PEPPERMINTS, CHOCOLATE MINTS, Etc.

Home Made Candies Recipes Specially Prepared by Mrs. Janet McKenzie Hill

Peppermints, Chocolate Mints, Etc.

Beat the egg on a plate, add the cold water and gradually work in sugar enough to make a firm paste. Divide the sugar paste into three parts. To one part add the peppermint and a very little of the green color paste. Take the paste from the jar with a wooden tooth pick, add but a little. Work and knead the mixture until the paste is evenly distributed throughout. Roll the candy into a sheet one-fourth an inch thick, then cut out into small rounds or other shape with any utensil that is convenient. Color the second part a very delicate pink, flavor with rose extract and cut out in the same manner as the first. To the last part add one or two squares of Baker's Chocolate, melted over hot water, and flavor with peppermint. Add also a little water, as the chocolate will make the mixture thick and crumbly. Begin by adding a tablespoonful of water, then add more if necessary, knead and cut these as the others.

Chocolate Caramel Walnuts.

Beat the white of egg slightly, add the syrup, water, sugar as needed, the chocolate, melted over hot water, and the vanilla, also more water if necessary. Work with a silver plated knife and knead until thoroughly mixed, then break off small pieces of uniform size and roll them into balls, in the hollow of the hand, flatten the balls a little, set the half of an English walnut upon each, pressing the nut into the candy and thus flattening it still more. The caramel gives the chocolate a particularly nice flavor.

Half a pound of"Dot" Chocolatewill coat quite a number of candy or other "centers," but as depth of chocolate and an even temperature during the whole time one is at work are essential, it is well, when convenient, to melt a larger quantity of chocolate. When cold, the unused chocolate may be cut from the dish and set aside for use at a future time. If the chocolate be at the proper temperature when the centers are dipped in it, it will give a rich, glossy coating free from spots, and the candies will not have a spreading base. After a few centers have been dipped set them in a cool place to harden. The necessary utensils are a wire fork and a very small double boiler. The inner dish of the boiler should be of such size that the melted chocolate will come nearly to the top of it. Break the chocolate in small pieces and surround with warm water, stir occasionally while melting. When the melted chocolate has cooled to about 80° F. it is ready to use. Drop whatever is to be coated into the chocolate, with the fork push it below the chocolate, lift out, draw across the edge of the dish and drop onto a piece of table oil cloth or onto waxed paper. Do not let a drop of water get into the chocolate.

Chocolate Dipped Peppermints.

Prepare green, white, pink and chocolate colored mints by the first recipe. After they have dried off a little run a spatula under each and turn to dry the other side.CoatwithBaker's "Dot" Chocolate.

Ginger, Cherry, Apricot and Nut Chocolates.

Use the first four ingredients in making uncooked fondant. (Caramel syrup is a great addition to this fondant, especially if nuts are to be used. Use three tablespoonfuls of syrup and one tablespoonful of water with one egg white instead of the two tablespoonfuls of water indicated in the recipe). Work the fondant for some time, then break off little bits and wrap around small pieces of the fruit, then roll in the hollow of the hand into balls or oblongs. For other candies, roll a piece of the fondant into a ball, flatten it with the fingers and use to cover a whole pecan or English walnut meat. Set each shape on a plate as it is finished. They will harden very quickly. Dip these, one by one, in Baker's "Dot" Chocolate and set on an oil cloth.

Chocolate Peanut Clusters.

Shell a quart of freshly-roasted peanuts and remove the skins. Drop the peanuts, one by one, into the center of a dish of"Dot" Chocolatemade ready for use; lift out onto oil cloth with a dipping fork (a wire fork comes for the purpose, but a silver oyster fork answers nicely) to make groups of three nuts,—two below, side by side, and one above and between the others.

Chocolate Coated Almonds.

Select nuts that are plump at the ends. Use them without blanching. Brush, to remove dust. Melt"Dot" Chocolateand when cooled properly drop the nuts, one at a time, into the center of it; push the nuts under with the fork, then drop onto waxed paper or oil cloth. In removing the fork make a design on the top of each nut. These are easily prepared and are particularly good.

Chocolate Dipped Parisian Sweets.

