes the candy stringy, SO that 1t can
not be pulled. Too little cooking makes it
sticky and impossible to handle. Overlook
ing renders it hard and unwieldy. Twisting
the mass that is being stretched closes the
pores and makes it dark colored and hard
instead of light colored and brittle.
This is an old and tried formula: cupful
of sugar, cupfuls of New Orleans mo-
lasses, 1 tablespoonful of vinegar and butter
the size of small hickory nut. Boil until
a little of the syrup dropped on ice or snow,
or in very cold water, IS brittle Turn into
aluminium pans or on to buttered tins or
plates and let 1t cool until 1t can be han
died. Then let two persons cool their hands,