Chapter IX: Part 9

99. NATURE OF FONDANT.--Fondant is the foundation cream out of which bonbons and various other fancy candies are made. It is also used for stuffing dates, taking the place of the pit. While it is not so desirable for the centers of chocolate creams as for most of the other candies for which it is used, it can, of course, be coated with chocolate if desired. Some persons have an idea that fondant and related candies are difficult to make, but if directions are followed carefully this will not be the case.

100. In the first place, it should be remembered that the weather is an important factor in the success of candy of this kind. A clear, cold day should be selected, for it is difficult to make fondant successfully on a warm or a damp day. Then, too, it is an excellent plan to make more than can be used at one time, for no greater labor will be involved in the making of a large amount than a small amount and better results may be expected. If the fondant material is cared for properly, small quantities of it may be made up as desired. Therefore, if convenient equipment is on hand for making candies of this type, no less than 2-1/2 pounds should be made at one time. Five pounds is a preferable amount, but, if desired, 10 pounds may be made up at one time, although this amount is about as much as one person can handle and even this is somewhat difficult for some to work up.

A little ingenuity on the part of the person making up the fondant will result in many delightful bonbons. Candied fruits, nuts, coconut, and numerous varieties of flavoring and coloring may be utilized very successfully with fondant. It should be remembered, however, that bonbons do not keep fresh for more than a few days or a week at the most if they are exposed to the air. If it is desired to keep them for any length of time, they should be packed in a tin box, but when stored in this way, different colors should not be placed next to each other or they will mix.

101. FONDANT.--As will be noted, the accompanying recipe for fondant calls for 5 pounds of sugar. It is not necessary that all of the fondant be worked up at once. Indeed, it is suggested that this amount be prepared and then stored so that the fondant may be used as needed. If a smaller amount should be desired, half of each ingredient may be used.

FONDANT

5 lb. sugar 1 qt. water 6 drops acetic acid or 1/4 tsp. cream tartar

Mix the sugar, water, and acetic acid or cream of tartar. Place over the fire and, as in Fig. 5, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Just before the mixture begins to boil, wash down the sides of the kettle with a wet cloth, as shown in Fig. 6. Then place a lid over the kettle and cook until almost ready to test. Remove the cover and, as in Fig. 7, insert a thermometer, which should register 238 degrees. If the fondant is to be stored for some time, it may be boiled to 240 degrees, but for general use a mixture that reaches a temperature of 238 degrees will be the most satisfactory. If the water test is applied, as in Fig. 8, the mixture should form a firm ball that can be easily held in the fingers. Just before the boiling is completed, cool a large platter or a slab and moisten it by wetting it with a damp cloth.

No time should intervene between the end of the boiling and the removal of the sirup from the stove, for every second that the sirup is allowed to stand over the hot burner before it is poured out will raise the temperature. Pour quickly on the platter, as in Fig. 9, and do not allow it to drip. If some sirup is left in the pan, utilize it for something else, rather than allow it to drop on the surface of the candy in the platter or slab. It is at this point that crystallization begins, and the fondant, instead of being creamy, will become grainy. Cool as quickly as possible, so as to lessen the chances for crystallization to begin, and do not disturb the sirup in any way during the cooling. The best way in which to accomplish this is to put the platter in a cool place and make it perfectly level before the sirup is poured into it.

When the mixture has cooled to the extent that it no longer retains any heat, it is ready to be stirred. As already explained, a putty knife or a wallpaper scraper is the most satisfactory utensil to use for this purpose, especially if a large batch is being made. However, a small batch may be stirred very successfully with a case knife. With whatever utensil is selected, scrape the fondant up into a heap, and then, as in Fig. 10, start the working. See that all parts are worked alike. Continue the operation, occasionally scraping off the knife or the paddle used. The first indication of the creaming stage will be a cloudy look in the mixture and a slight thinning of it, so that the work will be easier for a few minutes. It will then gradually begin to harden, and when the end of the work is reached the hardening will progress rapidly. At this stage, try to get the mass together, see that no loose fragments cling to the platter, and pile all into a heap. By the time the working is completed, the candy will be rather hard and will look as if it can never be worked into a soft, creamy candy. It will become soft, however, by the proper treatment.

Wring a clean towel or napkin out of cold water, and, as in Fig. 11, place it tightly over the mass of fondant and tuck it in securely around the edges. Allow the candy to stand for an hour in this way. At the end of this time it will be sufficiently moist to work in any desired way. With a knife or a scraper, break it off into pieces of a size that can be handled well at one time and work each one of these soft by squeezing it in the manner shown in Fig. 12. When all of the pieces have been worked soft, pack them into a bowl and continue working until all the fondant has been worked together and is soft. Over the top of the bowl, as shown in Fig. 13, place a damp cloth and cover this with a plate or an earthen cover. Set away in some place where it will remain cool, but will not become too moist, until it is desired for further use.

The four recipes that follow show how fondant can be made up into attractive as well as delicious confections. They will doubtless give the housewife other ideas as to ways of preparing candies from this foundation material.