Pour boiling water over the figs and dates, let boil up once, then drain as dry as possible; remove stones from the dates, the stem ends from the figs; chop the fruit and nut meats (almonds should be blanched) in a food chopper; add the salt; and the sugar and work the whole to a smooth paste; add the chocolate, melted, and work it evenly through the mass. Add more sugar if it is needed and roll the mixture into a sheet one-fourth an inch thick. Cut into strips an inch wide. Cut the strips into diamond-shaped pieces (or squares); roll these in confectioner's sugar or dip them in chocolate fondant or in Baker's "Dot" Chocolate, and sprinkle a little fine-chopped pistachio nut meats on the top of the dipped pieces. When rolling the mixture use confectioner's sugar on board and rolling pin.

Stuffed Dates, Chocolate Dipped.

Cut choice dates open on one side and remove the seeds. Fill the open space in the dates with a strip of preserved ginger or pineapple, chopped nuts or chopped nuts mixed with white or chocolate fondant; press the dates into a compact form to keep in the filling, then dip them, one by one, in"Dot" Chocolate.

Chocolate Oysterettes.

Select fresh-baked crackers free from crumbs. Dip in "Dot" Chocolate, made ready as in previous recipes, and dispose on oil cloth or waxed paper. For a change add figs or other fruit, cut very fine, or chopped nuts to the chocolate ready for dipping.

Turkish Paste With French Fruit.

Let the gelatine stand in the half cup of cold water until it has taken up all of the water. Stir the sugar and the two-thirds a cup of cold water over the fire until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is boiling, then add the gelatine and let cook twenty minutes; add the cinnamon, the chocolate, melted over hot water, and beat all together, then add the vanilla and the fruit; let stand in a cool place for a time, then when it thickens a little turn into anunbuttered bread pan and set aside until the next day. To unmold separate the paste from the pan—at the edge—with a sharp-pointed knife. Sift confectioner's sugar over the top, then with the tips of the fingers gently pull the paste from the pan to a board dredged with confectioner's sugar; cut into strips, then into small squares. Roll each square in confectioner's sugar. In cutting keep sugar between the knife and the paste.

Chocolate Pecan Pralines.

Stir the sugar and cream over the fire until the sugar is melted, then let boil to the soft ball degree, or to 236° F. Add the chocolate, melted or shaved fine, and beat it in, then pour the mixture onto the cup of sugar cooked to caramel; let the mixture boil up once, then remove from the fire; add the nut meats and beat until the mass begins to thicken. When cold enough to hold its shape drop onto an oil cloth or marble, a teaspoonful in a place, and at once set a half nut meat on each. Two persons are needed to make these pralines, one to drop the mixture, the other to decorate with the halves of the nuts. The mixture becomes smooth and firm almost instantly. Maple or brown sugar may be used in place of all or a part of the quantity of granulated sugar designated.

Vassar Fudge.

Put in the sugar and cream, and when this becomes hot put in the chocolate, broken up into fine pieces. Stir vigorously and constantly. Put in butter when it begins to boil. Stir until it creams when beaten on a saucer. Then remove and beat until quite cool and pour into buttered tins. When cold cut in diamond-shaped pieces.

Smith College Fudge.

Melt one-quarter cup of butter. Mix together in a separate dish one cup of white sugar, one cup of brown sugar, one-quarter cup of molasses and one-half cup of cream. Add this to the butter, and after it has been brought to a boil continue boiling for two and one-half minutes, stirring rapidly. Then add two squares ofBaker's Premium No. 1 Chocolate, scraped fine. Boil this five minutes, stirring it first rapidly, and then more slowly towards the end. After it has been taken from the fire, add one and one-half teaspoonfuls of vanilla. Then stir constantly until the mass thickens. Pour into buttered pan and set in a cool place.

Wellesley Marshmallow Fudge.

Heat two cups of granulated sugar and one cup of rich milk (cream is better). Add two squares ofBaker's Chocolate, and boil until it hardens in cold water. Just before it is done add a small piece of butter, then begin to stir in marshmallows, crushing and beating them with a spoon. Continue to stir in marshmallows, after the fudge has been taken from the fire, until half a pound has been stirred into the fudge. Cool in sheets three-quarters of an inch thick, and cut in cubes.

Double Fudge.

Boil seven minutes; then beat and spread in buttered tin to cool.

Boil ten minutes; then beat and pour on top of fudge already in pan. When cool, cut in squares.

Marbled Fudge.

