Untitled

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 69

THE CANDY COUSIN

By MAORI LAX 1> A.

(Specially written for the Otago Witness.)

X.— FROM GAY PABEE.

"Paris was grand," said Edith, with a happy sigh of satisfaction at the remembrance of her -» isifc. " Paris is not as big as New York," said Edna, "and France is not so far away as the United States of America — it's only across the English Channel — you can go there any old time." Edith laughed. "Tou must be a deposed Candy Queen to-day, my coz, for Kslello showed me how to make real French bonbons." ■ - " I guess you'll need a shoehorn to help you put your hat on with !" Edna ejaculated, softly. Then she flung aside her _ "momentary dismay at finding iberself no longer the most, important member of the little quartet.. lFor the time- being, at ?11 events, she- was "uncrowned."' Her eager interest in all things new triumphed, and she began to question the bearer of this important Parisian knowledge. "Let's get right down to it now — it's time something was doing. What do you ' know?" ! "I know," said Edith, proudly, "how to make the flower sweets — the rose- \ leaves and the violets. Also, I can make %he creme de rose aux confiture, and the bonbons royale! And, oh, Edna — a new kind of fondant for the dates and figs — it's simply lovely, and quite easy to do." j " Are the roseleaves and violets real , Toselßave* and real violets?"' asked Hal, with scepticism. "I've often wondered that." - i "-Yes. they are real flowers,"' his sister assured him. "Which shall we do first?" asked Bee. " The bonbons royale,"' said Edna, ' promptly, " because I've never tasted it. i Then the creme de rose aux confiture, and then the fondant, because we have some dates and figs ready prepared — washed and pitted, don't you remember? And w-e've got some figs, too, I think."' "I hope there will be time to try some , flowers also to-day," said Bee ; ''they are so delicious." "What will you want, Edith?" asked Edna." "For the bonbons royale?" said the traveller. "Eirst the white of an egg w-ell beaten. Do it, will you, Bee? This must be snow white, though, so you must not let a single drop of the yoke go in." "What else?" asked Edna, as Bee fled to fetch an egg, a basin, and the egg trhisk. • <."The same quantity of cold water as you .have of white of egg,'" answered Edith. "That usually means about a tablespoon foil." " I don't like 'abouts,' " frowned Edna. "There must be some better way of measuring." "Well," said Bee, "an eggshell holds a whole egg, does it not? And the yoke and the white are in equal proportions." | "Therefore," argued Edith, it you break the shell in half, as you must do if you want to separate it by tipping it back- j wards and forwards from half-shell to J half-shell, you can use one of those halves i for a measure for the water, since you want to be so very exact." j " Sure," said the little Yankee, her brow ! clearing. "I reckon that's the right way." . "I'll beat the egg, because it must be really thoroughly well done," said Edith. "You others prepare the filling. But first get me a small piece of orange peel — cut it off one of those oranges on the fruit dish." " What for?" asked HaL as he obeyed. "I want it to flavour this with," his , Bister answered. "No, don't put it in J until it is beaten up. It might get in the way of the eggwhisk. What ingredients for the mixture? . . . . Oh, for a sufficient amount for the white of one egg j you will want six figs, ten aimonds, a j piece of citron peel about an inch and a-half square, and tihe ' same, ov a trifle . larger bit, of preserved ginger." " Need the almonds be blanched?" ' " No-o. It doe 3 not matter ; they won't bLow, and it takes rather long. We will blanche them next time, because it might ' make it even more delicate in flavour." "They're all to be chopped up together, I guess?" queried Edna. "Where is the mincing machine?" "I am afraid it is in, use/ said Bee, "so we must manage with the meat chopper. Hal, ask Sarah for the chopping board, will you?" I ' They must be done very fine/ directed Edith, as she whisked away at her egg and j water. That's surely stiff enough for anything," said Edna. Yes, I think it is." " What are we to do with this concoction?" asked Bee, as she chopped energetically. "Stir it into the egg?" " Good gracious no !" cried the scandalised Edith. "Why, Bee, you should know — you must have eaten this scores of times. It must be damped with a tableispoonful of .wine — sherry is best. Tlien mixed with a little confectioner's sugar to bind it together." "Don't remember. If I did I did not know its nan>e." "What do you want to put it on?" fcsked Edna. "A good large dinner plate," answered Edith. "It might be sugared lightly with confectioner's sugar. And I want confectioner's sugar and ordinary white sugar to stir into this mixture now. The egg jreally is as stiff as it will go." "I'll roll the sugar out," said Edna. . " Yes, we must.not put lumps in," agreed Editbj. "I shall need lib far the white of