102. BONBONS.--In a broad sense, bonbons mean candy or confections in general, but it is also the name of candies made out of colored and flavored fondant. Sometimes they are made small and dainty and are decorated with a nut meat or a piece of maraschino or candied cherry or candied pineapple. Again, centers may be made that contain coconut, nuts, figs, dates, raisins, etc., and these then dipped in some of the fondant that has been colored, flavored, and melted.

103. When bonbons are to be made, remove fondant in pieces from the utensil in which it has been stored. Work it with the hands as it was worked when put away and add the desired coloring and flavoring at this time. If simple bonbons are to be made, form the colored and flavored fondant into tiny balls, place them on oiled paper, and press a nut or a piece of maraschino or candied cherry or candied pineapple on top.

104. To make more elaborate bonbons, form, as in Fig. 14, small round centers out of the fondant to which have been added such materials as dates, figs, raisins, nuts, or coconut, or any combination of these. Only enough fondant should be used to make the other materials stick together. Then, in a double boiler, color, flavor, and melt some of the fondant and, with a coating or other fork, drop the centers into this melted cream. When thoroughly coated, remove, and place on waxed paper. While warm, a piece of nut or candied fruit may be placed on the top of each one. If it is desired not to use fondant in the centers, the nuts or candied fruits themselves may be dipped into the melted bonbon cream and then placed on waxed paper to harden.

105. RECEPTION WAFERS.--Thin wafers made of fondant are a confection much used at parties, receptions, and similar social gatherings. One variety of these is colored pink and flavored with wintergreen, while another is flavored with peppermint and not colored in any way. Other colors and flavors may also be made if desired, but the usual kinds are the pink and white ones.

Divide the mass of fondant to be used into two parts and color one of these a pale pink. Flavor the pink mass with wintergreen and the white one with peppermint. Put one of these in a double boiler and allow it to melt until it is soft enough to pour. Then, as in Fig. 15, with a dessert spoon or a tablespoon, drop the melted fondant on a smooth surface in sufficient amounts to make wafers about the size of a quarter. Drop quickly and as accurately as possible so that the wafers will be the same size and shape. Allow them to stand until cold and set.

Sometimes it will be found that two wafers can be dropped from the same spoonful before the material becomes too cold to pour, but usually it is necessary to dip a fresh spoonful for each wafer. As the fondant hardens on the back of the spoon it should be scraped off and put back into the double boiler. A comparatively small amount of fondant should be melted at one time in order to provide against its becoming sugary, but if it shows any signs of this condition the double boiler should be emptied and thoroughly cleaned before more of the fondant is melted in it.

106. RAINBOW DELIGHT.--An especially attractive candy that has fondant for its foundation is rainbow delight. As may be inferred from its name, candy of this kind is in several colors.

To make rainbow delight, divide fondant into three parts. Flavor one with vanilla and to it add chopped nuts. Flavor the second with strawberry, color it pink, and, if desired, add shredded coconut. To the third, add melted bitter chocolate until it is as dark as preferred. Line a small bread pan or a box as smoothly as possible with waxed paper, place the white fondant in the bottom, and press it down into a layer. Over this put the chocolate fondant, press this into a layer, and on top of it place the pink candy. After making the mass smooth and even, allow it to remain where it will be cold until it is set. Then remove it from the pan or box by turning it out on a surface that has been slightly dusted with confectioner's sugar. Have coating chocolate melted and cover the surface of three sides of the candy with a thick layer of the chocolate. If, when the chocolate becomes dry and hard, it seems a little thin, give it a second coating.

When it is entirely cold, turn the candy over and coat the remaining side. To serve, cut into slices and cut each slice into pieces.

107. TUTTI-FRUTTI ROLLS.--Another very good candy that can be made from fondant is tutti-frutti roll. Secure nuts, cherries, candied pineapple, and citron, chop them fine, and to them add shredded coconut. Work these in any quantity desired into the fondant until all are worked through evenly and then flavor with vanilla. Shape the mass into a roll and let it stand until it is well set. Then coat it with coating chocolate. When it has become cold, turn it over and coat the bottom. To serve tutti-frutti roll, cut it into slices.

108. OPERA CREAM.--No more delicious cream candy can be made than that known as opera cream. This may be colored and flavored in many different ways or made up in various forms. When chocolate is added to it, a better fudge than the ordinary kinds is the result. Sufficient time should be allowed for the making of opera cream, for it is necessary that this candy stand for several hours before it is worked up.

OPERA CREAM

4 c. sugar 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar 2 Tb. corn sirup 1 pt. thin cream Vanilla

Mix the sugar and the cream of tartar, add the sirup and cream, and cook over a hot fire. Watch closely to see whether the cream looks as if it might curd, and if it does, beat rapidly with a rotary beater. Do not stir after the boiling has begun unless it is necessary to keep the mixture from sticking to the pan. Boil until a very hard ball will form in water or until it registers 240 degrees on the thermometer. Moisten a large, flat platter or a marble slab, pour the mixture on it, and allow it to remain until it is entirely cool, disturbing it in no way during this cooling. When cool, work up with a putty knife or a similar utensil in the same manner as for fondant until it becomes hard and creamy. Place all in a heap in the center of the slab or platter and cover closely with a damp cloth, a clean towel being desirable for this purpose. Allow it to stand for about 2 hours, and then work it with the hands, being careful to remove any lumps that it might contain.