Stir the sugar, glucose and cream over a slack fire until the sugar is melted; move the saucepan to a hotter part of the range and continue stirring until the mixture boils, then let boil, stirring every three or four minutes very gently, until the thermometer registers 236° F., or, till a soft ball can be formed in cold water. Remove from the fire and pour one-half of the mixture over the chocolate. Set both dishes on a cake rack, or on something that will allow the air to circulate below the dishes. When the mixture cools a little, get some one to beat one dish of the fudge; add a teaspoonful of vanilla to each dish, and beat until thick and slightly grainy, then put the mixture in a pan, lined with waxed paper, first a little of one and then of the other, to give a marbled effect. When nearly cold turn from the pan, peel off the paper and cut into cubes.

Fudge Hearts Or Rounds.

Boil the sugar, milk and water to 236° F., or to the "soft ball" degree; stir gently every few minutes; add the butter and let boil up vigorously, then remove from the fire and add the chocolate; let stand undisturbed until cool, then add the vanilla and beat the candy until it thickens and begins to sugar. Pour into a pan lined with paper to stand until cooled somewhat; turn from the mold and with a French cutter or a sharp edged tube cut into symmetrical shapes.

Marshmallow Fudge.

1st BATCH

2nd BATCH

Start with the first batch and when this is nearly boiled enough, set the second batch to cook, preparing it in the same manner as the first. Stir the sugar and cream, over a rather slack fire, until the sugar is melted, when the sugar boils wash down the sides of the pan as in making fondant, set in the thermometer and cook over a quick fire, without stirring, to the soft ball degree, 236° F.; add the butter, salt and chocolate, melted or shaved fine, and let boil up vigorously, then remove to a cake cooler (or two spoon handles to allow a circulation of air below the pan). In the meantime the second batch should be cooking and the marshmallows be gotten ready. When the first batch is about cold add the vanilla and beat the candy vigorously until it begins to thicken, then turn it into a pan lined with waxed paper. At once dispose the halves of marshmallows close together upon the top of the fudge. Soon the other dish of fudge will be ready; set it into cold water and when nearly cold, add the vanilla and beat as in the first batch, then pour it over the marshmallows. When the whole is about cold turn it onto a marble, or hardwood board, pull off the paper and cut into cubes. If one is able to work very quickly, but one batch need be prepared, half of it being spread over the marshmallows.

Chocolate Dipped Fruit Fudge.

FRUIT FUDGE

CHOCOLATE FOR DIPPING

Stir the sugar, syrup, glucose and cream until the sugar is melted, cover and let boil three or four minutes, then uncover and let boil stirring often but very gently until a soft ball may be formed in cold water, or, until the thermometer registers 236° F. Set the saucepan on a cake cooler and when the mixture becomes cool, add the fruit and beat until it becomes thick, then turn into pans lined with waxed paper. In about fifteen minutes cut into squares. Coat these with the "Dot" Chocolate.

Chocolate Cocoanut Cakes.

Heat the sugar, water and glucose to the boiling point, add the cocoanut and stir constantly while cooking to the soft ball degree, or, until a little of the candy dropped on a cold marble may be rolled into a ball. Drop, by small teaspoonfuls, onto a marble or waxed paper, to make small, thick, rather uneven rounds. When cold coat with "Dot" Chocolate melted over hot water and cooled properly. These cakes are very easily coated.

Baker's Chocolate 'divinity.'

Let the sugar, syrup, glucose and water stand on the back of the range, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted, then cover and let boil five minutes. Remove the cover and let boil to soft crack, 287° F., or, until when tested in water a ball that rattles in the cup will be formed. Add the salt and chocolate and beat over the fire, until the chocolate is melted, then pour in a fine stream onto the whites of eggs, beaten dry, beating constantly meanwhile; add the nuts and pour into a pan lined with waxed paper. In about fifteen minutes lift the candy from the pan (by the ends of the paper left for the purpose) and cut it into small oblongs or squares. The candy must be stirred constantly during the last of the cooking. In cooking without a thermometer one is liable to remove the candy from the fire too soon—if this happens, return, egg whites and all, to the saucepan, set this into a dish of boiling water and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, then pour into the pan lined with paper. On no account let even a few drops of water boil into the candy.

Chocolate Nougatines.

