FIRELESS SWEET MAKING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18275, 16 December 1922, Page 4 (Supplement)

FIRELESS SWEET MAKING.

There are many inexpensive and delicious sweets which may be made in readiness for Christmas without the aid of a fire at all, which in the hot weather especially is a distinct advantage. The chief ingredients are a pound of the best white icing sugar (passed through a line sieve), and the white of an egg, besides a few blanched almonds, a handful of hard skinned dates, a little desiccated cocoanut. and a few drops of the contents of any bottles of flavouring and colouring that the store cupboard may bo able to afford. A wee bottle of peppermint essence is useful, as is vanilla and cochineal.

Cccoanut ice, cream fondants and peppermint mascots are all highly successful made at home. To make cocoanufc ice put the- white of an egg and a tablespoonful of water into a deep soup plate, and stir in alternate spoonfula of icing sugar and of desiccated cocoanut until the mixture is too stiff to stir. Divide it into two parts and colour one part bright pink with cochineal, kneading it in well. Dip a knife in cold water, and cut the wellkneaded masses of pink and white cocoanut ice into even sized r,labs, place one | on top of the other, press together with | the side of the knife, and put in a cool place to harden. ! . To make peppermint mascots and cream ' fondants proceed an before, only omit the desiccated cocoanut, and stir the mixture , until it is almost solid. Knead the fondant well, and then divide it into two paxts. | Flavour one part carefully with peppermint, adding a few drops at a time and j work it well in. ' Flavour the other half j with vanilla and divide it into two. I Colour one part pale pink with cochineal, j and leave the other part white. Dust a sheet of grease-proof paper with fine sugar and roll out the peppermint flavoured fon- { dant to a quarter of an inch thick with a I round medicine bottle. j Cut out " Lucky Pigs " and " Fourleaved Clovers " with a sharply pointed penknife, and dipping a clean paint brush ! in cochine-al (diluted to the right shade ! with water), paint tho cut edges bright ! pink. Make a hole with a sharply point«d match, and when hard they will delight small children if tied to a length j of strong cotton. For cream fondants roll np the fondant | into small even-sized balls, and press them down on to grease-proof paper, giving them a slight tfefween the tips of j the finger and thumb along the top to Impart the correct oblong shape. Last of all press a blanched almond on tho top. 801 l up the remains of the fondant into tiny oblong rolls to serve as " fillings " for the dates from which the stones have been removed.