The cream is now ready to be worked up in any desirable way. Divide it into small batches, and then flavor and color it or work melted chocolate into it. Press it into a layer about 1 inch thick in a shallow box lined with waxed paper or a pan that has been buttered, cut it into squares, and allow it to stand for a few hours. Then remove and serve.

109. CENTER CREAM.--An excellent cream candy for the centers of chocolates is given in the accompanying recipe. As molds are necessary in its preparation, it is more difficult to make than fondant, but success can be had with this as well as with other candies.

The cream used for these centers may be colored and flavored in any desirable way. It is somewhat firm while being handled, but will be found to soften after it has been made up and coated. It can be handled better if it is made 3 or 4 days before it is desired for use. As will be noted, the recipe is given in a fairly large quantity, for it is preferable to make a good-sized amount of the cream at a time; but it need not all be used up at once.

CENTER CREAM

8 c. sugar 2 c. glucose or corn sirup 3 c. water

Mix the sugar, glucose or corn sirup, and water and proceed in the same way as for fondant. Boil until the thermometer registers 234 or 236 degrees or a ball that is not quite so firm as for fondant will form in cold water. Pour on a moistened platter or slab to cool. Then cream in the same manner as for fondant, but allow more time for this part of the work, as the glucose does not cream rapidly. Just before it hardens, pour it into a crock or a bowl, place a damp cloth over the top of the bowl, and put away for a couple of days.

110. The molds for shaping center creams are formed in a thick layer of corn starch by means of a device that may be bought from a candy-making supply house or made at home. This device consists of a long strip with projections that may be pushed into the corn starch to make neatly shaped holes, or molds. These projections are spaced about 1 inch apart, so that the walls between the corn-starch molds will not fall down when the center-cream mixture is poured into them. A long stick, such as a ruler or a yardstick, and either corks of different sizes or plaster of Paris may be employed to make such a device. If corks are to be used, simply glue them to the stick, spacing them about 1 inch apart. If plaster of Paris is to be used, fill small receptacles about the size and shape of chocolate creams with a thin mixture of plaster of Paris and water and allow it to set. When hard, remove the plaster-of-Paris shapes and glue them to the stick, spacing them the same distance as mentioned for the corks. The home-made device will answer the same purpose as one that is bought, and is much less expensive.

111. When it is desired to make up the creams, sift corn starch into a pan to form a thick layer, making it perfectly level on top with the straight edge of a knife. Then make depressions, or molds, in the corn starch by pressing into it the device just described. Make as many rows of molds as the space will permit, but do not make them so close together as to weaken the walls between the molds. Melt some of the center cream in a double boiler, color and flavor as desired, and pour into the molds made in the corn starch. Allow the centers to remain until they become hard in the molds. Then pick them out, blow off the corn starch, and set aside until ready to coat. Continue making centers in this way until all the cream is used up, resifting the corn starch and making new molds each time. Then coat with chocolate in the usual way.

112. ORIENTALS.--Delicious chocolate creams known as orientals can be made by the amateur if a little care is exercised. It should be remembered, however, that these cannot be made successfully on a damp day and that it is somewhat difficult to make them in warm weather. A clear, cold day is required for satisfactory results. Unlike fondant, these creams must be made up at once, so it will be necessary to allow sufficient time not only for the cooking and creaming processes, but also for the making and coating as well. After being made up, however, they should be allowed to stand for 3 or 4 days, as they, like many other cream candies, improve upon standing.

Since these centers are very sweet, a slightly bitter chocolate is the best kind with which to coat them. Confectioner's bitter-sweet chocolate will be found to be the most satisfactory, but if this cannot be procured, bitter chocolate may be mixed with sweet coating chocolate.

ORIENTALS

5 c. granulated sugar 2 c. water 1 tsp. glycerine 6 drops acetic acid 2 egg whites Vanilla

Put the sugar, water, and glycerine over the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Wash down the sides of the kettle with a cloth, and just as the mixture begins to boil, add the acetic acid. Place a cover over the pan and allow the mixture to boil until a temperature of 238 degrees is reached on the thermometer or a firm ball that can be easily held in the fingers will form. Pour out on a slab or a platter to cool, and when perfectly cool begin to work it as for fondant, but first beat the egg whites until they are stiff. As soon as the candy is collected into a mass, pour the egg whites over it, as shown in Fig. 16. Continue to work the candy until all of the egg white is worked in. Add the vanilla during this process. If the mixture seems stiff and the eggs do not work in, continue with a little patience, for they will eventually combine with the candy. Because of the eggs, oriental cream is whiter than bonbon cream, and so it is a little difficult to tell just when it is beginning to get creamy. However, it softens a little as it begins to set, just as fondant does. At this point work slowly, and as it hardens get it into a mass in the center of the slab. When completely worked, it will not be so hard as fondant. Make it up at once into small, round centers, and as they are made place them on pieces of oiled paper to become dry. Chopped nuts may be added to the filling if desired before it is made up. As soon as it is possible to handle the centers, coat them with chocolate in the usual way. Be careful to cover the entire surface with chocolate, for otherwise the quality of the center will deteriorate. A good plan is to wrap candies of this kind in waxed paper, especially if they are to be packed in boxes, for then they will not be so likely to crush.

