CHAPTER XXVII.

=Confectionary.= [Illustration: Citron. ] TO CLARIFY SUGAR. IT is an economy to use at once the very best sugar for confectionary in general, for when highly refined it needs little or no clarifying, even for the most delicate purposes; and the coarser kinds lose considerable weight in the process. Break it into large lumps, and put it into a very clean preserving-pan; measure for each pound a pint of spring water if it be intended for syrup, but less than half that quantity for candying or making barley-sugar. Beat first apart (but not to a strong froth), and afterwards with the water, about half the white of an egg for six pounds of sugar, unless it should be _very_ common, when twice as much may be used. When they are well mixed pour them over the sugar, and let it stand until it is nearly dissolved; then stir the whole thoroughly, and place it over a gentle fire, but do not disturb it after the scum begins to gather on the top; let it boil for five minutes, then take the pan from the fire, and when it has stood a couple of minutes clear off the scum entirely, with a skimmer; set the pan again over the fire, and when the sugar begins to boil throw in a little cold water, which has been reserved for the purpose from the quantity first measured, and repeat the skimming until the syrup is very clear; it may then be strained through a muslin, or a thin cloth, and put into a clean pan for further boiling. For syrup: sugar, 6 lbs.; water, 3 quarts; 1/2 white of 1 egg. For candying, &c.: sugar, 6 lbs.; water, 2-1/2 pints: 5 to 10 minutes. TO BOIL SUGAR FROM SYRUP TO CANDY, OR TO CARAMEL. The technicalities by which confectioners distinguish the different degrees of sugar-boiling, seem to us calculated rather to puzzle than to assist the reader; and we shall, therefore, confine ourselves to such plain English terms as may suffice, we hope, to explain them. After having boiled a certain time, the length of which will in a measure depend upon the quality of the sugar as well as on the quantity of water added, it becomes a thin syrup, and will scarcely form a short thread if a drop be pressed between the thumb and finger and they are then drawn apart; from five to ten minutes more of rapid boiling will bring it to a _thick_ syrup, and when this degree is reached the thread may be drawn from one hand to the other at some length without breaking; but its appearance in dropping from the skimmer will perhaps best denote its being at this point, as it hangs in a sort of string as it falls. After this the sugar will soon begin to whiten, and to form large bubbles in the pan, when, if it be intended for barley-sugar, or caramel, some lemon-juice or other acid must be added to it, to prevent its _graining_ or _becoming sugar again_; but if wanted to candy, it must be stirred without ceasing until it rises almost to the top of the pan, in one large white mass, when it must be used immediately or laded out into paper cases or on to dishes, with the utmost expedition, as it passes in an instant almost, from this state to one in which it forms a sort of powder, which will render it necessary to add water, to stir it until dissolved, and to reboil it to the proper point. For barley-sugar likewise it must be constantly stirred, and carefully watched after the lemon-juice is added. A small quantity should be dropped from time to time into a large basin of cold water by those who are inexperienced in the process; when in falling into this it makes a bubbling noise, and if taken out immediately after, it snaps clean between the teeth without sticking to them, it must be poured out _instantly_: if wanted for sugar-spinning, the pan must be plunged as quickly as possible into a vessel of cold water. CARAMEL. (_The quickest way._) Put into a brass skillet, or preserving-pan, some sifted sugar of the finest quality, and stir it softly with a wooden spoon or spatula, over a very gentle fire until it has become liquid; a pale or a deep tint may then be given to it, according to the purpose for which it is required: so soon as it is entirely melted, and looks clear, it is ready for use. Pastry-cooks glaze small pastry by just dipping the surface into it; and they use it also for _nougat_, and other confectionary, though it is not in general quite so brilliant as that which is made by the preceding receipt. When the sugar first begins to melt, it should be stirred only just in that part, or it will not be equally coloured. BARLEY-SUGAR. Add to three pounds of highly-refined sugar one pint and a quarter of spring water, with sufficient white of egg to clarify it in the manner directed in the last page but one; pour to it, when it begins to whiten, and to be very thick, a dessertspoonful of the strained juice of a fresh lemon; and boil it quickly until it is at the point which we have indicated above. A few drops of essence of lemon may be added to it, just as it is taken from the fire. Pour it on to a marble slab, or on to a shallow dish which has been slightly oiled, or rubbed with a particle of fresh butter; and when it begins to harden at the edges form it into sticks, lozenges, balls, or any other shapes at pleasure. While it is still liquid it may be used for various purposes, such as Chantilly baskets, palace bonbons, _croquantes_,[176] _cerises au caramel_, &c.: for these the vessel containing it must be