Paul Richards' book of breads, cakes, pastries, ices and sweetmeats

These baskets are made of macaroons, or meringues, and also of fruits dipped in sugar boiled to the hard crack. A mold is used, slightly oiled, and the edge of the macaroons is dipped in the boiled sugar, and they are fastened together on the inside or outside of the mold. When the sugar is cold, the form is taken off the mold and fastened to a bottom or socle made from gum paste or croquant paste, iced and ornamented with royal icing. The basket may also be fastened on a shallow dish of china with caramel sugar. The inside may be lined with Charlotte russe crust No. 97 or No. 98, or with ladyfingers, and filled with sweetened whipped cream. The handle may be made from spun sugar or royal icing. The finishing touches may be put on with the comet to make a pleasing effect. 1 142.— FRUITS IN CARAMEL. All kinds of fresh or candied fruit, also almonds and nuts, may be dipped in sugar boiled to the hard crack or to the' caramel degree. Cherries, strawberries, grapes, etc., should be freed from the stalks; the oranges peeled, all the white pith removed, and divided in natural divisions; the fruit should be perfectly dry. Nuts or almonds may be stuck on a wire and dipped in the sugar. For the other fruits a wire bent in spoon shape is used. The fruit, after it is dipped, is placed on the slab or on wire grates to drain and harden. When cold, it may be used to build baskets or pyramids, fastening the pieces together; or it may be served in single pieces, or filled in nougat baskets or cornucopias. 1143. — FLOWERS AND LEAVES FROM royal icing. The piping is done on a white or BOILED SUGAR. pink gauze or netting, and this kind of ornament- Prepare the sugar as for spun sugar ( see No. ing is termed bobbin-net work. Scrolls, handles, 1135). Cut in tablets and melt a small portion cottages and castles, also baskets, are made in this on a slow fire. Use dry paste color, and color work, which is all done with the comet. The each part when the sugar is melted on the oiled piping is generally done in white, and the finishslab. This work must be done near the fire or ing touches are put on with pink icing interover a gas-stove to keep the sugar in a pliable spersed with small gold and silver dragees. condition. The design may be drawn on the marble, or if Take a small part of the sugar and form in on paper, laid under glass. The netting is placed petals of flowers, cutting the shape with the scis- over the design, and the piping is put on the netsors, and forming it with the fingers. After the ting; when dry, it is turned over and piped on the different sizes of petals are made they are formed other side. and fastened around a center, to represent roses. When dry, the netting is cut close to the outtulips, calla lilies, and other smaller flowers and line with the scissors. For some of the scrolls, buds. The petals may be made from yellow handles, etc., the netting is cut in shape of the colored and pulled sugar, or from gum paste, design before putting on the piping, to make it The petals are fastened by heating the parts to be invisible, fastened on the fire. The piping on both sides is required for scrolls, For the leaves a part of the sugar is colored handles, and such work where both sides are seen; green, and the stems may be imitated with choco- other work, like baskets and outside pieces, roofs, late color. etc. , require no duplicating. The sides of houses. To imitate Nature the flowers may be touched etc. , are piped in lattice fashion with a strong up and painted with a small camel's hair brush, edge, which gives more support to the fine piping. Roses and tulips without a center may be made Small scrolls may be placed together upright in and filled with ices or creams; or large leaves of the center of an ornamental cake, four or six of