113. UNCOOKED FONDANT.--A fairly satisfactory substitute for fondant can be made by moistening confectioner's sugar with egg white or sweet cream. A very fine sugar must be secured for this purpose or the candy will be granular, and even then the result will not be so satisfactory as in the case of cooked fondant properly made. Uncooked fondant, too, is more limited in its uses than cooked fondant, for it cannot be melted and used for bonbons.

UNCOOKED FONDANT

XXXX sugar Egg white or sweet cream

Roll and sift the sugar if it is lumpy, making it as fine as possible. Beat the egg white just enough to break it up or pour into a bowl the desired amount of sweet cream, remembering that very little liquid will moisten considerable sugar. Add the sugar a little at a time, beating all the while, until a sufficient amount has been used to make the mixture dry enough to handle with the fingers. Then flavor and color in any desired way and make up as if it were fondant.

MISCELLANEOUS CONFECTIONS

114. STUFFED DATES.--Dates from which the seeds have been removed and which have been filled with nuts or fondant or a combination of both are a confection that meets with much favor. The uncooked fondant is entirely satisfactory for this purpose, but if some of the other is on hand it will make an especially fine confection. Regardless of what is used for a filling, though, the preparation of such dates is the same.

First wash the dates in warm water and rinse them in cold water. Then, if there is time, spread them out in a single layer on a cloth and let them remain until they are entirely dry. Cut a slit in the side of each one with a knife and remove the seed. If nuts, such as English walnuts, are to be used for the filling, place half a nut meat in the cavity left by the seed and press the date together over it. In case fondant and nuts are to be used, chop the nuts and mix them with the fondant. Coconut may be used in place of the nuts if desired or the fondant may be used alone. Shape the fondant into tiny balls, press one tightly into the cavity left by the seed, and close the date partly over the filling. When all the dates have been stuffed, roll them in sugar, preferably granulated, and serve.

115. SALTED NUTS.--Nuts to which salt has been added are an excellent contrast to the sweet confections that have been described. At social gatherings, luncheons, dinners, etc., they are often served in connection with some variety of bonbon and many times they replace the sweet confection entirely. Peanuts and almonds are the nuts generally used for salting. If peanuts are to be salted, the unroasted ones should be purchased and then treated in exactly the same way as almonds. Before nuts are salted, they must first be browned, and this may be accomplished in three different ways: on the top of the stove, in the oven, and in deep fat. Preparing them in deep fat is the most satisfactory method, for by it all the nuts reach the same degree of brownness.

116. First blanch the nuts by pouring boiling water over them and allowing them to remain in the water until the skins can be removed; then slip off the skins without breaking the nuts apart if possible. Spread the nuts out on a towel to dry.

If the deep-fat method of browning them is to be followed, have in a small saucepan or kettle a sufficient quantity of cooking fat or oil.

Allow it to become as hot as for frying doughnuts or croquettes, place the nuts in a sieve, and fry them in the fat until they become a delicate brown. Pour them out into a pan, sprinkle them with salt, cool, and serve.

To brown nuts on top of the stove, heat a heavy frying pan over a slow fire and into it put a small amount of fat. Add the nuts and stir constantly until they are browned as evenly as possible. This part of the work requires considerable time, for the more slowly it is done the less likely are the nuts to have burned spots. Salt the nuts before removing them from the pan, turn them out into a dish, cool, and serve.

It is more difficult to brown nuts equally by the oven method, but sometimes it is desired to prepare them in this way. Put the nuts with a little fat into a pan and set the pan in a hot oven. Stir frequently until they are well browned, salt, cool, and serve.

117. ORIENTAL DELIGHT.--An excellent confection that can be prepared without cooking is known as oriental delight. It is composed of fruit, nuts, and coconut, which are held together with egg white and powdered sugar. When thoroughly set and cut into squares, oriental delight appears as in Fig. 17.

ORIENTAL DELIGHT

1/2 lb. dates 1/2 lb. raisins 1/2 lb. pressed figs 1/2 c. shredded coconut 1/2 c. English walnuts 1 egg white Powdered sugar

Wash all the fruits, put them together, and steam for about 15 minutes. Then put these with the coconut and nuts through a food chopper or chop them all in a bowl with a chopping knife. When the whole is reduced to a pulpy mass, beat the egg white slightly, add sufficient sugar to make a very soft paste, and mix with the fruit mixture. If it is very sticky, continue to add powdered sugar and mix well until it is stiff enough to pack in a layer in a pan. Press down tight and when it is set mark in squares, remove from the pan, and serve as a confection.

