A Little Candy Book for a Little Girl

After Betsey had prepared the raisins by slitting one side carefully and removing the seeds, she blanched the almonds she had shelled by covering with boiling water. Letting them stand about a minute, then draining off the water, she removed the brown skins easily.

The raisins were not always large enough to hold a whole almond so she cut the nut to fit it, then pressed the opening together and rolled in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Raisins with Peanuts

Betsey made a slit in each raisin, carefully, with a sharp knife, removed the seeds and pressed in a peanut.

After pressing the opening together she rolled the raisin in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Raisins with Foundation Cream

Betsey had the foundation cream all made (see page 92 (#x4_pgepubid00095)). She prepared the raisins as usual (slitting carefully on one side and removing the seeds), then made the cream into small balls and pressed into the opening, which she closed. Next she rolled each raisin in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Dates with Walnuts

Betsey found that these did not take nearly as long to prepare as the raisins.

With a sharp knife she cut one side of the date, removed the long stone, filled it with a piece of walnut the right size, then pressed and rolled in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Dates with Pecans

Making an opening into each date with a sharp knife, Betsey removed the stone and filled with a piece of pecan meat to fit, and rolled in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Dates with Almonds

It was a quick job for Betsey to prepare the dates by cutting an opening and removing the long stone, but the almonds took longer. These she shelled, covered with boiling water a minute, drained them and removed the brown skins.

In each date she pressed an almond, then rolled in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Dates with Peanuts

After Betsey shelled the peanuts she removed the long stone from each date by cutting an opening with a sharp knife, then she filled each one with a peanut and rolled it in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Dates with Foundation Cream

Taking the foundation cream from the refrigerator, where she had kept it since making the day before (see page 92 (#x4_pgepubid00095) for recipe), Betsey made it into small balls. These she pressed into the openings of the dates which she had cut and from which the large stones had been removed, then she rolled them in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Figs with Walnuts

This was the only kind of stuffed figs that Betsey and mother liked.

The figs were prepared by removing the stem and cutting carefully down the side, then they were pulled apart and a whole walnut inserted. Next they were pressed together and lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

Betsey called these her "convenient sweets" because, as mother said, you could make the stuffed fruits at any time: winter, summer, spring or fall.

Betsey's grandmother was keenly interested in everything her little granddaughter undertook, and this was especially true of the candy-making. Grandmother admitted that she had a "sweet tooth," and Betsey often surprised her with delicious dainties.

Betsey learned that grandmother was particularly fond of "Stuffed Fruits," and a few days before her birthday Betsey prepared some of each kind, arranged them attractively in a large box, and on the morning of the eventful day gave them to a delighted grandmother.

Grandmother was very much pleased with the pretty box and its "sweet contents." She called Betsey's gift, "the sweet surprise," because, as she said, "I never know just what each dainty contains until I begin to eat it, and, therefore, I am always being surprised."

CHAPTER VII

CREAM CANDIES—COOKED

Betsey wanted to learn how to make the cooked foundation cream, or fondant as it was called, and mother gladly taught her.

Fondant—Plain

The sugar, cream of tartar and water Betsey stirred thoroughly in the saucepan and let it slowly come to the boiling point, then she stopped stirring. After the syrup had been boiling a few minutes the sugar began to stick to the sides of the saucepan, but Betsey's mother took a piece of soft muslin, dipped it in cold water and showed Betsey just how to wash it carefully off so that not one grain, even, should fall into the syrup.

Then when Betsey tried the syrup by dropping a little in cold water she was very, very careful not to stir it. When it formed a soft ball it was ready to be taken off, and then mother told Betsey to add the vanilla and pour the syrup slowly on a large platter.

As soon as it was cool enough to handle Betsey began to knead it and work the cream until it was beautifully smooth, then she wrapped it in waxed paper, put in a covered bowl, in a cool place, for twenty-four hours.

It was then ready to make into candies just as she did with the uncooked foundation cream on page 92 (#x4_pgepubid00095).

Chocolate Fondant

Putting the sugar, cream of tartar, water and chocolate into the saucepan, Betsey stirred them well together, then let slowly come to the boiling point.

After this she stopped stirring.

When the syrup had been boiling a minute or two and sugar began to stick to the sides of the saucepan, Betsey took a piece of soft muslin, dipped it in cold water and very carefully wiped off every grain, as mother had taught her.

Even when Betsey tried the syrup in cold water she took particular pains not to stir it; when it reached the soft ball stage she removed the saucepan from the fire, added the vanilla and poured slowly on to a large platter.

This she let cool, sufficiently to handle, then kneaded and worked the cream until it was very smooth.

Next she wrapped it in waxed paper, put in a covered bowl in a cool place for twenty-four hours, when it was ready to use for making candies.

Coffee Fondant

Betsey strained the coffee through a double thickness of cheesecloth, added the sugar and cream of tartar and let them slowly come to the boiling point; when the syrup had been boiling a few minutes the sugar began to stick to the sides of the saucepan. As this had to be removed very carefully so that not even a grain should fall back into the syrup Betsey took a soft piece of muslin, dipped it in cold water and with great care removed every bit.

Even when she tried the syrup to see if it had reached the soft ball stage Betsey was very particular not to stir it.

When the candy was cooked Betsey poured it slowly into a large smooth platter, waited until it was cool enough to handle, then kneaded the cream until it was very smooth. Wrapping the fondant in waxed paper, Betsey put it in a covered bowl in a cool place for twenty-four hours. It was then ready to make into candies.

Maple Sugar Fondant

The maple sugar, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and hot water were all stirred well until they began to boil, then Betsey had to watch carefully, for sugar began to stick to the sides of the saucepan. This she had to remove, which she did by following mother's careful instructions. She was very particular not to let one grain fall into the syrup and when she tried the syrup to see if it would form a soft ball if a little were dropped in cold water she took care not to stir it.

Then pouring slowly on to a large platter, Betsey let it cool until she could handle the cream, when she kneaded it till it was very smooth.

The fondant was wrapped in waxed paper, put in a covered bowl in a cool place for twenty-four hours and then made into candies.

Corn Syrup Fondant