The Candy Cookbook (10 page)

Drain syrup from a can of apricots, and rub fruit through a sieve. Measure syrup, and add three fourths as much sugar, put in saucepan, and boil to 254°F (123.3°C), or until syrup cracks when tried in cold water, being careful that it does not burn. Add apricot pulp, and boil, stirring gently to prevent burning, until mixture is so thick that it follows the spoon in stirring, and detaches itself from the saucepan. Pour into a buttered pan, spread in a layer one eighth of an inch thick, and when stiff remove from pan, cut in fancy shapes with small tin cutters, and sprinkle with coarse sugar, or crystallize according to directions on page
140
.

Instead of pouring into buttered pan, paste may be dropped on waxed paper in rounds one and one half inches in diameter. These may be dipped in melted chocolate or melted fondant if desired.

Put gelatine in cold water, and leave until it is needed. Drain syrup from canned greengage plums, and rub six plums through a sieve. Put syrup, fruit pulp, and sugar in saucepan, and boil, stirring gently to prevent burning, until mixture drops like thick jelly from the spoon, and holds its shape when tried on a cold saucer. Add soaked gelatine, and when dissolved, pour mixture into a buttered pan, in a layer one eighth of an inch thick. When stiff remove from pan, cut into fancy shapes with small tin cutters, and roll in coarse sugar, or crystallize according to directions on page
140
. These may be dipped in melted chocolate or melted fondant if desired.

Wipe apples, and cut in pieces, put in saucepan, add water, and cook until apples are soft.

Drain the liquid, of which there should be three fourths cup, into a clean saucepan, add sugar, and boil to 238°F (114.4°C), or until it will form a soft ball when tried in cold water. Rub apple pulp through sieve, add to syrup, and boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until mixture is so thick that it leaves the pan, and follows the spoon during the stirring. Add flavor as desired. Orange, raspberry, or lemon extract, one tablespoon lime juice, or a few drops of oil of peppermint are good. Paste may be colored delicately to correspond with flavor used. Drop paste from tip of spoon in rounds on wax paper, or spread in a buttered pan, let it dry, and cut in fancy shapes. Roll in coarse sugar or crystallize.

Prepare Apricot Paste. Cut marshmallows in two pieces crosswise, or cut circles one inch in diameter from a sheet of marshmallow. Dip marshmallows one at a time in the fruit paste before it stiffens, and place on wax paper. When all are dipped, roll in granulated sugar.

This paste may be used as filling for dates, or as a center for chocolates, or for coating pieces of marshmallow paste.

Prepare Greengage Paste as in recipe, and proceed as in recipe for Apricot Marshmallows.

Prepare Apple Paste as in recipe, flavor with lime and color green. Proceed as in recipe for Apricot Marshmallows.

Prepare Apricot Paste, and pour half of it one fourth inch deep in a square pan which has been rinsed in cold water and not dried, or between candy bars. Cover with a piece of sheet marshmallow the same size as the pan, and pour remaining paste over the marshmallow. When firm, cut in squares and roll in granulated sugar.

Prepare Greengage Paste, and proceed as in Apricot Marshmallow Squares.

Prepare Apple Paste, and proceed as in Apricot Marshmallow Squares.

Wipe apples, and cut in quarters, add two cups cold water, and cook until very soft. Drain through cheesecloth; there should be one cup of juice. Put in saucepan and boil 10 minutes; add sugar, boil 5 minutes, add gelatine which has been soaked in four tablespoons cold water, stir until gelatine is dissolved, and remove from fire. Flavor with two or three drops of oil of peppermint, color green, and pour into a bread pan. When firm, cut in small cubes, and roll in granulated sugar, or dip in melted coating chocolate.

Put half a cup of confectioners’ sugar and two tablespoons cold water in saucepan; when dissolved, add corn syrup, bring to boiling point, then add gelatine soaked in four tablespoons cold water, the orange juice, and orange color paste to color delicately. Sift the remaining sugar on a platter, pour mixture into the center, and allow it to cool. Then work with a broad spatula until it begins to get thick and smooth. Pat and spread into a layer one inch thick, allow it to harden, then cut into squares, and roll in orange sugar.