118. MARSHMALLOWS.--To be able to make marshmallows successfully is the desire of many persons. At first thought, this seems somewhat of a task, but in reality it is a simple matter if the directions are carefully followed. Upon being cut into squares, the marshmallows may be served plain or they may be coated with chocolate or, after standing several days, dipped into a warm caramel mixture.

MARSHMALLOWS

8 tsp. gelatine 1-1/4 c. water 2 c. sugar Few grains salt 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 Tb. corn starch

Soak the gelatine in one-half of the water for 5 minutes. Cook the sugar and the remaining water until it will spin a thread when dropped from a spoon. Remove from the fire and add the gelatine. When partly cold, add the salt and the flavoring. Beat with an egg whip, cooling the mixture as rapidly as possible, until it is light and fluffy. When the mixture is thick, add the corn starch slowly, working it in thoroughly. Then pour out on a flat surface that is well dusted with confectioner's sugar. Let stand in a cool place until thoroughly chilled. Cut in squares by pressing the blade of a knife down through the mass, but do not slide it along when cutting. Remove the pieces, dust on all sides with powdered sugar, and serve.

119. NOUGAT.--The confection known as nougat consists usually of a paste filled with chopped nuts. Both corn sirup and honey are used in the preparation of this candy. Generally it is merely flavored with vanilla, but if chocolate flavoring is preferred it may be added.

NOUGAT

3 c. sugar 1-1/2 c. corn sirup 1/4 c. strained honey 1 c. water 2 egg whites 1 tsp. vanilla 2 c. nut meats

Put the sugar, corn sirup, honey, and water together and cook until a temperature of 260 degrees is reached or a brittle ball will form in water. Beat the egg whites stiff and pour the mass slowly into them, beating constantly until the mixture grows stiff and waxy. Then add the vanilla and nut meats. Mix well and pour into a small box or pan lined with waxed paper. If chocolate is to be used for flavoring, add the desired amount just before pouring the mixture into the pan. When it has cooled sufficiently, cut in squares or slices.

120. CANDIED PEEL.--Another favorite confection and one that is much used in connection with candies for social functions is candied orange, lemon, and grapefruit peel. After being removed from the fruit, the peel should be well scraped and then cut into thin strips. In this form, it is ready to coat with sirup.

CANDIED PEEL

1/2 doz. lemons, oranges, or grapefruit 1/2 c. water 1 c. sugar

Remove the skin in quarters from the fruit, scrape off as much of the white as possible, and cut each piece of skin into narrow strips. Put these to cook in cold water, boil them until they may be easily pierced with a fork, and then drain off the water. Add the water to the sugar and cook until a thread will form when the sirup is dropped from a spoon. Add the cooked peel to the sirup and cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and dredge in granulated sugar. Spread in a single layer to dry.

121. POP-CORN BALLS.--Pop corn in any form is always an attractive confection, especially to young persons. It is often stuck together with a sirup mixture and made into balls. In this form, it is an excellent confection for the holiday season.

To make pop-corn balls, first shell the corn and pop it. Then make a sirup with half as much water as sugar and cook it until it will spin a thread. Have the pop corn in a large bowl and pour the sirup over it, working quickly so that all the sirup can be used up while it is warm. To form the balls, take up a large double handful and press firmly together. If the sirup sticks to the hands, dip them into cold water so as to moisten them somewhat before the next handful is taken up. Work in this manner until all the corn is made into balls.

122. CRACKER JACK.--Another pop-corn confection that is liked by practically every one is cracker jack. In this variety, pop corn and peanuts are combined and a sirup made of molasses and sugar is used to hold them together.

CRACKER JACK

4 qt. popped corn 1 c. shelled, roasted peanuts 1 c. molasses 1/2 c. sugar

Put the popped corn and the peanuts together in a receptacle large enough to hold them easily. Cook the molasses and the sugar until the sirup spins a thread. Then pour this over the popped corn and peanuts and mix well until it becomes cold and hard.

SERVING CANDY

123. The best time to serve candy is when it will interfere least with the digestion, and this is immediately after meals. A dish of candy placed on the table with the dessert adds interest to any meal. It should be passed immediately after the dessert is eaten.

Various kinds of bonbon dishes in which to serve candies are to be had, some of them being very attractive. Those having a cover are intended for candy that is to be left standing for a time, while open dishes should be used for serving. Fig. 18 shows candy tastefully arranged on a silver dish having a handle. Dishes made of glass or china answer the purpose equally as well as silver ones, and if a bonbon dish is not in supply a small plate will do very well. A paper or a linen doily on the dish or plate adds to the attractiveness, as does also the manner in which the candy is arranged.

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CONFECTIONS

EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

(1) What are confections?

(2) Discuss the use of confections in the diet of children and adults.

(3) (_a_) What food substance is found in the largest proportion in candy? (_b_) Are candies high or low in food value?

(4) Discuss briefly the kinds and qualities of sugar and their uses.

(5) What is the value of glucose in candy making?

(6) What kinds of flavorings are the most desirable?

(7) What care should be exercised in the use of colorings in candy?

