The Story of Crisco Part 36

The next is the "pearl" (220 F.) To see if the syrup has reached this stage, after the sugar has dissolved let it boil for eight to ten minutes, then dip a wooden skewer into the syrup to obtain a drop of it. Dip the finger and thumb into cold water, then rub the drop of syrup between them; if it feels smooth, the syrup has reached the desired stage. The next is the "blow" (230 F.) Dip a spoon into the sugar, shake it, and blow through the holes; if sparks of light or bubbles be seen, you may be sure of the blow. This is followed by the "feather" (235 F.) To test this, dip a spoon into the boiling syrup, and when it may be blown easily from the spoon in long shreds it has reached the right degree.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Next comes the "ball" (240 F. to 250 F.) Dip the finger and thumb first into cold water, and then into the syrup, the latter then can be rolled into a soft ball between the finger and thumb. A little longer boiling gives the hard ball. This in turn is succeeded by the "crack"

(290 F. to 300 F.) To test this, drop a little of the syrup into cold water; if it then breaks off sharp and crisp it has reached the crack. The final stage is the "caramel" (350 F.) which comes very quickly after the crack, the syrup becoming first a pale yellow, and then a rich golden brown, and finally black or burnt. When it first reaches this stage the pan should be removed from the fire, a little lemon juice or water added, and then the whole reboiled to the proper stage or shade. To prevent granulation, it often is advisable to add a pinch of cream of tartar, to the pound of sugar.

Chocolate Fudge

1 cupful milk Pinch of salt 2 squares (2 ozs.) chocolate 2 cupfuls sugar 1 tablespoonful Crisco 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract

Put Crisco, milk, sugar, salt, and chocolate into saucepan, and stir and boil until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water, or 240 F. Remove from fire, add extract, allow to stand a minute, and beat until creamy. Pour into Criscoed tin and mark off into squares.

Clear Almond Taffy

4 cupfuls sugar 1 cupful Crisco Pinch cream of tartar 1 cupful water 2 cupfuls almonds 1/2 teaspoonful almond extract 1/4 teaspoonful salt

Blanch, split, and bake almonds to golden brown. Crisco a tin, and sprinkle almonds on it split side down. Dissolve sugar and water together in saucepan, add Crisco, salt, and cream of tartar, and boil until when tested in cold water it will be brittle, or 300 F. Add almond extract and pour over nuts. When firm, cut in squares.

Sufficient for one large pan.

Cocoanut Caramels

1 cupful dessicated cocoanut 2 tablespoonfuls glucose 1 lb. brown sugar 3/4 cupful Crisco 1 cupful water 1 cupful milk 1 cupful cream 1 teaspoonful rose extract 1 teaspoonful almond extract 1/4 teaspoonful salt

Soak cocoanut in milk for twenty minutes, then put it into a saucepan with sugar, glucose, salt, and one-third of the Crisco, add second third of Crisco when it forms heavy thread, or registers 230 F., add third piece of Crisco, cream and extracts, when it again reaches 230 F. When it reaches the hard ball stage or 250 F., turn at once into a Criscoed tin. Cut when half cold. When all are cut, wrap each caramel in waxed paper.

Crisco Drops

1/2 cupful golden syrup 4 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1/4 cupful water 1/4 teaspoonful salt 1/2 teaspoonful vanilla extract

Put Crisco, golden syrup, water, and salt into saucepan and boil until it is almost brittle when tested in cold water, or 290 F., then add vanilla. Allow to cool down, and then drop on to Criscoed tin.

Sufficient for twenty drops.

Cream Candy

1/2 cupful water 2 cupfuls brown sugar 3 tablespoonfuls Crisco, melted 1 teaspoonful orange extract 1/4 teaspoonful salt

Dissolve sugar in water in saucepan over fire, and boil until it spins a heavy thread, add Crisco and salt and boil until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water, or 240 F. Remove pan from fire, add orange extract, allow to stand five minutes, then stir until the syrup begins to "grain." Pour quickly into wet tin. When half cold, mark into squares; leave till following day in a cool place; then break up.

Keep in airtight tins.

Sufficient for twenty small squares.

Crisco Fruit Fudge

2 cupfuls sugar 1 cupful milk 2 tablespoonfuls cocoa 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract 1 teaspoonful lemon extract 1/2 cupful chopped English walnut meats 1/2 cupful sultana raisins 2 tablespoonfuls cream Pinch of salt

Put Crisco, sugar, cocoa, salt, and milk into saucepan, and stir till it boils to 240, or until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. Remove from fire, add raisins, cream, nut meats, and extracts, and beat mixture until thick and creamy. Put back on stove, and heat, stirring constantly until melted, then pour into Criscoed tins. When partly cool mark into neat squares.

Sufficient for thirty squares.

Everton Taffy

1 gill water 2 cupfuls brown sugar 4 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract Pinch cream of tartar 1/4 teaspoonful salt

Put sugar and water into saucepan; stir occasionally until it boils; then add cream of tartar. Put cover on pan and boil five minutes, add Crisco and salt and boil until, when tried in cold water it will snap, or 300 F. Add vanilla and pour into Criscoed tin. Mark in squares when half cold, and break up when quite cold. Wrap in waxed paper.

Fig Fudge

Pinch cream of tartar 1/4 lb. chopped figs 1 lb. brown sugar Pinch salt 1 tablespoonful Crisco 1 cupful water 1 teaspoonful lemon extract

Wash and dry figs, then chop them. Put sugar and water into saucepan, and dissolve, add Crisco and cream of tartar, and when it boils, add figs, and boil to a soft ball when tried in cold water, or 240 F., stirring all the time. Remove pan from fire, add lemon extract and salt, cool five minutes, then stir until it begins to grain, and quickly pour into Criscoed tin. When half cold mark in squares.

Honey Squares

1 cupful strained honey 1 cupful brown sugar 2 tablespoonfuls Crisco 1/2 cupful cream 1/4 teaspoonful salt Pinch cream of tartar 1 teaspoonful lemon extract

Put Crisco, salt, honey, cream and sugar into saucepan; stir over slow fire until dissolved, then add cream of tartar. Boil until it forms a hard ball when tested in cold water, or 252 F. Remove from fire, stir in lemon extract, and pour into Criscoed tin. Mark into squares before cold. Wrap in waxed paper.

Sufficient for twenty-five squares.

Maple Candy

1 cupful maple sugar 1/2 cupful brown sugar 1 tablespoonful Crisco 1/4 teaspoonful salt 1 teaspoonful vanilla extract 1 cupful water

Dissolve sugars in water in saucepan over fire, when boiling add Crisco and salt and boil until it hardens when dropped in cold water, or 258 F. Remove from fire and add vanilla. Pour into Criscoed tins.

When half cold mark into squares. Wrap in waxed paper.