A Little Candy Book for a Little Girl

Betsey put all the ingredients in the saucepan and let them come to the boiling point, stirring all the while, then she stopped stirring.

After the syrup had boiled a few minutes, Betsey noticed that the sugar began to stick to the sides of the saucepan. So taking a piece of soft muslin she dipped it in cold water and wiped all this sugar away so carefully that not a grain fell in the syrup.

When Betsey tried a little of the candy in cold water she was again careful not to stir the syrup, and as soon as it reached the soft ball stage she removed the saucepan from the fire and poured the candy slowly into a large platter.

Then when it was cool enough to handle Betsey kneaded till it was very smooth and creamy, wrapped in waxed paper, and put in a covered bowl in a cool place for twenty-four hours.

Betsey found that the cooked fondant would keep a long while and she liked to have some on hand so that she could make a dish of dainty candies at any time.

The following are some of the candies made with the different flavored fondants.

Plain Fondant Almond Creams

Plain Fondant Pecan Creams

Plain Fondant Walnut Creams

Plain Fondant Cherry Creams

In each case Betsey made the small balls of the plain fondant, then pressed half an almond on each side, or half a pecan, or half a walnut or half of a candied cherry.

Sometimes she put the nut or cherry inside and wrapped the fondant around it.

With the chocolate fondant she followed the same idea, making

Chocolate Fondant Almond Creams

Chocolate Fondant Pecan Creams

Chocolate Fondant Walnut Creams

Chocolate Fondant Cherry Creams

With the coffee fondant she made

Coffee Fondant Almond Creams

Coffee Fondant Pecan Creams

Coffee Fondant Walnut Creams

Coffee Fondant Cherry Creams

With the maple sugar fondant she made

Maple Sugar Fondant Almond Creams

Maple Sugar Fondant Pecan Creams

Maple Sugar Fondant Walnut Creams

Maple Sugar Fondant Cherry Creams

It was with the plain fondant that Betsey could make the greatest variety of candies. Every combination that she had made with the uncooked foundation cream (see pages 92 (#x4_pgepubid00095)-94 (#x5_x_5_i7)) Betsey made with the plain fondant.

When she had made Neapolitan Cream Squares (see page 95 (#x5_pgepubid00101)) Betsey's mother had bought some of the color pastes which came from an old established firm, were quite pure and harmless, and made according to government regulations.

So Betsey had these to use, and again she used the pretty harmless colorings as told on page 95 (#x5_pgepubid00101).

These color pastes last for a very long time, since very small quantities are used, just a drop or two being sufficient.

Before Betsey finished her lessons in candy making, especially when she made the fondants, mother's stock of flavorings had very much increased, for Betsey used vanilla, orange, lemon, almond, oil of peppermint, wintergreen, violet, rose and peach.

In fact Betsey became such a little expert in her candy making that Betsey's father said it seemed a foolish waste of money for him to buy the usual box of Saturday candy when he much preferred his own little daughter's concoctions.

Mother thought this too good an opportunity to let pass and suggested that he give the amount he usually spent each week to Betsey, and leave his order with her.

Father was glad to agree and Betsey was delighted and proud to think he thought her capable enough.

This enabled Betsey to form a general supply fund with which to purchase extras in the way of different kinds of nuts, candied cherries, dates, figs, raisins, etc.

Cinnamon Cream Balls

Betsey made the fondant into small balls, then rolled them lightly in the cinnamon. She was careful not to have very much as it made the cinnamon taste too strong.

Sometimes she would put a candied cherry inside the cream ball, or a piece of a walnut, or pecan or almond.

Cocoa Cream Balls

These Betsey made like the Cinnamon Cream Balls by forming the fondant into small balls and rolling in cocoa or first putting a piece of any kind of nut or candied cherry inside the cream.

Cream Mints

The plain fondant she divided into as many portions as she desired colors or flavors.

After coloring and flavoring to her liking she rolled them out on mother's marble slab until they were about a quarter of an inch thick—of course she first sprinkled the slab with sifted powdered sugar—then with a little round cutter Betsey would cut out the mints and place on waxed paper to dry.

Sometimes she would use the different nuts, candied cherries, etc., with these by placing a piece on the top of each round.

Cream Chocolate Mints

Chocolate fondant, page 108 (#x5_x_5_i103).

Cream Coffee Mints

Coffee fondant, page 109 (#x5_x_5_i111).

Cream Maple Sugar Mints