Foods and household management

Candy made at home costs less than high grade commercial candy, even counting in the labor. It is superior to cheap grade candy, which may even contain poisonous coloring matter. It is a pleasure to make it at times, and it is always a pleasing gift at the holiday season. Principles of cooking. A sirup is formed by cooking sugar with water. The sirup thickens if process is prolonged and water evaporates. Cane sugar is changed to glucose and fructose by boiling with an acid. Heated without additional water, the sugar is partially deoomposed, giving off water and becoming brown in color. This is ** caramel/' used for coloring, and flavoring. The final stage of heating leaves pure oarbon. [Recipe 8. Peanut brittle.] IngredienU. Sugar 2 cups Salt } teaspoonful [Peanuts 1 quart] Method. — Shell the peanuts and chop them in small pieces. Put the sugar in a saucepan and place over a moderate fire. Stir fron^ the bottom until the sugar is entirely melted and of a rich brown color. The sugar will lump badly at first, but these lumpQ will entirely melt in time. Turn the chopped peanuts and salt into the sirup and stir together and immediately turn out on a buttered pan. When cold, break into pieces. 9. Fudge. Ingredients. Sugar 2 cups Cream of tartar ⅛ teaspoonful Chocolate 2 squares Milk or water 1 cup Vanilla 1 teaspoonful Method. — Mix the first four ingredients and place over a hot fire. Stir steadily until the mixture begins to boil. Stir occasionally after this until, when half a teaspoonful is dropped into cold water, it may be rolled to a soft ball with the fingers. Set the saucepan in a cool place and leave until it becomes just lukewarm. Add the vanilla and stir the mixture until it becomes thick and seems very slightly granular. Pour it into a buttered tin and as soon as possible cut into squares. The exact point at which to remove the fudge from the fire and again at which to cease stirring and pour into the pan is a matter which only practice can teach. 10. Penocha. Ingredients. Brown sugar 2 cups Butter 2 tablespoonfuls Milk, cream, or water 1 cup Cream of tartar ⅛ teaspoon or less Vanilla 1 teaspoon Method. — As with recipe 9. The very dark brown sugar contains some acid and therefore less cream of tartar may be used. Chopped nuts may be added with the vanilla to both fudge and penocha. XI. Fondant for French creams. Ingredients. Sugar 2 cups Cream of tartar ⅛ teaspoonful Boiling water }cup n Method. — Mix the sugar and cream of tartar. Add the boiling water and place over a moderate fire, stirring slowly and steadily until the sugar is dissolved. Do not stir after the mixture begins to boil, but let it boil slowly until the sirup will form a soft baU in cold water. Turn out on a platter without scraping the saucepan. The success of the fondant depends upon the complete changing of the cane sugar into fructose apd glucose, the crystals of the latter being much finer than those of cane sugar. Stirring the mixture while it boils or before it has cooled sufficiently will result in the formation of cane sugar crystals, and the fondant will be harsh and rough.