The farm cook & rule book

Prepare the centers for bonbons by adding flavoring, chopped nuts, candied fruit or any coloring desired to fondant. Shape this into balls and let stand overnight. Nuts, candied cherries or other fruits may be used as the centers if one wishes. To make the chocolate for dipping, cut a % pound cake of dipping or coating chocolate in small pieces and place in the upper part of a double boiler. Do not let the water below it boil. To the chocolate add 1 level tablespoonful of butter, olive oil or any good salad oil. When the chocolate is melted, pour a part of it in a shallow dish. If you have a candy thermometer, insert it in the chocolate and let the mass cool to 80 degrees F., manipulating the mixture all the time with the fingers. This distributes the butter or oil throughout the chocolate, making it smooth and glossy. When the chocolate begins to harden a little on the sides of the dish, it is time to dip the candies, and this work should be done quickly. Roll the center in the chocolate, pick it up with the thumb and first finger and rub oif the surplus chocolate with the other hand. Place on a pan covered with oiled paper, bringing the fingers up over the top to form any desired design on the bonbon. When the chocolate becomes too cool for dipping, it is no longer smooth and it will not slip from the fingers easily. Add to it some of the chocolate in the double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water and proceed as before. Honey Kisses 2 tablespoonfuls honey 1 cupful brown sugar 1 cupful white sugar % cupful cream 2 tablespoonfuls hot water % teaspoonful vanilla nut meats Stir the honey, brown and white sugar, hot water and cream together until they are melted. Boil without stirring until a little of the mixture dropped in cold water forms a hard ball. Add the vanilla and pour into an oiled pan. While warm cut into squares and press a nut meat in every piece. Fruit Balls 1 cupful raisins 1^/^ cupfuls dates 2 tablespoonfuls lemon juice 1 cupful nut meats CANDIES AND CONFECTIONS 61 Put the stoned dates, seedless raisins and nut meats through a food grinder and mix in the lemon juice. Shape into balls the size of marbles and dip in chocolate. Bonbon Delights 1 pound raisins 3 figs % cupful cocoanut 1 pound nuts 2 tablespoonfuls grated orange peel Put the raisins, cocoanut, figs and nuts through a food chopper. Add the orange peel and thoroughly mix the ingredients. Shape the paste into balls the size of marbles and dip in chocolate. Marshmallows 2 cupfuls sugar 1 teaspoonful vanilla % cupful hot water 2 tablespoonfuls gelatin ^ cupful cold water Soak the gelatin in the cold water. Cook sugar and hot water nearly to the soft ball stage. Add gelatin, pour into a large bowl and beat until stiff. Add vanilla, beat thoroughly and pour into a tin. Let stand until stiff. Cut in strips, pull out of tin, cut in squares and roll in equal parts of cornstarch and powdered sugar. Pralines 1% cupfuls powdered sugar 1 cupful maple syrup Yi cupful cream 2 cupfuls chopped nut meats Boil the powdered sugar, cream and maple syrup together until the soft ball stage is reached. Eemove from the stove and beat until creamy. Add the nuts and drop from a spoon on buttered paper. Popcorn Balls 1 cupful sugar 'V2 cupful cold water ^ cupful white corn syrup 2 tablespoonfuls butter