set into a pan of water, and it must again be liquefied with a very gentle degree of heat should it cool too quickly. As it soon dissolves if exposed to damp, it should be put into very dry canisters as soon as it is cold, and these should be kept in a dry place. Footnote 176: These are formed of small cakes, roasted chestnuts, and various other things, just dipped singly into the barley-sugar, and then arranged in good form and joined in a mould, from which they are turned out for table. Best sugar, 3 lbs.; water, 1-1/4 pint; white of egg, 1/4 of 1; lemon-juice, 1 dessertspoonful. NOUGAT. This is a preparation of barley-sugar, and almonds, filberts, or pistachio-nuts, of which good confectioners, both foreign and English, make a great variety of highly ornamental dishes. We must, however, confine our directions to the most common and simple mode of serving it. Blanch twelve ounces of fine Jordan almonds in the usual way, wipe them very dry, split them in halves, and spread them upon tins or dishes; dry them in a very gentle oven, without allowing them to brown; or if the flavour be liked better so, let them be equally coloured to a pale gold tint: they should then be often turned while in the oven. Boil to barley sugar in a small preserving-pan six ounces of highly-refined sugar, throw in the almonds, mix them with it well without breaking them, turn the nougat on to a dish slightly rubbed with oil, spread it out quickly, mark it into squares, and cut it before it is cold; or pour it into a mould, and with an oiled lemon spread it quickly, and very thin over it, and turn it out when cool. It must at all times be carefully preserved from damp; and should be put into a dry tin box as soon as it is cold. Sugar, 6 oz.; almonds, 12 oz. Another and more expeditious way of making it, is to boil the sugar to caramel without any water, as directed at page 563: the proportion of almonds can be diminished at pleasure, but the nougat should always be well filled with them. GINGER CANDY. Break a pound of highly-refined sugar into lumps, put it into a preserving-pan, and pour over it about the third of a pint of spring water; let it stand until the sugar is nearly dissolved, then set it over a perfectly clear fire, and boil it until it becomes a thin syrup. Have ready in a large cup a teaspoonful of the very best ginger in powder; mix it smoothly and gradually with two or three spoonsful of the syrup, and then stir it well into the whole. Watch the mixture carefully, keep it stirred, and drop it often from a spoon to ascertain the exact point of boiling it has reached. When it begins to fall in _flakes_, throw in the freshly-grated rind of a very large lemon, or of two small ones, and work the sugar round quickly as it is added. The candy must now be stirred constantly until it is done: this will be when it falls in a mass from the spoon, and does not _sink_ when placed in a small heap on a dish. It must be poured, or _laded_ out, as expeditiously as possible when ready, or it will fall quite into powder. If this should happen, a little water must be added to it, and it must be reboiled to the proper point. The candy, if dropped in cakes upon sheets of very dry foolscap or other thick writing-paper laid upon cold dishes, may be moved off without difficulty while it is still just warm, but it must not be touched while quite hot, or it will break. Sugar, highly refined, 1 lb.; water, 1/3 of a pint; ginger, 1 teaspoonful; rind of 1 large lemon. ORANGE-FLOWER CANDY. Beat in three-quarters of a pint, or rather more, of water, about the fourth part of the white of an egg, and pour it on two pounds of the best sugar broken into lumps. When it has stood a little time, place it over a very clear fire, and let it boil for a few minutes, then set it on one side, until the scum has subsided; clear it off, and boil the sugar until it is very thick, then strew in by degrees three ounces of the _petals_ of the orange-blossom, weighed after they are picked from their stems. Continue to stir the candy until it rises in one white mass in the pan, then lay it, as quickly as it can be done, in cakes with a large spoon, upon thick and _very dry_ sheets of writing paper placed quite flat upon the backs of dishes, or upon trays.[177] Take it off before it is entirely cold, and lay the candy reversed upon dishes, or place the cakes on their edges round the rim of one until they are perfectly cold; then secure them from the air without delay in close shutting tin boxes or canisters. They will remain excellent for more than a year. The orange-flowers will turn brown if thrown too soon into the syrup: it should be more than three parts boiled when they are added. They must be gathered on the day they are wanted for use, as they will soon become discoloured from keeping. Footnote 177: As the heat of the boiling sugar would injure these, no good ones should be used for the purpose. Sugar, 2 lbs.; water, 3/4 pint; 1/4 white of egg; orange-blossoms, 3 oz. _Obs._—When sugar of the finest quality is used for this confection, as it ought to be, it will not require the white of egg to clarify it. ORANGE-FLOWER CANDY. (_Another Receipt._) The French, who are very fond of the delicious flavour of the orange-blossom, leave the petals in the candy; but a more delicate confection, to English taste, is made as follows:—Throw the orange-flowers