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Candies & Confectiona



General Rules

Use a smooth, round-bottomed pan with straight sides for candy cookery. If sugar crystals form on the side of the pan, wipe them off with a fork wrapped in a wet cloth. Watch carefully and test frequently, removing the pan from the heat for each testing. Use fresh cold water for each test.l A thermometer makes candy-making easier by indicating the exact temperature, and thus the concentration of the syrup. The concentration of the syrup determines whether the finished product is a soft and creamy fudge or a hard and brittle. The thermometer should be immersed below the surface of the syrup, but it should not touch the bottom or sides of the pan. Hold the thermometer at eye level to read it accurately. Check the accuracy of the thermometer by immersing it in boiling water-water boils at 212° F. at sea level. At higher altitudes candy cooks faster.

Temperatures and Tests for Candy
Temperature Cold Water Test Texture
230° F. thread Little syrup dropped from spoon forms flexible thread.
234°-236° F.
238°-240° F. 		soft ball Ball flattens but does not ooze out when pressed between fingers.
242°-248° F. firm ball Ball firm, yet can be flattened a little.
250°-265° F. hard ball Ball very firm, yet plastic. Holds its shape.
270°-290° F. crack stage Ball pressed flat will be brittle under water, bend out of water.
300°-310° F. hard crack stage Ball pressed will be brittle in and out of water.

Fudge

Do not stir fudge mixtures after the syrup has dissolved. Cool the fudge, without beating, to 110° F. (warm to the touch). Then beat it until it is glossy and begins to harden. Turn out at once into a buttered pan, let harden, and cut into squares. Nuts and fruits should be added just before pouring. Store fudge in a tightly covered container.

Chocolate Fudge

Cook sugar, syrup, milk, chocolate, and salt over low heat; stir occasionally to prevent burning. Boil to a soft-ball stage, 234° F. Add butter and vanilla. Cool until lukewarm and beat until thick and creamy. Press into buttered pans. Mark into squares and cut.

Nut Fudge

When fudge is thick and beaten until almost creamy, add 1 cup chopped nut meats and 1 tablespoon candied fruit, chopped. Form into balls, roll in chopped nut meats or grated bitter chocolate.

Cream Fudge

Cook first 4 ingredients to a soft-ball stage, 238° F., stirring constantly. Add butter and vanilla; do not stir. Cool to lukewarm, then beat until candy loses its sheen; when thick enough to handle, knead and shape into rolls. When set, cut in pieces.

Mexican Fudge

Put 1 cup sugar into heavy skillet and place over low heat, stirring constantly. When melted to a light brown add 1/4 cup water. Boil until sugar is dissolved and syrup forms. Add remaining sugar, evaporated milk, and salt and cook until it reaches 242° F. (firm ball stage). Add orange rind and remove from heat. Do not stir after removing from stove. Drop the butter on the candy and let stand until cool. Beat until the mixture starts to lose its sheen. Add the nuts. Knead and form into rolls. Cut into 1 inch pieces.

Penoche

Boil sugar and milk to the soft-ball stage, 236° F. Remove from heat and add the butter, flavoring, and nuts. Cool to lukewarm. Beat till creamy and thickened; press into greased pan, and when firm , cut into squares.

Quick Fudge

Melt chocolate and butter in top of double boiler. Mix egg and sugar; add milk, and stir in the chocolate-butter mixture. Add vanilla. Turn into buttered pan, chill and cut into squares.

Quick Cream Cheese Fudge

Cream the cheese until smooth; blend with sugar. Stir in the melted chocolate and mix well. Add vanilla, salt, and nuts. Press into buttered pan. Chill until firm. Cut into squares.

Pralines

Boil sugar and cream to soft-ball stage, 236° F. Then beat until mixture begins to sugar. Add nuts and drop on waxed paper into 2-inch patties.

Coconut Candy

Melt butter in saucepan; add sugar and milk and stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil 12 minutes or to soft-ball stage, 238° F., remove from heat, add coconut and vanilla, and beat until creamy and mixture begins to sugar slightly. Pour at once into a buttered pan and mark into squares.

Sea Foam

Boil sugar, syrup, and water to a very hard-ball stage, 265° F. Pour slowly onto beaten egg whites, beating constantly. When very thick and creamy, add vanilla and nuts, broken in rather large pieces. Drop from spoon onto waxed paper.

Turkish Candy

Follow recipe for Sea Foam, and when stiff and creamy, add nuts, and place in small, deep, well buttered pan. Cover with 2 squares melted unsweetened chocolate. When cold, cut into slices or squares.