Soak gelatine in one and one fourth cups water until liquid is absorbed. Put sugar, corn syrup, and one tablespoon water in saucepan, stir until mixed, bring to boiling point, and boil without stirring to 240°F (115.5°C), or until mixture forms a soft ball when tried in cold water. Add gelatine, stir over fire 1 minute, add lemon juice, strain, and let stand 5 minutes in a cool place. Mold in cornstarch as directed on page
82
. Impressions the size and shape of a gumdrop can be made with the round end of the handle of a vegetable knife. When firm, place in sifter, and shake and brush off superfluous starch or flour. Crystallize as directed in following recipe, or hold a moment in the steam from a tea kettle, and roll in coarse granulated sugar.

One teaspoon raspberry extract and pink color paste, or four teaspoons orange extract and orange color paste, or a few drops oil of lime and green color paste, may be added when mixture is removed from the fire, to give a variety of gumdrops.

Put sugar and water in saucepan, stir until dissolved, and boil without stirring to 224°F (106.7°C), or until syrup forms a very soft ball that will not hold its shape when tried in cold water.

Remove from fire and set saucepan in a dish of cold water, cover with a damp cloth, and let stand until lukewarm. Do not disturb the syrup in any way, as it very easily becomes sugary. Place candies that are to be crystallized in shallow cake pans, gently pour on syrup until the candies are covered, cover pan with a tin cover, and set away to crystallize for 10 or 12 hours, or until crystals are visible all over the candies. Tip the pans until the syrup runs out. Leave the candies until dry, then pack in wax paper.

When large amounts of candy are to be crystallized, it is well to use a syrup gauge. Syrup should be tested at a temperature of 60°F (14.5°C), and should register from 32½° to 35° on the Baumé scale.

Put gum arabic and hot water in double boiler, keep over hot water until dissolved, then strain. Put sugar and cold water in saucepan, stir until sugar is dissolved, wash down sides of saucepan with a butter brush dipped in cold water, and boil to 270°F (132.2°C), or until mixture cracks when tried in cold water. Set saucepan at once over hot water, add dissolved gum arabic, and leave 30 minutes. Color and flavor as desired, skim, run into starch molds, cover with starch, and leave 2 days. Brush off starch and crystallize, or hold a moment
in steam from a tea kettle, and roll in coarse granulated sugar. The inside of these gumdrops should be a thick syrup.

Leave uncolored, use lemon extract or lemon juice

Leave uncolored, use peppermint flavor

Leave uncolored, use liquorice extract.

Color orange, use orange extract.

Color yellow, use oil of sassafras

Color green, use oil of lime

Color red, use oil of clove

Color pink, use raspberry extract

Color pink, use rose flavor

Color pink, use wintergreen flavor

Small cones

Medium cones

Large cones

Bars

Circles

Rings

Cubes

Soak gelatine in orange juice and one cup water until liquid is absorbed. Cook sugar, corn syrup, orange rind, and 1 tablespoon water to 240°F (115.5°C), or until a soft ball is formed when mixture is tried in cold water. Add gelatine, stir 1 minute, remove from fire, and strain. Let stand 5 minutes, remove scum, and pour into starch molds. When firm, place in sifter, and shake or brush off superfluous starch. Crystallize as directed on page
140
, or hold a moment in the steam from a tea kettle, and roll in coarse granulated sugar. Raspberry or other fruit juice may be used in place of orange juice and rind.

Break gelatine in pieces, add cold water, cover, and let soak 2 hours. Put sugar and boiling water in saucepan, stir until it boils, add gelatine, stir until gelatine is dissolved and occasionally while candy simmers, for 20 minutes. Add fruit juices, orange rind, and coloring if desired. Rinse a small bread pan with cold water, and pour in mixture one inch deep. Let stand until cold, remove to board, cut in cubes, and roll in confectioners’ sugar.

Put sugar, corn syrup, and hot water in saucepan, and stir until sugar is dissolved, bring to boiling point and boil without stirring to 240°F (115.5°C), or until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water. Remove from fire, add gelatine which has soaked in the cold water, and beat mixture until it is white. Add whites of eggs beaten until stiff, and beat candy vigorously until it gets thick and stringy. Add vanilla and cornstarch, pour into a pan nine inches square that has been with dusted over with sifted confectioners’ sugar, and sift confectioners’ sugar over the top of the candy in the pan. Cut into squares with a silver knife that is kept moist by being dipped into water. Let candy stand overnight to dry off, then pack between layers of wax paper. Other flavors, and nuts or candied fruits cut in small pieces, may be added if desired.