A Little Candy Book for a Little Girl

Betsey found that all candies worth eating took time, patience and care to make, yet she never seemed to tire of making them. Her enthusiasm was just as fresh at each lesson and mother felt well repaid for her time and trouble.

To be sure, Betsey had some failures, as most little girls do, but she was never discouraged and kept on practising until she had mastered every recipe.

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