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.
[Illustration: FIG. 17]
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.