Maple Fluffs

Boil first 4 ingredients in a saucepan to crack stage (288° F.), then add marshmallows; let stand 5 minutes, pour over stiffly beaten egg white, beating constantly. Beat until light, and when it begins to set, drop from teaspoon onto waxed paper. Place halved candied cherries or nut meats in center of each piece; cool.

Caramels

Vanilla Caramels

Boil sugar, butter, and milk to firm-ball stage, 245° F. Do not stir after sugar is dissolved. Pour onto buttered platter, cool, beat until creamy. Add vanilla and chopped nuts or cherries if desired. Press into buttered pans; when firm, cut into squares. Wrap in waxed paper.

Caramel Covered Marshmallows

Follow recipe for vanilla or chocolate caramels. Soften caramel mixture in saucepan over boiling water. Place marshmallows on a 2-tined fork or candy dipper. Dip into caramel mixture until coated and then remove to waxed paper. Let stand until coating is hard.

Chocolate Caramels

Place all ingredients except vanilla in a heavy saucepan. Cover and boil for 5 minutes. Uncover, boil to firm-ball stage, 247° F. Remove from heat, add vanilla; add 1 cup chopped nut meats if desired. Pour into buttered 10 x 6 inch pan. When cold, cut into 1 inch squares. Wrap in waxed paper.

Coffee Cream Caramels

Add milk to coffee. Boil sugar, syrup, salt to firm-ball stage, 245&3176; F. Add coffee mixture and butter very slowly, as boiling must not stop. Cook quickly and stir constantly to 242° F., firm-ball stage. Add vanilla; pour 3/4 inch deep in buttered pans; cool. Mark in squares. Chill until very firm; remove from pan, cut into squares. Wrap in waxed paper.

Vanilla Cream Caramels

Boil 1 cup cream with sugar and syrup to soft-ball stage, 238° F. Add 1 cup hot cream; boil again to soft-ball stage. Add third cup of hot cream and boil again to soft-ball stage. Remove from heat, stir in nuts and flavoring, and pour into well buttered pans. When cold, cut into squares. Wrap in waxed paper.

Pulled Candies and Toffees

White Taffy

Combine ingredients and boil to soft-crack stage, 272° F., stirring as needed to prevent scorching. Add any flavoring desired. Pour into well-buttered pan and when cool enough to handle, pull quickly and lightly with oiled finger tips. It should become porous. Stretch out on board to harden. Cut into pieces.

Salt-Water Taffy

Mix all ingredients and boil until mixture reaches the crack-stage, 272° F., stirring as needed to prevent scorching. Pour into buttered pan. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, pull until candy is light and porous. When cold, chop into pieces.

Cinnamon Balls

Add 1/2 teaspoon essence of cinnamon to Salt-Water Taffy before it is pulled. Let it cool and roll into balls.

Butter Cups

Boil sugar, water, and cream of tartar without stirring to hard-boil stage, 260° F. Add a little yellow coloring, lemon extract and vanilla. When cool enough to handle, pull the candy on a floured board in a long sheet, about 2 inches wide. In the center of this strip lay a roll of Fondant the full length of the strip. Wrap the yellow candy around the Fondant; bring the edges together and press firmly. When cool, cut with scissors into 1/2 inch pieces. Make in various colors and flavors.
(For Fondant, see Fondant and Dipped Candies)

English Toffee

Place sugar with cream of tartar in a deep saucepan, rounded at the bottom. Add cream, boil a few minutes, stirring with wooden spoon. Add the butter and boil to crack stage, 290° F., stirring all the time. Add 1 teaspoon rum or any fruit flavoring. Pour into buttered pan. Cut into squares while warm.

Almond Toffee

Make English Toffee, omitting rum. Add 6 tablespoons chopped almonds. Pour at once into greased pan.

Stick Candy

Boil all the ingredients without stirring to soft-crack stage, 285° F. Remove from Heat.

For Lemon Sticks

Add 1 teaspoon lemon extract. Pour on buttered platter. When cool enough, pull and roll into sticks and cut.

For Peppermint Sticks

Add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract. Divide candy into two parts. To one part add a little red vegetable coloring. Pour on buttered platters; when cool enough, pull each and roll separately, then twist one around other. Form into canes or sticks.

Soft Butterscotch

Put sugar, butter, and water in skillet; boil and stir until the spoon leaves a track in bottom of pan, or to hard-ball stage, 252° F. Pour into buttered pans. When cool, cut into squares.

