HOME MADE BON-BONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 235, 27 June 1908, Page 11

HOME MADE BON-BONS.

Mothers often mako tlic mistako of thinking that Naturo must liiivo erred in giving j K their children a sweet tnotli (says tho "Guardian" in its Household Notes). On of tho contrary,. all children who arc healthy and normal have a craving for sweets, which is perfectly cxxilicnble, not to say justifiable, j.. for sugar is a food, and a very important u] one, both for children and adults. It supplies animal heat and nervous force for tho perfect working of tho human machinery, and a diet lacking in sugar is lacking in ono a| of its most necessary elements. _ Tho danger of eating sweets .lies in overdoing it, or in oating other than tho purest confectionery. The best French sweetmeats aro too expen- ' sivo to bo within tho means of all; but all ° housekeepers can mako their own bonbons, and nothing adds m'3ro t'o the attractive 'look of a table than a variety of home-mado sweets. Only the purest materials must, outer into tho composition of theso, and, 1 j.' abovo all things, only tho very best sugar r must be used. ' The following tried and £ tested recipes aro given, taking this con- j. dition for granted, and it will ho found that thoy will not work out as satisfactorily with v sugar of inferior quality. •■INDIAN TOFFEE. c Ingredients.—£oz. of vanilla chocolate, 1 £ gill of thick cream, Goz. of fresh butter, s 12oz. of browu sugar, a little vanilla essence, " 1 tablespoonful of treacle. Scrapo the bhoeo- y late finely, and mix it gradually with tho <• cream until quite smooth. Then put it into " a stewpan with the butter, tho sugar, and r the treaclo, and boil it for twenty minutes, t stirring all the time. Stir in the vanilla, i and then pour the mixture into a buttered * tin to cool. Cut into neat squares. This 'J must not bo crisp, but more of the consist- ' ency of Russian toffee. ■ ! SPANISH NOUGAT. ' Ingredients.—Soz. of the best icing-sugar, the whites of two eggs, ono table- J spoonful of orange flower water, Sok. of blanched and finely shredded almonds, 3oz. of blanched and finely-shredded pistachio nuts. Tut tho icing-stigar, tho whites j of the eggs, and tho orauge-llower water ( into a clean copper stewpan, and whisk them 1 over a slow fire, until the mixture is like a ( stiff meringue; then stir in tho almonds and ( pistachio nuts until all aro very evenly . mixed. Havo ready some plain moulds about < four inches long and two inches wido, brush ■ these over with almond oil, run the mixture ; into them, and set asido to cool. When firmly set, pack theso bars in an air-tight tin for keeping, putting grease-proof paper between tho bars. PEPPERMINT CREAMS. Ingredients— Jib. of granulated sugar, \ pint of milk, 1 teaspoonful of essence of poppermint. Put tlw sugar and milk into a pan, and stir over tho tiro until tho sugar is dissolved, then allow it to boil for four minutes without stirring. Take the pan off the fire, add the peppermint essence to the mixture, and beat steadily until, if a little is dropped on oiled paper, it will harden. Thou drop tho mixture, a teaspoonful at a ' time, on to tho paper as quickly as possible. ! If towards the last the mixture is inclined to get too hard to be workable, warm it | over the firo again for a foiv minutes. Sot • tho creams asido to harden. i CANDIED FRUITS. Ingredients.—Jib. of granulated sugar, 4 ' tablespoonfuls. of cold water, 2 tablespoon--1 fuls of lemon-juice, i teaspoonful of carbori- ( ate of soda. Put. tho sugar, water, lemon- • juice,: and soda into a pan, stir gently until r tha sugar is dissolved, then allow it to boil : without stirring until it is a thick syrup. 1 Have ready soino grapes, both black and ' white, somo quarters of Tangerine oranges, i pieces of • pineapple, some peeled, chestnuts J and filberts, etc. Dip theso into the syrup, 1 covering them well, and then put them on s oiled paper to dry. ] FRENCH CANDY! 3 . Ingredients.—l Mb. of icing-sugar, half a 3 cocoanut, grated finely, about 2 tablespooni, fuls of cold water. Mix well togother tho o sugar, and tho grated cocoanut, then add 0 about two tablespoonfuls of water, just s enough to make a stiff dough. Knead this ? well, adding a littlo moro sugar by degrees. 0 Form the candy into small balls with the • hands, and press on either side of tho balls - tho halves of walnuts, almonds, filberts, etc., I> or , pieces of dates, prunes, or raisins, according to taste.