(8) (_a_) What acids are used in candy making? (_b_) Why are these acids used?

(9) Of what value are milk, cream, and butter in the making of candy?

(10) What may be said of the selection of a pan for cooking candy?

(11) (_a_) What methods are used for testing candies? (_b_) Which of these methods is the most accurate?

(12) (_a_) How should the mixture be poured out to cool when a creamy candy is being made? (_b_) To what point should the sirup be cooled before the stirring is begun?

(13) (_a_) How should chocolate be melted? (_b_) How should coating with chocolate be done?

(14) How should waxed paper be cut for wrapping candies?

(15) Discuss the ingredients generally used for taffy.

(16) On what do good results in caramel making depend?

(17) What should be guarded against in the making of all cream candies?

(18) (_a_) What is fondant? (_b_) How may fondant be stored for future use?

(19) How should dates be prepared for stuffing?

(20) What is the best time for the serving of candy?

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BEVERAGES

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BEVERAGES IN THE DIET

NATURE AND CLASSES OF BEVERAGES

1. Throughout the lifetime of every person there is constant need for solid food to preserve health and prolong life; and, just as such food is necessary to satisfy the requirements of the body, so, too, is there need for water. As is well known, the composition of the body is such that it contains more liquid than solid material, the tissues and the bones weighing much less than the liquid. A tremendous amount of this liquid is continually being lost through the kidneys, through each pore in the skin, and even through every breath that is exhaled, and if continued good health is to be maintained this loss must be constantly made up. This loss is greater in very hot weather or in the performance of strenuous exercise than under ordinary conditions, which accounts for the fact that more than the usual amount of liquid must be supplied during such times. So necessary is liquid refreshment that the body cannot exist without it for any great length of time. In fact, if the supply were cut off so that no more could be obtained, the body would begin to use its own fluids and death would soon occur. A person can live for many days without solid food, but it is not possible to live for more than a very few days without drink.

2. Nature's way of serving notice that the body is in need of liquid refreshment is through the sensation of thirst. Satisfying thirst not only brings relief, but produces a decidedly pleasant sensation; however, the real pleasure of drinking is not experienced until one has become actually thirsty.

The various liquids by which thirst may be slaked, or quenched, are known as _beverages_. The first one of these given to man was water, and it is still the chief beverage, for it is used both alone and as a foundation for numerous other beverages that are calculated to be more tasty, but whose use is liable in some cases to lead to excessive drinking or to the partaking of substances that are injurious to health.

3. The beverages that are in common use may be placed in three general classes: _alcoholic_, _stimulating_, and _non-stimulating_. The alcoholic beverages include such drinks as beer, wine, whisky, etc., some of which are used more in one country than in another. In fact, almost every class of people known has an alcoholic beverage that has come to be regarded as typical of that class. Alcoholic fermentation is supposed to have been discovered by accident, and when its effect became known it was recognized as a popular means of supplying a beverage and some stimulation besides. Under stimulating beverages come tea, coffee, and cocoa. These are in common use all over the world, certain ones, of course, finding greater favor in some countries than in others. With the exception of cocoa, they provide very little food value. In contrast with these drinks are the non-stimulating beverages, which include fruit punches, soft drinks, and all the milk-and-egg concoctions. These are usually very refreshing, and the majority of them contain sufficient nourishment to recommend their frequent use.

WATER IN BEVERAGES

4. Many persons restrict the term beverages, contending that it refers to refreshing or flavored drinks. It should be remembered, however, that this term has a broader meaning and refers to any drink taken for the purpose of quenching thirst. Water is the simplest beverage and is in reality the foundation of nearly all drinks, for it is the water in them that slakes thirst. Flavors, such as fruit juice, tea, coffee, etc., are combined with water to make the beverages more tempting, and occasionally such foods as eggs, cream, and starchy materials are added to give food value; but the first and foremost purpose of all beverages is to introduce water into the system and thus satisfy thirst.

5. KINDS OF WATER.--Inasmuch as water is so important an element in the composition of beverages, every one should endeavor to become familiar with the nature of each of its varieties.

SOFT WATER is water that contains very little mineral matter. A common example of soft water is rainwater.

HARD WATER is water that contains a large quantity of lime in solution. Boiling such water precipitates, or separates, some of the lime and consequently softens the water. An example of the precipitation of lime in water is the deposit that can be found in any teakettle that has been used for some time.

MINERAL WATER is water containing a large quantity of such minerals as will go in solution in water, namely, sulphur, iron, lime, etc.

DISTILLED WATER is water from which all minerals have been removed. To accomplish this, the water is converted into steam and then condensed. This is the purest form of water.

CARBONATED WATER is water that has had carbon-dioxide, or carbonic-acid, gas forced into it. The soda water used at soda fountains is an example of this variety. Carbonated water is bottled and sold for various purposes.