into the syrup when it has boiled about ten minutes, and after they have simmered in it for five more, pour the whole out, and leave them to infuse until the following day, or even longer, if more convenient; then bring the syrup to the point of boiling, strain it from the blossoms through a muslin, and finish it by the foregoing receipt. COCOA-NUT CANDY. Rasp very fine a sound fresh cocoa-nut, spread it on a dish, and let it dry naturally for two or three days, as it will not bear the heat of an oven, and is too oily for use when freshly broken. Four ounces of it will be sufficient for a pound of sugar for most tastes, but more can be used at pleasure. Boil the sugar as for the orange-flower candy, and when it begins to be very thick and white, strew in the nut, stir and mix it _well_, and do not quit it for an instant until it is finished. The pan should not be placed upon the fire but over it, as the nut is liable to burn with too fierce a heat. For almond-candy proceed in exactly the same way, but let the almonds, either whole or split, be perfectly well dried in a gentle oven, and do not throw them into the sugar until it approaches the candying point. PALACE-BONBONS. Take some fine fresh candied orange-rind, or citron, clear off the sugar which adheres to it, cut it into inch-squares, stick these singly on the prong of a silver fork or on osier-twigs, dip them into liquid barley-sugar, and place them on a dish rubbed with the smallest possible quantity of very pure salad oil. When cold, put them into tin boxes or canisters well dried, with paper, which should also be very dry, between each layer. EVERTON TOFFIE. No. 1.—Put into a brass skillet or small preserving-pan three ounces of very fresh butter, and as soon as it is just melted add a pound of brown sugar of moderate quality; keep these stirred gently over a very clear fire for about fifteen minutes, or until a little of the mixture, dropped into a basin of cold water, breaks clean between the teeth without sticking to them: when it is boiled to this point, it must be poured out immediately, or it will burn. The grated rind of a lemon, added when the toffie is half done, improves it much; or a small teaspoonful of powdered ginger moistened with a little of the other ingredients as soon as the sugar is dissolved and then stirred to the whole, will vary it pleasantly to many tastes. The real Everton toffie is made with a much larger proportion of butter, but it is the less wholesome on that very account. If dropped upon dishes first rubbed with a buttered paper, the toffie when cold can be raised from them easily. Butter, 3 oz.; sugar, 1 lb.: 15 to 18 minutes. Or, sugar, 1 lb.; butter, 5 oz.; almonds, 2 oz.: 20 to 30 minutes. No. 2.—Boil together a pound of sugar and five ounces of butter for twenty minutes; then stir in two ounces of almonds blanched, divided, and thoroughly dried in a slow oven, or before the fire. Let the toffie boil after they are added, till it crackles when dropped into cold water, and snaps between the teeth without sticking. Sugar, 1 lb.; butter, 5 oz.; almonds, 2 oz.: 20 to 30 minutes. CHOCOLATE DROPS. Throw into a well heated metal mortar from two to four ounces of the best quality of cake-chocolate broken small, and pound it with a warm pestle until it resembles a smooth paste or very thick batter; then add an equal weight of sugar in the finest powder, and beat them until they are thoroughly blended. Roll the mixture into small balls, lay them upon sheets of writing paper or upon clean dishes, and take them off when they are nearly cold. The tops may be covered with white nonpareil comfits, or the drops may be shaken in a paper containing some of these, and entirely encrusted with them; but it must be recollected that they will not adhere to them after they become hard. More or less sugar can be worked into the chocolate according to the taste; and a Wedgwood mortar may be used for it when no other is at hand, but one of bell-metal will answer the purpose better. CHOCOLATE ALMONDS. When the chocolate has been softened, and mixed with an equal proportion of sugar, as directed in the foregoing receipt, enclose singly in small portions of it some almonds previously _well_ dried, or even slightly coloured in the oven, after having been blanched. Roll them very smooth in the hand, and cover them with the comfits, or form them like the almond shamrocks of page 574. Filberts and pistachio-nuts may be substituted for the almonds with good effect; but they also must be perfectly dry. SEVILLE ORANGE PASTE. Wipe, and pare in the thinnest possible strips, some Seville orange-rinds, and throw them into plenty of boiling water. When they are extremely tender, lift them on to a large sieve reversed to drain; press the water from them a little, and before they are quite cold, pound them to the smoothest paste, and blend thoroughly with them as much fine sifted sugar as can possibly be mixed with them. Roll the mass out extremely thin, and with a very small tin-cutter form it into cakes or leaves, or any other shapes, and then dry it in a VERY gentle oven. Store it in close-shutting boxes as soon as it is cold. A little choice prepared ginger may be added to it in the pounding when it is liked. Paste of lemon or citron-rind may be made in the same way. ------------------------------------------------------------------------