Put the sugar, glucose, honey, paraffine and water over the fire, stir occasionally and let boil to the hard ball degree, about 248° F. Add the salt to the eggs before beating them, and gradually pour on part of the syrup, beating constantly meanwhile with the egg beater; return the rest of the syrup to the fire and let boil until it is brittle when tested in cold water or to 290° F. Then turn this gradually onto the eggs, beating constantly meanwhile. Return the whole to the saucepan, set over the fire on an asbestos mat and beat constantly until it becomes crisp when tested in cold water. Pour into a buttered pan a little larger than an ordinary bread pan and set aside to become cold. When cold cut into pieces about an inch and a quarter long and three-eighths of an inch wide and thick. Coat these with "Dot" Chocolate.

Plain Chocolate Caramels.

Put the sugar, glucose, butter, cream of tartar and one cup of the milk over the fire, stir constantly, and when the mass has boiled a few moments, gradually stir in the rest of the milk. Do not let the mixture stop boiling while the milk is being added. Stir every few moments and cook to 248° F., or, until when tested in cold water, a hard ball may be formed; add the chocolate and vanilla and beat them thoroughly through the candy, then turn it into two bread pans. When nearly cold cut into squares.

Chocolate Nut Caramels.

Put the sugar, glucose,onecup of the cream and the butter over the fire; stir and cook until the mixture boils vigorously, then gradually add the other cup of cream. Do not allow the mixture to stop boiling while the cream is being added. Cook until the thermometer registers 250° F., stirring gently—move the thermometer, to stir beneath it—every four or five minutes. Without a thermometer boil until—when tested by dropping a little in cold water—a hard ball may be formed in the water. Remove from the fire, add the chocolate and nuts and beat until the chocolate is melted; beat in the vanilla and turn into a biscuit pan, nicely oiled or buttered, to make a sheet three-fourths an inch thick. When nearly cold turn from the pan and cut into cubes.

Ribbon Caramels.

CHOCOLATE LAYERS

WHITE LAYER

Put the sugar, glucose, butter, cream of tartar and the fourth a cup of milk over the fire, stir until the mixture boils, then very gradually stir in the rest of the milk. Let cook, stirring occasionally, to 248° F., or until, when tested in water or on a cold marble, a pretty firm ball may be formed. Add the chocolate and vanilla, mix thoroughly and turn into two well-buttered shallow pans. For the white layer, put the sugar, water and glucose over the fire, stir until boiling, then add the cocoanut and stir occasionally until a soft ball may be formed when a little of the mixture is dropped upon a cold marble. Put this mixture over the fire, to dissolve the sugar, but do not let it begin to boil until the chocolate layers are turned into the pans. When the white mixture is ready, turn enough of it onto one of the chocolate layers to make a layer about one-third an inch thick. Have the other chocolate layer cooled, by standing in cold water; remove it from the pan and dispose above the cocoanut layer. Let stand until cold and firm, then cut in cubes; wrap each cube in waxed paper.

Stir the sugar and water in a saucepan, set on the back part of the range, until the sugar is melted, then draw the saucepan to a hotter part of the range, and stir until the boiling point is reached; add the cream of tartar or acid and, with the hand or a cloth wet repeatedly in cold water, wash down the sides of the saucepan, to remove any grains of sugar that have been thrown there. Cover the saucepan and let boil rapidly three or four minutes. Remove the cover, set in the thermometer—if one is to be used—and let cook very rapidly to 240° F., or the soft ball degree. Wet the hand in cold water and with it dampen a marble slab or a large platter, then without jarring the syrup turn it onto the marble or platter. Do not scrape out the saucepan or allow the last of the syrup to drip from it, as sugary portions will spoil the fondant by making it grainy. When the syrup is cold, with a metal scraper or a wooden spatula, turn the edges of the mass towards the center, and continue turning the edges in until the mass begins to thicken and grow white, then work it up into a ball, scraping all the sugar from the marble onto the mass; knead slightly, then cover closely with a heavy piece of cotton cloth wrung out of cold water. Let the sugar stand for an hour or longer to ripen, then remove the damp cloth and cut the mass into pieces; press these closely into a kitchen bowl, cover with a cloth wrung out of water (this cloth must not touch the fondant) and then with heavy paper. The fondant may be used the next day, but is in better condition after several days, and may be kept almost indefinitely, if the cloth covering it be wrung out of cold water and replaced once in five or six days. Fondant may be used, white or delicately colored with vegetable color-pastes or with chocolate, as frosting for small cakes, or éclairs or for making candy "centers," to be coated with chocolate or with some of the same fondant tinted and flavored appropriately.