Hard Butter Scotch

Place sugar with cream of tartar in a deep saucepan, rounded at the bottom. Add cream, boil a few minutes, stirring with wooden spoon. Add the butter and boil to crack stage, 290° F., stirring all the time. Add 1 teaspoon rum or any fruit flavoring. Pour into buttered pan. Cut into squares while warm.

Fondant and Dipped Candies

Cooked Fondant

Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring only until sugar is dissolved. Add cream of tartar. Continue to boil until syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238° F. If any crystals form on side of pan, wash off with damp cloth wrapped around fork. Pour onto a buttered marble slab or large platter to cool. When mixture is luke warm, beat with a spatula or wooden spoon until it is white and creamy. Knead on slab until smooth. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 1 hour. Knead again and store in a airtight jar in the refrigerator.

Cream Fondant, uncooked

Mix ingredients and knead thoroughly. Mold to shape.

Butter Fondant, uncooked

Mix ingredients in order, knead thoroughly, and mold to shape.

Peppermint, Wintergreen or Fruit Patties

Put Fondant in top of double boiler, soften over hot water. Flavor with a few drops of peppermint, wintergreen, or fruit flavors. Add coloring. Drop from tip of spoon onto waxed paper.

Nut Creams

Add enough cream to a cup of Fondant to make it thin enough to beat. Beat until consistency of whipped cream. Add a little flavoring and 1/2 cup nuts. Press flat on a buttered baking sheet and cut into squares.

Tutti-Frutti Creams

Chop the fruit and nuts, add coconut and raisins and mix with Fondant. Mold in small patties.

Fondant Dip

To dip Bonbons, melt Fondant in a saucepan over hot water. Add coloring and flavor as desired. Stir as little as possible; add a little boiling water if mixture seems too thick, confectioners sugar if too thin. Remove pan from heat while dipping. A second saucepan of Fondant may be melting in hot water, to use alternately. Put centers-nuts, candied fruit, fondant shapes or other candies may be used-on dipping fork )pronged or with a loop at the end), lower into fondant, lift out, drain off excess fondant, and invert candy on waxed paper over rack to cool. Stir the fondant as necessary between dipping to prevent crust from forming.

Dipped Fresh Strawberries

Do not hull berries. Dip berries, one at a time, halfway into Fondant, softened over hot water, holding the berry by the stem. Lift the berry out quickly, turning the berry round and round in the air a moment, tip upward, to dry. Then invert the berry, stand on tip on waxed paper. Place each berry in a paper bonbon cup. Serve within an hour. Cannot be stored.

Chocolate Dip

Melt 1 pound semi-sweet or milk chocolate over boiling water. Let stand until it feels cool (85° F. Add a little butter or cocoa butter if chocolate is too thick. Proceed as for Fondant Dip. (As above)

Chocolate Cream Dip

Make cone shaped forms of Fondant. Place on waxed paper to harden. Dip, one at a time, into Chocolate Dip and cover all sides. Set on waxed paper to harden.

Chocolate Dipped Cherries

Drain the Maraschino cherries, but not too dry. Melt Fondant in double boiler, and dip the cherries, one at a time. Drop onto waxed paper and let stand in cool place just long enough to harden. Then dip into chocolate dip.

Chocolate Coated Fudge

Follow recipe for any fudge, dip squares into Chocolate Dip, let harden on waxed paper.

Date or Fig Chocolates

Removes stones from dates or cut figs in half lengthwise. Press into uniform shape and coat with Chocolate Dip.

Mint Jellies

Soak gelatin in 2/3 cup cold water for 5 minutes. Place sugar and the rest of water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add dissolved gelatin, bring to the boiling point and boil slowly but steadily for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add the rest of ingredients. Pour the mixture into a shallow pan to about 1 inch in thickness, let stand for about 12 hours or until firm. Remove to board, cut in cubes, roll in confectioners sugar.

Fruit Jellies

Different varieties can be made by adding fruit juices instead of water and different coloring, also by adding 1/2 cup chopped nut meats or candied fruits.

Marshmallows

Soak gelatin in 1/2 cup of cold water for 5 minutes. Cook sugar and 3/4 cup water in saucepan until it threads, pour onto dissolved gelatin, let stand until partially cooled. Add slat and, if desired, a few drops of oil of peppermint or wintergreen and a little of green or red food coloring. Beat until light and thick. Pour into pan thickly dusted with confectioners sugar and put in a cool place to set. Turn out, cut into squares and roll in confectioners sugar.

Nuts and Brittles

Check back. Recipes for Nuts and Brittles will be added at a later date.

Glaceed and Candied Confections

Check back. Recipes for Glaceed and Candied Confections will be added at a later date.
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