The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1915-12-16
Christmas Candy.

rather have nice box Of home
made candy than the ordinary
purchased article according to
Miss Bah Bell, who furnishes di-
rections which she has carefully
tested, at the Missouri College of
Agriculture. She gives these
brief rules: To make fondant,
add / 1-2 cups of water and IA
teaspoon of cream Of tartar to
five cups Of sugar. Stir until the
sugar is dissolved but no longer.
Cook slowly to the soft ball stage,
at 230 degrees farenheit. Wipe
down the crystals from the, sides
of the vessel with damp cloth
wrapped around fork. When
done pour the syrup on platter.
When cool enough to allow the
fingers to be held in it, stir with
a wooden spoon until it creams.
Then knead until smooth. Wet
and wiring a small towel, place it
over the fondant, and allow it to
remain there for an hour. This
is called the curing process.
Fondant does not become stale
when kept for several weeks but
improves with age. 1t may be
made up into variety of candies;
plain CREAMS, fudge, stuffed
dates, chocolate creams, fruit
centers, maple creams, coffee
creams. caramel creams, after
dinner mints, cocoanut creams,
cinnamon balls. Different ffavors,
eolors, and combinations with
nuts and fruits give further varie-
ty.
For the creams of different
flavors, shape the fondant and
work in the desired flavoring.
For fudge, when the syrup is
placed iu- a platter to cool, cut
the chocolate in small pieces and
add to the syrup, let it melt, and
when beaten makes delicious
fudge. For cinnamon balls shape
the fondant and roll in powdered
cinnamon. For caramel creams,
flavor with caramel. This flay-
oring may be made by melting
sugar. then adding water, and
cooking until it becomes a thick
syrup. For chocolate creams,
melt bakers chocolate and dip in
to it the cold fondant which has
been shaped.
After-dinner minis may be
made by melting the fondant in a
double boiler. Add oil of pepper
mint to taste, then drop the melt
ed fondant by spoonfuls on oiled
paper. Never cook the fondant
directly over the fire, but melt
over hot water. Keep the top ov-
er the vessel so evaporation will
not take place too rapidly.
Fruits and nuts are especially |
good when dipped into melted
fondant, and white grapes treated
in this way give a dainty touch
to the Christmas candy box.
To make nut brittles, melt sug-
ar in a dry pan, allow it to color
slightly and pour it over the nuts
or cocoanut.
To make divinity. use 3 cups of
sugar, cup of water, and 81 cup
of syrup. Cook until it forms a
hard ball GAS degrees. Pour it
into the well-beaten whites Of 3
eggs, add a cup of nuts, beat Until
creamy, shape into long loaves,
and place it on a plate wet with
water Do not use butter as it's
Flavor is not desirable in this kind
Of candy.
Butter scotch: ! cup of sugar,
IA cup of molasses, tablespoon
ful of vinegar, 2 tablespoonfuls Of
boiling water, IL cup of butter.
Boil together until the mixture
becomes brittle when tried in cold
water; then pour into well-but-
cred pans.
Pulled taffy may be made of 2
ups of sugar, IL cup of vinegar,
tablespoonfuls of butter. Boil t
until the mixture becomes brittle ,
n cold water. Turn on buttered (
'latter to cool. When cool t
to handle, pull.