The Saint Paul globe., 1904-12-20
Christmas Candies
Home Made Sweets Of Many
Kinds-Pretty Boxes to
Hold Them

Everyone welcomes as a Christmas
gift a pretty box of home made can
dies. AS all the world knows. home
made sweets are less expensive and
more pure than those sold in the shops.
Fondant, which is the foundation Of
nearly all cream candies, may be pre-
pared two or three days before it is
wanted and left to harden. This, how
ever, is not always necessary. One
rult for fondant calls for confectioner'S
sugar and the whites of eggs, another
for boiled syrup stirred into whipped
whites of egg; third Undoubtedly
the best), for granulated sugar, boiled
to a thick syrup and then stirred until
white The first rule is undesirable
because confectioners sugar is always
adulterated with .cornStarch. which is
most indigestible. The second rule,
which requires many eggs, is unnec-
eSsarily expensive and needed only for
kisses" and meringues. The pure
sugar, boiled to syrup, is not only di-
gestible but cheap. Put over the fire
pound of sugar and Scant cup of
water in a tin saucepan. Do not stir
it after it begins to get hot, and do not
shake the pan. When it has boiled
four or five minutes, test it by drop
ping a little in cold water. If it forms
into soft little ball that can be rub
bed between the finger and thumb it is
ready. 1t should not be in the least
brittle, neither should it be sticky. Ii
it is brittle it has boiled too long. A
little boiling water-not cold water
should in that case be added, and after
the syrup has boiled up once it should
be tested again. When the fondant is
done it should be taken from the fire,
allowed to stand a minute and then
beaten hard for ten minutes, or until it
is of the consistency of lard. 1t is then
ready for a variety of candies. To
prevent the fondant from granting it is
well to add pinch of cream tartar at
the beginning. The cream tartar not
only prevents granting, but it takes
away the sickly sweetness that cream
candies are apt to have. When the
fondant is beaten long enough it
should be kneaded on a marble slab or
board until it is firm, even mass. A
little confectioner's sugar may be used
if necessary to prevent sickness. It
should then be put in a eeol place,
partly covered, until it is wanted.
An infinite number of cream candies
may be made with this fondant. For
walnut creams flavor some of it with
vanilla or coffee, dust it lightly with
powdered sugar, and form into balls.
Press half a walnut on each side of
each ball, and set them away on waXed
paper to harden.
Fig creams are also good. Cut a few
figs into strips an inch wide, and roll
in some fondant. When nearly hard
cut in pieces with sharp knife.
Chocolate creams are made by dip
ping balls of fondant into melted un-
sweetened chocolate. The melted choc-
olate is favored with little vanilla if
desired. The piece of fondant laid
aside for chocolate creams may be sep
arated into two of three parts. each of
which is Favored in some special way
and colored pink, green or with any of
the harmless colorings to be had at
confectioners. The chocolates should
be dropped on waxed or buttered paper.
Cherry gace creams may be made
by inserting small balls of fondant in
the center of glace cherries or by cut
ting each cherry in two, pressing the
halves on either side of a ball of
fondant and inserting in each ball a
tiny strip of angelica to serve as
stem.
Date Acreams and almond creams are
familiar to any home candymaker.
Orange creams, a delicious confec-
tion, are made by grating the yellow
rind of an orange, mixing it with the
fondant, rolling out the fondant to the
thickness of half an inch, cutting it in
fancy shapes with a cutter, and press
ing a bit of candied orange peel on
each candy.
Pineapple creams are made of fon-
dant favored with pineapple, and dec
grated with bits of giace pineapple.
Preserved ginger, pistachio nuts, pecan
nuts, preserved Strawberries or candied
fruit of any kind may also be COM
pounded with fondant to make vari-
ETY. of toothsome confections.
Tutti frutti bars are sure to be
fayorite with both old and young.
Work into a piece of favored fondant
chopped pecan nuts, walnuts, almonds,
pistachio nuts, candied cherries cut into
bits, candied pineapple, candied orange
peel and lemon peel. Roll out to the
thickness of half an inch and with
sharp knife cut it into bars.
1t is said that peppermint candies
are nice made in the following way:
Take piece of fondant. put it in a cup
set in a pan of hot water, add one or
two drops Of oil of peppermint, and
drop the moist fondant on buttered or
waxed paper. Care must be used not
to make the flavor too strong.
Wintergreen candies can be made in
the same way, using in place of pep
permint one or two drops of oil of WIN
tergreen. These candies can be color
ed pink with very little cranberry
jelly, from which the> seeds have been
strained It makes delicate pink and
cannot be tasted in the candy.
GA - T.oREA.
Bears the ), The Kind You Have Always Bought