6. NECESSITY FOR PURE WATER.--The extensive use made of water in the diet makes it imperative that every effort be exerted to have the water supply as pure as possible. The ordinary city filter and the smaller household filter can be depended on to remove sand, particles of leaves, weeds, and such foreign material as is likely to drop into the water from time to time, but they will not remove disease germs from an unclean supply. Therefore, if there is any doubt about water being pure enough to use for drinking purposes, it should be boiled before it is used. Boiling kills any disease germs that the water may contain, but at the same time it gives the water a very flat taste because of the loss of air in boiling. However, as is mentioned in _Essentials of Cookery_, Part 1, the natural taste may be restored by beating the boiled water with an egg beater or by partly filling a jar, placing the lid on, and shaking it vigorously.

RELATION OF BEVERAGES TO MEALS

7. About one-third of all the water required each day is taken in the form of beverages with the meals. It was formerly thought that liquids dilute the gastric juice and so should be avoided with meals. However, it has been learned that beverages, either warm or cold, with the exception of an occasional case, may be taken with meals without injury. The chief point to remember is that it is unwise to drink beverages either too hot or too cold. For the best results, their temperature should be rather moderate.

8. Foods that may be dissolved in water can be incorporated in a beverage to make it nutritious. With many persons, as in the case of small children and invalids, this is often the only means there is of giving them nourishment. In serving beverages to healthy persons, the food value of the meal should be taken into consideration. The beverage accompanying a heavy meal should be one having very little food value; whereas, in the case of a light meal, the beverage can be such as will give additional nutrition. For instance, hot chocolate, which is very nutritious, would not be a good beverage to serve with a meal consisting of soup, meat, vegetables, salad, and dessert, but it would be an excellent drink to serve with a lunch that is made up of light sandwiches, salad, and fruit.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

9. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES are made by allowing yeast to ferment the starch or the sugar in a certain kind of food, thus producing acid and alcohol. Grains and fruits are used oftenest for this purpose. In some cases, the fermentation is allowed to continue long enough to use up all the starch or sugar in the material selected, and in this event the resulting beverages are sour and contain a great deal of alcohol. In others, the fermentation is stopped before all the sugar or starch is utilized, and then the beverage is sweet and contains less alcohol. The higher the percentage of alcohol a beverage contains, the more intoxicating it is and the more quickly will a state of intoxication be reached by drinking it.

10. HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.--In years past, alcoholic beverages were considered to be a necessity for medicinal purposes in hospitals and in homes, but this use of them has been very greatly decreased. In fact, it is believed by most authorities that often more harm than good is done by using alcoholic beverages as a medical stimulant or as a carrier for some drug. As these drinks are harmful in this respect, so are they detrimental to health when they are taken merely as beverages. It is definitely known that alcohol acts as a food when it enters the body, for it is burned just as a carbohydrate would be and thus produces heat. That this action takes place very rapidly can be detected by the warmth that is produced almost immediately when the drink is taken. Some of it is lost through the breath and the kidneys without producing heat, and it also acts upon the blood vessels near the skin in such a way as to lose very quickly the heat that is produced. It is never conserved and used gradually as the heat from food is used. The taking of alcohol requires much work on the part of the kidneys, and this eventually injures them. It also hardens the liver and produces a disease known as hob-nailed, or gin, liver. In addition, if used continuously, this improper means of nourishing the body produces an excessive amount of fat. Because of these harmful effects on the various organs, its too rapid loss from the body, and the fact that it does not build tissue, alcohol is at best a very poor food and should be avoided on all occasions.

11. KINDS OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.--In spite of the truth that beverages containing alcohol are found to be harmful, many of them are in common use. Following are the names of these, together with a short account of their preparation:

BEER is an alcoholic beverage made from certain grains, usually barley, by malting the grain, boiling the product with hops, and finally fermenting it with yeast. The malting of grains, it will be remembered, is explained in _Cereals_. The hops are used to give the beer a desirable flavor. This beverage is characterized by a low percentage of alcohol, containing only 2 to 5 per cent., and consequently is not very intoxicating.

WINE is a beverage that is usually made from grapes, although berries and other small fruits are occasionally used. It contains from 7 to 16 per cent. of alcohol and is therefore more intoxicating than beer. The wines in which all of the sugar is fermented are known as _sour_, or _dry, wines_, while those in which not all of the sugar has been fermented are called _sweet wines_. Many classes of wines are made and put on the market, but those most commonly used are claret, sherry, hock, port, and Madeira.

BRANDY is an alcoholic liquor distilled from wine. It is very intoxicating, for it consists of little besides alcohol and water, the percentage of alcohol varying from 40 to 50 per cent. Upon being distilled, brandy is colorless, but it is then stored in charred wooden casks, from which it takes its characteristic color.

GIN is a practically colorless liquor distilled from various grains and flavored with oil of juniper or some other flavoring substance, such as anise, orange peel, or fennel. It contains from 30 to 40 per cent. of alcohol. It is usually stored in glass bottles, which do not impart a color to it.

RUM is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting cane sugar, molasses, cane juice, or the scum and waste from sugar refineries and then distilling the product. It contains from 45 to 50 per cent. of alcohol, and has a disagreeable odor when it is distilled. This odor, however, is removed by storing the rum in wooden receptacles for a long period of time.

