Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-12-06
How Christmas Candles Can be
Made at Home.

liberty with the digestion, and our young
folks especially feel that at this festive
season they may indulge their tastes for
sweets to their hearts content. For the
benefit of those who like to make their
own candy we give some very good
recipes of various kinds to suit all tastes.
The foundation of almost all con-
fectionery is what we call fondant, and
here are two good rules for it,
WHITE FoNDANT. 4
Two cups of granulated sugar, one
half cup of water and pinch OF cream
of tartar.
MAPLE FoNDANT.
Two cups of brown sugar, one cup Of
maple syrup, one cup of hot water and
pinch of cream of tartar.
Put the sugar and cream of tartar into
a kettle which cooks evenly all over the
bottom; pour in the water, and when all
the sugar is wet place over the fire and
boil. The best test of knowing when
the fondsnt is cooked enough is the fol-
lowing; hold the fOrefinger in cupfla
of cold water for few seconds, slip
quickly into the boiling syrup, then back
into the water. If the syrup can be
rubbed of the finger and rolled into q
soft ball, it is ready to take of the fire.
Let it get cold, then stir until 1t creams,
and turn out on waxed paper. Take
the lump of fondant up in the hands
and work thoroughly until it contains
no Jumps and is in good condition for
molding into different shapes. The
maple fondant usually requires longer
beating to make it cream. To flavor 1t,
take piece in the hand, work until soft,
then form small hollow in the top,
pour few drops of vanilla in this hol-
low, fold over and work the flavoring
into the sugar. Continue to do this until
by tasting you find enough extract has
been added. Use different kinds of ex-
tract and mold the pieces into different
shapes-diamonds, hearts, three-corner-
ed pieces and squares.
CHERRY DROPS.
Roll vanilla fondant into small balls,
place on paper and press down little
with the tip of finger. When dry dip in
chocolate and press candied cherry
lightly on top of each piece.
CHOCOLATE ALMOND ChEANS.
Roll a small piece of the fondant into
ball. Press into this either q half or
whole almond and rub between the
hands until it is oblong in shape. Dry
on paper and dip in chocolate.
MAPLE DATES.
Mold bit of maple fondant into ball
and roll until about the length of date.
Take the stone from the date and press
the fondant in its place, drawing the
edges of the date together, allowing
about quarter of an inch of the dough
to show the length of the date. Roll in
granulated sugar.
CHOCOLATE WALNUT PEPPERMINTS.
Into saucepan put one-half pound of
granulated sugar and four tablespoon
fuls of milk; boil together for five
minutes and be careful not to stir after
the sugar is melted. Take from the
stove, add six drops of the oil OF pepper
mint or teaspoonful of the essence and
beat vigorously until it begins to thicken,
then drop in rounds about the size of
quarter on creased platter or oiled
paper. When hard, heat some unsweet-
ened chocolate and holding each pepper
mint on hatpin pour the chocolate over
| it and slip it off on to waxed paper. IT
desired a second coating of chocolate
can be given when the first is dry. While
the chocolate is still warm press half an
English walnut on the top of each pep
permint.
SUGAR DATES.
Make a slit in the side of each date and
remove the stone, replacing this with
little roll of fondant about the same
shape and size with blanched almond
pressed into the fondant. The fOndant
can be made by the recipe for white
fondant'' given above. Another sort OF
CONNECTION is made by pressing quarter
of walnut into each date in place Of
the stone.
STUFFED FRENCH PRUNEs.
For these you require some fine French
dessert prunes. Cut slit in the side of
each prune and remove the stone and in
its place insert a roll of almond paste and
set aside an hour or two for the paste to
harden little on the surface. For the
paste take four ounces of sweet almonds,
mixing in with them three or four bitter
almonds and six ounces of powdered
sugar. Blanch the almonds in boiling
water and rub the skins of, then soak
for two or three hours in cold water,
after which pound them to paste in
mortar, adding now and then few
drops Of white of egg, making small
hole in the end of an egg for the pur-
pose. After the almonds are ground to
a paste add the sugar little. by little.
Knead well with the hands, and set aside
for a short time. 1t is then ready for
shaping into small balls to be pressed
into the Sits in the prunes. If pre-
ferred, fondant may be used in place of
almond paste for "stuffing' the prunes.
NUT FUDGE.
Put into graniteware or enameled
saucepan one pound of granulated sugar,
and one cupful of rich milk or cream.
When this is hot add two ounces OF
grated unsweetened chocolate. Stir
constantly to prevent burning. When
boiling add an ounce of butter. Continue
cooking until small portion, If put into
rubbed with teaspoon. When suffi-
Cl60Ily COOkou EoiuOSo Aoin eh0 nv oAe
beat until the mixture begins to thicken,
then quickly stir in chopped walnuts
and almonds. Then pour into a butter
ed tin and set aside to harden. When
still soft mark into squares.
CHOCOLATE cARAMELs.
Four cupfuls of granulated sugar, one
cupful of molasses, one-half cupful Of
water and one-half cake of chocolate
grated. Boil these until the mixture
hardens on spoon in cold water and
then add one cupful of milk, q piece OF
butter the size of an egg, and three tea.
spoonfuls of vanilla. Boil again until
this hardens and then pour into tins,
making it about an inch thick.
FRENCH CANDIES.
Get A No. l confectioner's sugar If
possible, about two pounds. Break the
whites of two eggs in tumbler, take
the same measure of cold water; then
turn both together into deep dish and
add a scaut tablespoonful of vanilla,
then stir in the sugar, after sitting it
until it forms a thick dough. Have
ready English walnuts in halves, al
monds, dates, or pieces of figs, as you
like. Take pieces of the sugar dough
and put half walnut on each side. Roll
some of the dough into balls and when
hardened drop into melted chocolate