Nut Sweet
2 cups maple sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup hickory nuts, or walnuts, broken
In a saucepan combine sugar, water, and butter. Cook over low heat until a candy thermometer inciates 238 degrees F., or until the syrup dropped in cold water forms a soft ball. Add the nuts. remove from heat and stir until the candy is thick. Drop in spoonsful onto waxed paper and let the patties harden.
Candied Peel
Cut rind of 8 oranges into quarters
Cover with cold water. Bring slowly to the boiling point. Remove pan from fire. Drain well. Repeat this process, boiling the orange peel in a total of 5 waters. Drain well each time. With scissors, cut into strips or leaf designs.
Make a syrup with
1/4 cut water and 1/2 cup sugar
Add the peel and boil until all the syrup is absorbed. Cool briefly. When thorouhgly dry, the peel may be dipped in chcoolate coating. Peel may also be rolled in freshly grated coconut, then sugared. Store in airtight tins, or freeze.
Apricot Leather
Wash 1 package dried apricots and put them in water to soak overnight. Next morning, bring apricots and water to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain thoroughly. (Be sure all the water has drained off.) mash the apricots through a sieve, or belnd in a blender until smooth.
Measure pulp: return it to the saucepan and add 1 part sugar to every 3 parts pulp. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly (at thsis tage the mixture may burn easily, so stir carefully.) Let the mixture cool for 15 minutes; then spread almost paper thin on a large piece of glass, marble slab, or aluminum cookie sheet. Form a rectangular shape.
Place in a warm dry room (an attic is excellent) to dry for 1 to 2 days (it should be pliable enough to roll). Cut the leather into 3-inch squares, sprinkle with granulated sugar, and roll tightly into rolls about the size of a small pencil. Roll in granulated sugar and stroe in a tightly closed box.
Hoarhound Candy
Some of the candies which were made in colonial kitchens were very simple mixtures of sugar, water, and herbs. This candy was a confection as well as a lozenge for colds and sore throats.
3 ounces hoarhound
3 cups water
3 1/2 pounds brown sugar
Add hoarhound to hot water and simmmer for 20 minutes. Stain and add sugar. Cook until syrup forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water or until candy thermometer registers 265 degrees F. Pour into a buttered pan. When cooled, form into small balls or cut into squares. makes about 5 sozen pieces.
Molasses Candy
2 cups molasses
2 cups brown sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
Boil ingredients until brittle when tried in cold water. Pour into hot, buttered pan; pull when cool enough to handle.
Benne (Sesame) Brittle
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups parched benne seed (roasted)
Melt the sugar in a heavy frying pan or saucepan over a low heat, stirring constantly. When sugar is melted, remove from stove, then add benne seed and vanilla quickly. Pour into a well-buttered pan to about 1/4 inch depth (a medium-size biscuit pan is right). Mark into squares while warm and break along lines when cold. Makes 8-10 squares.
Hickory Nut Creams
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup cream or evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups hickory nuts
Stir sugar and cream together until sugar dissolves. Boil to 234 degrees F. or until a little of the mixture forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water. Cool to lukewarm. Add vanilla, butter, and nuts, and beat until creamy. Drop from spoon on waxed paper. makes 3 dozen creams.
Spiced Walnuts
1/4 pound walnut halves
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon water
1 egg white
Heat nuts in 350 degree F. oven for a few minutes. Sift together three times the sugar, ginger, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Add awater to egg whtie and beat until frothy (not stuff). Dip nuts in egg mixture and roll in spices. Cover bottom of baking sheet with leftover sugar and spices. Arrange nuts over top. Sift remaining sugar over them. Bake at 275 degrees F. for 1 hour. Remove from oven and shake off excess sugar.
Pralines
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients except vanilla. Bring to a boil and boil for exactly 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and beat until smooth and creamy. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Makes 2 to 3 dozen.
Apricot Sweetmeats
1 pound dried apricots, ground
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
pecan or walnut halves, or almondssuperfine granulated sugar
Combine apricots, granulated sugar and orange juice in a saucepan. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drop by teaspoon onto waxed paper. When cool, place a pecan or walnut half or an almond in the center, rolling apricot mixture around it. Drop each ball into superfine granulated sugar to coat completely. Pack in a tightly covered container to store. Makes 3 dozen.
