Evening star., 1923-12-07
rHE Christmas gift problem, in
many instances, is easily
solved If you will devote a

many instances, is easily
solved If you will devote a
little time to making some
confectionery at home. What would
he more acceptable for small gift
TO most people than delicious box
of homemade confections, especially if
wrapped in true holiday fashion?
Every one likes sweets of some sort.
\ few simple utensils for making
confectionery that do not cost much
will speed matters along and give
better results. Among these the
candy thermometer is of first i'm
portance, because accuracy is neces-
sary in candy-making.
A copper bonbon dipper is another
helpful 'contrivance. This is really
nothing more than some wire twisted
in the form of spoon. To make 1t
get fourteen inches of copper wire,
No. 18. which comes on spool and
is heavy enough to bear a few ounces
of weight without bending, but is soft
enough to be shaped easily by the
fingers. Grasp the wire five inches
from one end and bend 1t double at
that point. The double strand, which
makes the handle, will then be five
inches long. and the single strand
will be four inches long. Out of this
single strand. beginning half an inch
from the end of the doubled strand.
form a loop three-fourths' of an inch
long. Twisting the wire round the
forefinger or around small empty
spool will make the loop. Wind the
two inches of wire left free around
the two parallel strands, carrying it
up as far as 1t Will reach. This skele-
ton spoon is excellent for dipping
onbons. fruits or nuts, or for dipping
creams into chocolate
Handy articles in candy-making are
the various kinds of molds for max
ing the candies In uniform shapes and
in different shapes, and for modelling
waters and centers. Among these is
the So-called rubber mat, which is
nothing more than a sheet of heavy
rubber fabric. stamped so that molds
are formed. They come in different
3 shapes.
molasses candy or taffy pull
without hook may be good fun. but
1t is hard on the candy as well as on
the hands. Be sure to attach the
hook to the wall firmly and about
level with the shoulders Even with
the hook it is well to wear canvas
gloves, so that the candy can be
gienic manner than with bare hands.
Chocolate Conting.
Chocolate-coatedc candies can all be
different, so as to give a pleasing
variety of flavor and filings. Almost
any kind of candy can be chocolate
coated. For the best results in coat
ing, it is well to use coating choco-
late" which is sold for that special
purpose. If you cannot get this. sub
stitute some other kind and sweeten
with xxx sugar. Choose dry,
sunny day for the work. 1t is i'm
possible effectively to handle choco-
late in damp weather. The room must
be warm and dry.
Break the chocolate in small pieces
into a dish that will At easily over a
tnf ,t,,er l,1t far at "a
water In the pan boil vigorously.
then remove the pan from the fire.
After the steam has ceased to rise
above the top, and not until then, set
the dish with the chocolate over the
hot water. The purpose Is to soften
The whole of each lump of choc olate
at the same time. The outside should
not become liquid while the center OF
the lump is still hard. Stir the mass
gently from the time when II begins
10 soften. When IL Is all melted. re-
move the dish from the hot water
and by slow smoothing motions work
the oil globules into the mass. Hard
beating or rapid motion will not ac-
complish that end. and will, on the
contrary, work harm. The oil must
be Incorporated into the mass as
carefully as the first drops of olive
oil into a mayonnaise dressing.
Chocolate thus prepared dries
quickly and evenly. When the choc-
olate seems to be smooth, test 1t by
dropping into the chocolate a nut or a
center of fondant, and when this has
your copper-wire bonbon dipper. de-
scribed above. Shake the dipper
gently. and let drop of chocolate
fall upon a piece of oiled paper. If 1t
slides, the base will have a thin pro-
lection that is undesirable, not only
because IL does not look well, but be-
cause it breaks easily and leaves the
center exposed. If the coating is suf-
1lciently worked and is cool enough,
the base will be even and the chooo-
late will become firm Immediately.
The coating should be done in a
warm, dry room, but the finished
candy should be removed at once to
a cool place. If there is unusual need
Of haste. the tray containing the
coated creams may be placed in the
refrigerator for five minutes, but not
longer.
Chocolate chestnuts are a delicious
sweet. Choose some large chestnuts
and boil them until tender, but not
to the point of falling apart. Re-
move from the fire, drain and set
aside to cool. Make a rich sirup of
sugar and water, adding unsweetened
chocolate until colored and favored
TO taste. A little vanilla added at the
last Is an Improvement. Dip the
a IN With the sruP one BY
Place on oil paper until cool.
Fudges and Other Connections.
MarshmalIow and Peanut Fudge
Blend smoothly over the fire in a
saucepan half q cupful of cream and
four teaspoonfuls OF peanut butter.
Remove this from the fire and add
half cupfuI of granulated sugar, one
cupful of brown sugar and one cupful
of confectioners' sugar. Let the su-
gar melt Return the mixture to the
fire and cook it until q little of 1t will
form a soft ball when dropped in cold
water.
While the fudge is cooking. cut into
quarters one dozen fresh marshmal-
lows. Stir the pieces lightly into 1t
and cook for a few seconds longer un-
TIL the marshmallows are melted. Add
one tablespoonful of butter and one
reaspoonful of vanilla extract. Re-
move the saucepan from the fire and
beat the mixture until II becomes
creamy. Pour II into buttered pan
and set in a cool place. When cold,
cut In squares.
Snowflake Caramels---If chocolate
caramels are desired, mix half a
pound OF shaved chocolate with two
mounds of brown sugar, half a cup