Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-10

EH follow the diree-
SmE4 tions has pretty
fair understanding
Of the art of Candy-nl aking to start WITH
This article is written "in words of one
syllable''-for the Would-be candy manu-
facturer whose sole knowledge of the
matter is that candy is usually made OF
sugar and that at all times, somehow.
candy is especially good and expensive at
Christmas.
If the directions below are followed with
reasonable closeness the veriest tyro will
lie able TO produce fancy candies, bon
hons, chocolates. stuffed dates and figs
for his Christmas feast that will equal in
taste and appearance the highest priced
goods to be had even of the most expen-
sve Cpnfectioner. All of the processes
are simple; the materials are ineXpen-
sive; little is required in the way of equip
ment that cannot be found in the ordi-
narily We'll fitted kitchen, and the work it
self. while more or less Sticky. of course.
is not firing or tedious. Incidentally, it
ma! be remarked that the directions fol-
lowing are IN each case the result of tried
anu proven experiments: every recipe has
been tested time and time again; every
method has been proven to be the best for
producing a particular result, and failure
can only follow radical departure from
the Instructions
In the first place, the foundation Of
all fancy candies is the "fondant or
to use the candymakers' term, the
cream" To make this fondant, or
cream. take. let say, two pounds of
graduated sugar and a scant half tea
spoonful of cream of tartar. Use just
enough water TO wet the sugar thor
Oughly, leaving none dry. 1t is best to
stir the water into the sugar before the
cOntainer is placed over the fire A
granite enameled saucepan should be
used Confectioners' sugar is not nee
eSsary. nor does it make candy any
better than the granulated-besides
which it usually costs several cents
more per pound.
Set the saucepan containing the wet
ted sugar over the fire or the gas blaze
and cook until spoonful of the strip,
dropped into a cup of ice water will
form a soft. clear ball of wax This
soft bali must be of a consistency
that will permit its being rolled be-
tween the fingers in such way as to
retain its shspe-not too soft, as to
be stringy. nor too hard. 1t is better.
however, TO have the candy too hard
than too soft, as if overly hard it can
be worked down with a little water
as will be explained later; while if
TOO soft. nothing can be done with it
until it is cooked over.
When the candy is sufficiently cook
ed pour il out on a marble slab If you
have one, if not in a broad. shallow
dish or platter. The marble top of an
old-fashioned dresser is an excellent
candy slab. In pouring it is a good
plan to pour a narrow streak of the
hot candy around close to the edges of
the slab; this, cooling rapidly. keeps
the remainder of the candy. poured In
the center of the slab, from running
off the edges.
Let the candy cool until, when you
press finger into the surface of the
clear wax, the impression remains. The
candy should be cool. but not cold. If
II gets too cold il will be hard to
work. while If worked too hot the
cream will be coarse grained. The
proper temperature may be judged &C
curately after one or two trials by the
impression made by the finger tip.
II YOU have an old-faShioned wooden
mush paddle, that's just the thing with
which TO work the candy. paddle an
inch and half across at the end, with
the end whitfield down fat and straight
across, is the sort needed Lacking this,
a broad-bladed silver knife Will answer,
even large spoon Work the candy
in from the edges. stirring toward the
center; then stir straight across, from
end to end OF the mass. Keep It worked
up together-don't allow it TO run out in
little creeks from the center. Stir in
straight strokes as much as possible.
Presently the mass will begin to turn
white: keep right on working BY and
by 1t will grow still whittier and will be-
gin to soften and run down toward the
edges of the slab or platter. Work hard
now, keeping the sticky stun as nearly to-
Eether as possible. because this softening
H. Ia
suddenly and stiffen into cream This
occurs very quickly, and if you are not
careful il will catch you with lot Of
candy not worked up into the mass.
-
When the mass becomes SO stir that it
cannot be worked with the paddle take
your hands 20 1t. Scrape up all the stray
bits from the edges. work them into the
mass, and knead the stuff exactly as you
would kpead dough. 1t will be hard and
crumbly at first. but continued kneadin G
will reduce It to smooth. soft mass of
grainless, creamy fondant. Then press
il into a bowl, work ii down we'll cover
with d damp cloth and set away II is
better If allowed to ripen for day so.
This, then. is the foundation for all the
fancy dipped or coated. candies, choco-
lates and bonbons. To make plain bon
bonS, proceed like this:
Provide, first the following necessaries
-fiavoring extracts. cOiOrings, chocolate
the bitter kind-plenty OF waxed paper in
sheets a small. bowl. a saucepan TO hold
hot water in which the bowl is 20 be set.
and a silver fork to Use In dipping the
bonbons The fiavors may be rose.
vanilla lemon, orange strawb berry, etc.
Coloring that is perfectly wholesome and
harmless may be bought in small bottles.
and of this you will want red. yellow and
purple. BY mixing red and yellow in
varying proportions you can make orange.
etc. Using very small quantities OF red
makes delicate. dainty pink ttnts, while
purple mixed with the red makes violet
or lavender. Eschew the unhealthy look
ing green-it doesn't look good even II
IL is made OF the juice OF harmless
spinach. Various shades of pink. yellow.
orange, lavender and violet make suffi-
Gent variety. when mixed with chocolate.
filled dates, etc
Cut OF a piece of your ready prepared
fondant. favor as desired-an ordinary
medicine dropper is good thing 10 use
in favoring candy-tint II as you want
II and work fiavoring and colorinS In
Hsa. Cse plate or an end of tho E.ay-