CORDIALS are beverages made by steeping fruits or herbs in brandy. _Absinthe_, which is barred from the United States because it contains wormwood, a very injurious substance, is a well-known cordial. Besides being extremely intoxicating, it overstimulates the heart and the stomach if taken in even comparatively small quantities.

WHISKY is an alcoholic beverage obtained by distilling fermented grain several times until it has a strength of 40 to 50 per cent. of alcohol. Then it is flavored and stored in charred casks to ripen and become mellow, after which it has a characteristic color. As can readily be understood, distilled liquors contain the highest percentage of alcohol.

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STIMULATING BEVERAGES

NATURE OF STIMULATING BEVERAGES

12. STIMULATING BEVERAGES are those which contain a drug that stimulates the nervous and the circulatory system; that is, one that acts on the nerves and the circulation in such a way as to make them active and alert. Common examples of these beverages are coffee, tea, and cocoa or chocolate. If the nerves are in need of rest, it is dangerous to stimulate them with such beverages, for, as the nervous system indirectly affects all the organs of the body, the effects of this stimulation are far-reaching. The immediate effect of the stimulant in these beverages is to keep the drinker awake, thus causing sleeplessness, or temporary insomnia. If tea and coffee are used habitually and excessively, headaches, dull brains, and many nervous troubles are liable to result.

13. The stimulant that is found in the leaves of tea is known as _theine_; that found in coffee beans, _caffeine_; and that found in cacao beans, from which cocoa and chocolate are made, _theobromine_. Each of these stimulants is extracted by the hot liquid that is always used to make the beverage. It is taken up by the liquid so quickly that the method used to prepare the beverage makes little difference as to the amount obtained. In other words, tea made by pouring water through the leaves will contain nearly as much of the stimulant as tea made by boiling the leaves.

14. In addition to the stimulant, tea and coffee contain _tannin_, or _tannic acid_, an acid that is also obtained from the bark of certain trees and used in the tanning of animal hides in the preparation of leather. Tannin is not taken so quickly from tea and coffee by the hot liquid used in preparing the beverage as is the stimulant, so that the longer tea leaves and coffee grounds remain in the liquid, the more tannic acid will be drawn out. This fact can be detected by the bitter flavor and the puckery feeling in the mouth after drinking tea that has been allowed to remain on the leaves or coffee that has stood for some time on the grounds. Tannic acid has a decidedly bad effect on the digestion in the stomach, so that if improperly prepared tea or coffee is indulged in habitually, it may cause stomach disorders.

TABLE I

STIMULANT AND TANNIC ACID PRESENT IN STIMULATING BEVERAGES

------------------------------------------------------------- Quantity of Quantity of Beverage Stimulant Stimulant Tannic Acid Grains Grains ------------------------------------------------------------- Coffee Caffeine 2 to 3 1 to 2 Tea Theine 1 to 2 1 to 4 Cocoa or chocolate Theobromine 1 to 1-1/2 1/2 to 1 -------------------------------------------------------------

15. The quantity of stimulant and tannic acid contained in an ordinary cup of tea, coffee, and cocoa or chocolate is given in Table I. As this table shows, the quantity, which is given in grains, does not vary considerably in the different beverages and is not present in such quantity as to be harmful, unless these beverages are indulged in to excess.

To reduce the quantity of caffeine contained in coffee has been the aim of many coffee producers. As a result, there are on the market a number of brands of coffee that have been put through a process that removes practically all the caffeine. The beverage made from coffee so treated is less harmful than that made from ordinary coffee, and so far as the flavor is concerned this loss of caffeine does not change it.

16. Neither tea nor coffee possesses any food value. Unless sugar or cream is added, these beverages contain nothing except water, flavor, stimulant, and tannic acid. Chocolate and cocoa, however, are rich in fat, and as they are usually made with milk and sugar they have the advantage of conveying food to the system. Because of their nature, tea and coffee should never be given to children. Cocoa and chocolate provide enough food value to warrant their use in the diet of young persons, but they should not be taken in too great quantity because of the large amount of fat they contain. Any of these beverages used in excessive amounts produces the same effect as a mild drug habit. Consequently, when a person feels that it is impossible to get along without tea or coffee, it is time to stop the use of that beverage.

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COFFEE

HISTORY AND PRODUCTION

17. COFFEE is the seed of the coffee tree, which in its wild state grows to a height of 20 feet, but in cultivation is kept down to about 10 or 12 feet for convenience in gathering the fruit. Coffee originated in Abyssinia, where it has been used as a beverage from time immemorial. At the beginning of the 15th century, it found its way into Arabia, where it was used by the religious leaders for preventing drowsiness, so that they could perform religious ceremonies at night. About 100 years later it came into favor in Turkey, but it was not until the middle of the 17th century that it was introduced into England. Its use gradually increased among common people after much controversy as to whether it was right to drink it or not. It is now extensively grown in India, Ceylon, Java, the West Indies, Central America, Mexico, and Brazil. The last-named country, Brazil, furnishes about 75 per cent. of the coffee used in the United States and about 60 per cent. of the world's supply.