A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE NECESSARY TOOLS.
The number of tools absolutely necessary for making candy at home, are very few outside of your ordinary cooking utensils. But we will mention a few of them here, so that you may know just what to get in case you care to purchase them.
The Thermometer—You already have, (see article on “How to Use the Thermometer.”)
Marble Slab—The next most important thing both for its usefulness and convenience is a marble slab. While it is not absolutely necessary to have one, we would advise everyone to make an effort to get one. Almost any size or kind of a piece of marble will do. If you have an old marble top stand, dresser or some other piece of furniture with a marble top, use that. If you purchase one, see that it has a nice smooth top, and the size about 18 x 18 inches. It does not matter if it is a little larger one way, but this is the standard size. You can buy candy slabs most any size of any marble dealer very cheap. If you have a large stone platter, you can use that for nearly every kind of candy in this book; but buy a slab by all means if you can.
Steel Bars for Slab—Get four steel bars ¾ x ½ inch in thickness, (they will cost you about thirty cents at any hardware store). Measure your slab before buying the bars in this way; if the slab is 18 x 18 inches, get two bars each 17 inches long, then get two each 16 inches long; these bars are shorter than the first ones, so that they may be set in between the long ones, making as large or small a dish as the individual batch requires.
Scraper—The best thing to use for creaming up the different kinds of fondants is an ordinary wall paper scraper, which can be bought for ten cents at any hardware store. A wooden butter paddle will answer the purpose if you cannot get a scraper.
Candy Paddle—A wooden paddle is better to use in stirring candy than a spoon, especially those candies that contain milk or cream, as they must be stirred continually while cooking to prevent scorching, and you are very liable to get burned. Take a piece of wood about 15 inches long and about 2½ inches wide on the paddle end, and about ½ inch thick and taper it towards the other end for a handle. Keep this paddle exclusively for stirring candy.
Spatula—A spatula is a very convenient tool for the kitchen and is really as useful for cooking as candy-making. It may be used for scraping out the candy kettle, cake bowl, removing pies or cookies from the pan, icing cakes and in various other ways. A spatula nine inches long will cost you about 25c at any hardware store.
Kettle—Take a granite kettle holding about 2½ gallons, and it will hold any size batch given in this book. Some candies boil up considerably and it is necessary to have a large kettle to avoid its running over. If you make only a pound or so of candy at a time, take a smaller kettle, so the syrup will not scorch and that the bulb of our thermometer will be well down in the boiling syrup. If possible get a round bottom kettle, which is better than a flat one, because there are no edges for the syrup to stick to, and it is much easier to stir, especially those that must be stirred while cooking.
Funnel
Funnel—If you make wafers frequently, you will find that a funnel will be a great help to you in dropping them, so that they will be uniform. Have a tinner make you one after these directions: Shape a piece of tin 8 inches long like a cornucopia, 6 inches at the top and tapering to the opening at the bottom, which should be ⅜ of an inch in diameter; the handle should be about 5 inches long and shaped like a dipper handle. A round stick, a flag stick, tapered to fit the opening is used in dropping the wafers. This funnel is also used for dropping the cream centers for chocolate. (See article on “How to Mold in Cornstarch.”)
Candy Hook
Candy Hook—In making all kinds of taffy, a hook is the best thing to pull it on, for taffy which is pulled in this manner, will be lighter and more fluffy than if pulled with the hands alone. Any blacksmith can make you one very cheap in this manner: Take a piece of tinned iron 17 inches long, and ½ or ¾ inch in diameter; commence a little over half way down and bend it up like a fish hook. Have the other end flattened out a little and have two holes bored about two inches apart so you can screw it on the wall.
Gloves—A pair of canvas gloves with a buckskin face, slightly greased is a great protection to the hands when pulling taffy or spreading out the different kinds of brittles. If they stick to your taffy, just dust them with a little cornstarch or flour.
Double Boiler
Double Boiler—It is not absolutely necessary to have a double boiler, but it is a great convenience to have one holding about a pint or a little more, in which to melt the fondant or chocolate. You may substitute an ordinary bowl and a pan of hot water in which to set it, and obtain the same results.
Dipping Wire—This is used in dipping bon-bons and accompanies the book. (See article on “Bon-Bons.”)
Plaster of Paris Moulds—These moulds accompany the book and are used for making the centers for chocolates. (See article on “How to Mold in Cornstarch.”)