Sweets for Christmas

Southland Times, Issue 21578, 16 December 1931, Page 12

Sweets for Christmas

Last week “B.B.” (Edendale) asked for sweet recipes for Christmas use, and what a bevy of answers I have received! Here are some of them: From “Ada” (Hedgehope) : Peppermint Creams: 1 white of egg, icing sugar, peppermint creams, little Royal icing. Break the white of an egg into a basin and add a few drops of peppermint essence. Stir into this the icing sugar, adding it gradually . until the mixture can be easily moulded. Form into small balls or flatten into lozenge shapes or roll out with a rolling pin and stamp out with a small cutter. Place sweets on waxed paper on a sieve and leave to dry. Decorate with Royal icing. From “Vidak” (Gore): Neapolitan Squares. lib (2 cups) icing sugar, 2 tablespoons rich cream, pinch of cream of tartar, colour, and flavouring. Sift sugar, add cream of tartar, and sift again. Add cream to make a stiff paste. Leave two hours before moulding. Dust board with sugar, flavour and knead well. Divide and colour. Roll each portion the same shape, and place layers on top of one another. Pass rolling pin lightly over to make adhere to one another. Cut into half inch squares with a sharp knife. * * * » From “Arthura” (Winton). Marshmallows: Put into a pan lOoz sugar, 1 dessertspoon glucose (or 4 level teaspoon cream of tartar), 1 gill water. Stir till dissolved, and boil to 240 degrees (about f hours fast boiling). In another pan dissolve :>oz gelatine in 1 gill of water. When ready pour from both pans at once into a large basin containing the stiffly beaten white of one egg. Beat with whisk till stiff, then use a wooden spoon till it will stand up in the mixture. Leave for 4 hour; then, turn out on plate or table sprinkled with icing sugar. Leave exposed to air for 1 hour; cut into squares, and roll in icing sugar. Flavouring should be added while beating. Raspberry is very nice. Also from “Arthura”: Coconut Ice: Boil 141 b sugar and t pint cold water for 5 minutes. Stir in 141 b desiccated coconut. When it begins to thicken pour half into prepared tin, add colouring to other half, placing pan on fire again for a minute, and pour on top of first portion. Cut up before it is quite cold. * * * * "A.L.C.” (Deveron street) sends: Turkish Delight: Soak 2oz gelatine in one cup cold water for 20 minutes. Then add 14 cups boiling water, 21b sugar; stir till dissolved, and boil 20 minutes (fast as possible without boiling over). Flavour with citric acid and lemon essence. Pour into dish rinsed with cold water, place in cool place to set; then cut into squares and roll in sugar or icing sugar. Scissors are better for cutting up than a knife. Several varieties can be made by dividing syrup after boiling, and adding different flavourings and colouring. *■ * * * From “S.T.” (Woodlands); Vanilla Creams: Take the white of one egg (not beaten), and half its quantity of cold water, stir sufficiently to mix well, and add essence of vanilla. Put in enough icing sugar to make it stiff enough to roll into balls, size of a marble, between the hands. Place on slightly greased tray or paper, and press hal fa walnut or an almond kernel on top, pressing the “ball” fairly flat. Half of this mixture may be coloured pink. This mixture can also be used to make date creams. Take the stones out of the dates and replace with a piece of the “fondant,” allowing it to show, and roll in ordinary white sugar.

“Floss” (Gala street) sends: Baltimore Candy: 5 whites of eggs, 21 tablespoons cream, 1 teaspoon lemon flavour, 1 teaspoon"' cocineal, 1 teaspoon almond flavour, 1 orange, grated rind and juice, few drops of col-our-orange, red, green, 1 square melted chocolate, 6 tablespoons chopped almonds, lib (1 cup coconut), sifted icing sugar. Beat up one white of egg, add the lemon essence, 1 teaspoon of cream, the coconut, and mix with sufficient icing sugar to make stiff enough to knead thoroughly. Spread evenly in the bottom of a pan lined with waxed paper. The other four layers arc made in the same way, the colour and flavour of each being different. Spread evenly one above the other and let remain in the pan for two days, then turn out on a board with sifted icing sugar, and allow to stand for three days before slicing. Wrap each piece in waxed paper and store in air-tight tins.