CENTERS

CHOCOLATE COATING

Mix the chopped almonds with the fondant and vanilla; add confectioner's sugar, a little at a time, and knead the mass thoroughly, on a marble or large platter; shape into a long roll, then cut into small pieces of the same size. Shape these into balls a generous half inch in diameter and leave them about an hour to harden on the outside. Put the fondant for the coating and the chocolate (shaved or broken in pieces) in a double boiler (with hot water in the lower receptacle); add the vanilla and the water and heat until melted; take out the spoon and put in a dipping fork (a wire fork costing about ten cents) beat the fondant, to keep it from crusting and drop in a "center;" with the fork cover it with fondant; put the fork under it and lift it out, scrape the fork lightly on the edge of the dish, to remove superfluous candy, turn the fork over and drop the bon-bon onto waxed paper. Make a design with the fork in taking it from the candy. At once press half of a blanched almond on the top of the candy, or the design made with the fork will suffice. If at any time the coating be too thick, add a few drops of water. If any be left over, use it to coat whole nuts or cherries.

Almond and Cherry Chocolate Creams.

CENTERS

CHOCOLATE COATING

Prepare the centers and coat in the same manner as thealmond creams.

Chocolate Peppermints.

Melt a little fondant and flavor it to taste with essence of peppermint; leave the mixture white or tint very delicately with green or pink color-paste. With a teaspoon drop the mixture onto waxed paper to make rounds of the same size—about one inch and a quarter in diameter—let these stand in a cool place about one hour. Put about a cup of fondant in a double boiler, add two ounces of chocolate and a teaspoonful of boiling water, then stir (over hot water) until the fondant and chocolate are melted and evenly mixed together; then drop the peppermints, one by one, into the chocolate mixture, and remove them with the fork to a piece of oil cloth; let stand until the chocolate is set, when they are ready to use.

Fig and Nut Chocolates.

Remove the stem and hard place around the blossom end of the figs, and let steam, with the water or wine, in a double boiler until softened, then add the nuts and chop very fine. Add powdered sugar as is needed to shape the mixture into balls. Melt the chocolate, using enough to secure the shade of brown desired in the coating and add to the fondant with the vanilla. Coat the fig-and-nut balls and drop them with the fork onto a piece of oil cloth or waxed paper in the same manner as thecherry bon-bons. These may be dipped in"Dot" Chocolateinstead of fondant.

Chocolate Marshmallows.

Cut the marshmallows in halves, and put them, one by one, cut side down, in chocolate fondant (as prepared foralmondandcherry chocolate creams), melted over hot water and flavored to taste with vanilla. Beat the chocolate with the fork, that it may not crust over, lift out the marshmallow, turn it and, in removing the fork, leave its imprint in the chocolate; sprinkle at once with a little fine-chopped pistachio nut meat. To prepare the nuts, set them over the fire in tepid water to cover, heat to the boiling point, drain, cover with cold water, then take them up, one by one, and with the thumb and finger push the meat from the skin.

Maple Fondant Acorns.

Make fondant of the syrup, granulated sugar and cold water, following the directions given for fondant made of granulated sugar (cream of tartar or other acid is not required in maple fondant). Work some of the fondant, adding confectioner's sugar as needed, into cone shapes; let these stand an hour or longer to harden upon the outside. Put a little of the fondant in a dish over hot water; add Baker's Chocolate and vanilla as desired and beat till the chocolate is evenly mixed through the fondant, then dip the cones in the chocolate and set them on a piece of oil cloth or waxed paper. When all are dipped, lift the first one dipped from the paper and dip the base again in the chocolate, and then in the chopped-and-browned almonds. Continue until all have been dipped.

Chocolate Almond Bars.

Melt the sugar in the water and glucose and let boil to about 252° F., or between a soft and a hard ball. Without the paraffine cook a little higher than with it. Add the almonds and the vanilla, mix thoroughly and turn onto a marble or platter over which powdered sugar has been sifted. Turn out the candy in such a way that it will take a rectangular shape on the marble. When cool enough score it in strips about an inch and a quarter wide, and, as it grows cooler, lift the strips, one by one, to a board and cut them in pieces half or three-quarters of an inch wide. When cold, drop them, sugar side down, in chocolate fondant prepared for "dipping." With the fork push them below the fondant, lift out, drain as much as possible, and set onto oil cloth. These improve upon keeping.

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