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CHAPTER V
CREAM CANDIES—UNCOOKED

The candies that were made without cooking were a constant source of delight, for Betsey learned so many different ways of combining them.

Foundation Cream

Betsey put the white of the egg in the glass measuring cup, noticed carefully just how much it measured and then added the same amount of water, next she flavored it with a few drops of vanilla or almond or peppermint or strong coffee or fruit syrup of any kind, and mixed well.

The confectioner's sugar she thoroughly sifted through a hair wire strainer, then added a little of the liquid mixture at a time until the cream was sufficiently flexible to be molded with the fingers. This was then put in a covered bowl and set away in a cool place for twenty-four hours to harden.

When this was ready to use Betsey made—

Almond Creams

First Betsey shelled the almonds, then blanched them by covering with boiling water for about a minute (this made it very easy to slip off the brown skins), next she split them in two.

Taking some of the cream, she molded it into balls, pressed flat and put half an almond on each side.

Pecan Creams

Betsey's mother bought the pecans already shelled, as it was almost impossible to shell them without breaking them.

Taking some of the cream, she molded it into balls, pressed flat and put half a pecan on each side.

Walnut Creams

The cream she molded into small balls, pressed flat and put half a walnut on each side of the cream.

Another time Betsey tried—

Cherry Creams

Betsey cut the cherries lengthwise in two, shaped the cream into small balls and pressed half a cherry on each side.

The angelica she cut into strips to form stalks, then stuck a cherry on each. Sometimes she simply put the cherry inside the cream balls.

The pretty combination that follows was called—

Neapolitan Cream Squares

Betsey's mother had a large marble slab which she used for rolling out pastry, and this slab Betsey sprinkled with confectioner's sugar that had been thoroughly sifted. To the cream she added a few drops of vanilla and kneaded it in thoroughly. This she divided into five portions, leaving one white and coloring the others pink, green, yellow and chocolate. (Mother always bought the best flavorings and the same concern which made these also had color pastes which were pure and harmless and made according to government regulations, so mother bought some for Betsey with directions for using.) Betsey rolled out each portion alike, placed one on top of another, pressed the rolling-pin lightly over them and cut in half-inch squares with a sharp knife, then placed on waxed paper to dry.

Chocolate Cream Peppermints

Betsey mixed the egg white, water and oil of peppermint drops in a bowl and added as much sifted confectioner's sugar as it would absorb.

The board she sprinkled well with the sugar, then rolled out the mixture to one fourth inch in thickness, and cut out with a small round cutter.

While she was busy with this the chocolate had melted; this she had placed in a good-sized breakfast cup, and the cup in a small shallow pan of hot water on the back of the stove.

Now Betsey took two silver forks and dipped each round of cream in the chocolate, carefully draining each one before placing on waxed paper. Sometimes she needed to melt a little more chocolate, as the eggs varied in size and so made more or less accordingly.

One of Betsey's schoolmates gave her a recipe for lemon and orange creams that her mother often made, so Betsey tried these.

Lemon Creams

First Betsey grated the rind of the lemon into a bowl, then added the lemon juice (strained), the pinch of tartaric acid and sufficient sifted confectioner's sugar to mold into small balls which she flattened into cakes. These she covered with waxed paper and put in a cool place and they were ready the next day to eat.

Orange Creams

As for "Lemon Creams," Betsey grated the rind of the orange into a bowl, added the strained orange juice, a pinch of tartaric acid and sufficient sifted confectioner's sugar to mold into small balls, which she flattened into cakes. Sometimes Betsey put a half cup of walnut meats or pecan meats through the meat chopper and molded them into the cream.

Then she covered with waxed paper, put in a cool place and they were ready the next day to eat.

She also added the nuts to the "Lemon Creams" when she wanted a change.

CHAPTER VI
STUFFED DAINTIES

One day Betsey's mother bought her a pound of nice fresh marshmallows to make

Stuffed Marshmallow Dainties

Betsey found these were very easy to prepare and most delicious.

All she had to do was to cut the marshmallows in two, with the scissors, horizontally,—they look better this way when stuffed (Betsey learned in school about horizontal lines, so that she knew just what mother meant),—then place a piece of ginger or a candied cherry or a piece of candied pineapple or a piece of fig or raisin or date or part of a walnut, pecan, almond, butternut or brazil nut, or small flat balls of the uncooked or cooked foundation cream on the bottom portion of the marshmallow and then press the top piece over it.

Fruit Paste

All these Betsey put through the meat chopper twice, next she put the mixture on the board and kneaded it well with sifted confectioner's sugar until she could roll it out to one half inch in thickness, then she cut in pieces and dipped them in granulated sugar.

Mother also showed Betsey how to stuff raisins and dates, and Betsey found mother's little sharp-pointed kitchen knife to be just the thing for this kind of work.

Stuffed Raisins with Walnuts

Betsey slit the raisins down one side carefully, removed the seeds and pressed in a piece of walnut cut just the right size, then pressed the slit together and rolled in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Raisins with Pecans

Slitting the raisins carefully on one side with a sharp-pointed knife, Betsey removed the seeds, pressed in a piece of pecan meat, squeezed the opening together, then rolled in powdered sugar.

Stuffed Raisins with Almonds

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). 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 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.

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.