=Sugar.= In all the recipes that call for sugar, use granulated sugar
unless otherwise specified.
When cooking a small amount of sugar a small pan should be used or else
the pan should be placed on an additional ring, so that the fire will
only strike a part of the bottom of the pan. The heat should never
strike the pan above the sugar, this causing it to bake on the sides
of the pan and sometimes dissolving the pan.
Slowly cooked sugar makes tough and sticky candy, so that candy of any
description should be cooked as rapidly as possible.
=Confectioner’s Sugar=, sometimes called XXXX, is especially ground
for candy making purposes. XXX sugar is a coarser grade and is not as
satisfactory as the XXXX sugar. Pulverized sugar cannot be used as a
substitute and give satisfactory results, because it hardens.
=Water.= Always use cold water when making candy. The quantity of water
used must be regulated according to the sugar.
=Milk.= Use fresh milk in preference to Pasteurized or sterilized milk,
because it is not so liable to curdle.
=Glucose= is a very thick, transparent, tasteless liquid extracted
from corn; it is usually of a yellow tinge. Very few people know how
glucose is made and are under the impression that it is an injurious
adulteration. Because glucose is used extensively in cheap candy, there
is a certain amount of prejudice against it. By using glucose sparingly
in certain candies it imparts a smoothness and also prevents any
stirred candy from turning to sugar.
It may be purchased from any confectioner that makes his own candy.
When purchasing it, it is necessary to take a bucket or jar, because it
must be put into something that will be easy to get it out on account
of its sticky quality.
In putting it into the kettle, first weigh the kettle with the paddle,
take out the glucose with the paddle and when you think you have the
required amount, weigh the glucose, kettle and paddle. If you do not
have scales to weigh it, be =very careful= not to use too much glucose,
because it will spoil some candies.
Glucose is easily handled in cold weather, because it gets very thick.
Dip your hand in cold water, scoop out a small quantity of glucose,
keeping your hand moving all the time; by doing this it will not stick.
One pint of glucose weighs one and a half pounds.
=Corn Syrup=, which is ninety per cent. glucose, may be purchased at
almost any grocery and may be used as a substitute for glucose. Use a
little more than the amount of glucose called for. Corn syrup is of a
yellow color, consequently all of the candies in which it is used will
be of a cream color. (See cream of tartar.)
=Acetic Acid.= The addition of acid in candy, “breaks the grain” of the
sugar, and brings out the flavor.
It may be purchased at a drug store. Ask for No. 8 and five cents worth
will last a long time because it is only used for making fondant and
oriental creams.
=Cream of Tartar.= (Substitute for glucose.) As a rule a fourth of a
teaspoonful of cream of tartar is used for every five pounds of sugar
in making various kinds of candies, such as butterscotch, brittle,
center cream; it may also be used for making a grainy fudge, which is
the only exception when it is used in a stirred candy.
=Japanese Gelatine=, a vegetable gelatine, is used in making the
various jellies. The ordinary gelatine cannot be used as a substitute.
=Nonparaf= must be used instead of paraffine in all candy made for
sale, on account of the pure food laws. It is used in chewing taffy and
caramels; it keeps them in shape and preserves their good qualities. It
may be omitted, but by so doing a certain chewing quality of the candy
is destroyed.
=Chocolate.= Only coating chocolate should be used for candy making
because it is stronger in flavor and imparts a delicate taste such as
no other kind does. It may be bought of any confectioner, who makes his
own candy, in ten pound cakes.
=Flavors.= The best candies may be spoiled by using cheap flavorings,
and we strongly advise you to buy the very best. Only a few drops are
required for flavoring candies and, by buying a few at a time you will
be able to have a large assortment in a short while.
=Color Pastes= may be used for coloring ice cream, cakes, icings and
desserts and they add a dainty touch to an otherwise ordinary dish.
Those that are used for candy making are adapted for all other needs,
are pure and strong, so that a two ounce jar will last a long time.
Colors seem to be a necessity when making bon-bons, and we offer you a
variety. Leaf green, fruit red, golden yellow, damask rose, caramel,
violet, chestnut, mandarin orange and imperial blue.
Color pastes which we sell are made from vegetable colorings and are
guaranteed under the pure food laws.
=Almond Paste= is used as centers for bon-bons.
=Paper.= Waxed or oiled paper. You may use the ordinary waxed paper
that is found in all stores for covering butter, etc. Waxed paper is
used to line candy boxes and also for wrapping candies.
=Wafer Paper.= For dropping purposes, a heavier paper is required, such
as is found in cracker boxes, cookies, etc. Save all these papers, iron
them flat and they will answer the purpose and save you the expense of
buying wafer paper.
=Rice Paper= is only used when making nougat, and can be bought at a
confectioner’s.
Wax paper bags are a neat and sanitary way of putting up salted and
fresh nuts.