thi« one egg. You can give it me in half quantities, though; it will be easier to manage. That means two-thirds of a cup of confectioner's sugar and one third of granulated, mixed together. Then put them in a sieve and shake them o\er this basin while I stir it in. Now, you see, I drop in the piece of orange peel, too."' '•I'll weigh out the other half-pound of sugars and crush them," said Hal. "Hurry up, then; this is nearly mixed in — now we are -waiting for it." "And it is ready, said the boy, handing it across. "My sakes, Edith," said Edna, leaning ' her elbows on the table, '"how stiff that ""It must be," said the elder girl, quickly. "We want to be able to handle it. There, I think it's light." 'I don't beliere it would take another bit of sugar," said Bee. briefly. "Now the plate, Hal, and a knife—pre- ' ferably a silver one. JSee, I spread 1 half ! the cream over this plate, smoothing'it into a nice square about a quarter of an inch ! thick. Now, on the top of that I put a layer of the goodies Bee has just chopped, and on the top of that I spread another covering, of the cream— so!" suiting her actions to her words. '-Then we marx it i out into squares, and in about an hour we i will cut it through completely and it is ' done. It probably can be eaten to-day, but it will be beautifully hard to-mor- ' row " "It ought to be elegant, to judge from the scrapings," said Edna, with her .mouth full. "And how about the creme 1 de rose aux confiture, Edith?" ! "It is made almost the same way, tiie eirl answered, "except, of course, for the middle layer. Oh, dear ! Did I take the orange peel out of that creme r "I did/ said Hal, proudly. "Here it . lS '-What 3 mercy I I forgot all about it. j Well, what w<- I saying? ;oh, ; 0h, I knowabout the creme de rose." Creme de Rose aux Confiture. — '•You simply take the white of one e<™. add tha "same proportion of water as° we 'did ior the bonbons (half the eggshell full), and beat the two up hard; then, instead of putting in a piece of orange peel, add half a leaspoonful 01 • rose = water. It gives the most delicate flavour I knew. Beat the egg well, then add the sugars — two-thirds of a pound of confectioner's, one-third of ordinary white granulated sugar. Spread half the creme de rose out on a lightiysuearad dish and put a thin layer of jelly over it. Last of all, smooth over that another layer of cream, and mark it out into squares." "Any particular kind of jelly?" asked Edna. I "In Paris we had apple jelly, but any kind will serve, so long as it is thick enough to slice. Don't put too generous ! a supply, though 1 , or it will melt a bit, | then the cream simply slides off!" 1 "You mean jam jelly, don't you?" asked Bee. I Edith nodded. j "I guess gelatine-ma-dc jelly would do . very well if you had none of the other," said Edna. "It would not melt so beautifully in your ir.outh," asserted Edith. "Now for the new fondant," said Edna, springing to her feet. '"How is it dome?" "Another egg then, or, rather, the white of one again," said Edith, "You beat it up this time; I am a bit tired." "Don't tell us the reoipe for one moment." said Edna. "Wait until we have washed up these things, for we'll want the same basins and spoons all over again. i Bee, wipe them. Hal, here is another ! cloth — catch!" But the toy was not quick ' enough, and tine towel enveloped his head, \ t>s Edna had intended it should. '"Go back to the woods," she scoffed, "if you're not quick enough to catch a girl's throw." "Don't 'scrap,'" as Edna says, inter1 rupted Edith. "Quick with, this fondant. ■ I thought, you were gfling to beat the white of the '9gg?" "So I am," said Edna, springing forward. "The same quantity of water as before, I suppose? Anything else?"' "Yes. essence of stuns kind. Almond would be best — about a quai-ter of a teasponnful; then the sugar. But as we Tranfc this to taste as creamy as j>ossible- ' we must only use confectioner's sugar. | This, unlike the bonbons royale and the creme de rose, must taste perfectly smooth. When we are putting in the sugar, we can if we like add a few drops of some colouring. But I think we will leave this whits, because when we maks the French creams 1 will show you all kinds of colouring and flavouring tricks. So as soon as you have mixed in the whole pound of svgar — and a little -more if it will take it — it will be done. Wheie are the dates?"' "In the cupboard along witFi the prunes and figs. I am glad they are ready washed," said Bee, with a sigh of satisfaction as she fetched' them. "Let "em all come ; we can't have too many of these," said Edna. "Oh — o — o'. Is there any pineapple in the house?"' ''Only the tinned' — the kind that is cut into cubes" — answered Edith. '"Why?" "Why? Because it would be perfectly delicious if we roll it in some of this cream," ciiecl E<hia. "tiood idoa ; we'll try it," said Hal, epesding oft' to fetch it. "If you really- have set your heart Oil i seeing the Queen to-day we won't he able to do any mQve z " wud Edith £lancin£j&t

the clock. "It's getting near hey time lor driving in tho park." "Then tht fio-wer candies must wait." Edna declared, peremptorily. "IVo been hero -whole months, and uevei seen a. sign of her. I'm beginning to doubt Vihethui you hiive a. Queen. Besides, I think we have done enough : I know I feel ]ik< 5 sixty !"

"You said you felt like thirty the other day." liughecl Bee. "What's the difference "'"

"You feel like thirty cents; — or thirty with the thiee rubbed out — vhen you feel very small,"' explained Edna. "When you foal like sLy.lv — meaning sixty cents on the dollar, ot course — it implies that you aic fueling jolly proud of youiself — as if you had lorgot'tcn nioiv than tl.c rest of the world ever knew, you know. Say! but these via just cute!"'