MATERIAL USED FOR CANDY MAKING
Sugar. In all the recipes that call for sugar, use granulated sugar unless otherwise specified.
When cooking a small amount of sugar a small pan should be used or else the pan should be placed on an additional ring, so that the fire will only strike a part of the bottom of the pan. The heat should never strike the pan above the sugar, this causing it to bake on the sides of the pan and sometimes dissolving the pan.
Slowly cooked sugar makes tough and sticky candy, so that candy of any description should be cooked as rapidly as possible.
Confectioner’s Sugar, sometimes called XXXX, is especially ground for candy making purposes. XXX sugar is a coarser grade and is not as satisfactory as the XXXX sugar. Pulverized sugar cannot be used as a substitute and give satisfactory results, because it hardens.
Water. Always use cold water when making candy. The quantity of water used must be regulated according to the sugar.
Milk. Use fresh milk in preference to Pasteurized or sterilized milk, because it is not so liable to curdle.
Glucose is a very thick, transparent, tasteless liquid extracted from corn; it is usually of a yellow tinge. Very few people know how glucose is made and are under the impression that it is an injurious adulteration. Because glucose is used extensively in cheap candy, there is a certain amount of prejudice against it. By using glucose sparingly in certain candies it imparts a smoothness and also prevents any stirred candy from turning to sugar.
It may be purchased from any confectioner that makes his own candy. When purchasing it, it is necessary to take a bucket or jar, because it must be put into something that will be easy to get it out on account of its sticky quality.
In putting it into the kettle, first weigh the kettle with the paddle, take out the glucose with the paddle and when you think you have the required amount, weigh the glucose, kettle and paddle. If you do not have scales to weigh it, be very careful not to use too much glucose, because it will spoil some candies.
Glucose is easily handled in cold weather, because it gets very thick. Dip your hand in cold water, scoop out a small quantity of glucose, keeping your hand moving all the time; by doing this it will not stick.
One pint of glucose weighs one and a half pounds.
Corn Syrup, which is ninety per cent. glucose, may be purchased at almost any grocery and may be used as a substitute for glucose. Use a little more than the amount of glucose called for. Corn syrup is of a yellow color, consequently all of the candies in which it is used will be of a cream color. (See cream of tartar.)
Acetic Acid. The addition of acid in candy, “breaks the grain” of the sugar, and brings out the flavor.
It may be purchased at a drug store. Ask for No. 8 and five cents worth will last a long time because it is only used for making fondant and oriental creams.
Cream of Tartar. (Substitute for glucose.) As a rule a fourth of a teaspoonful of cream of tartar is used for every five pounds of sugar in making various kinds of candies, such as butterscotch, brittle, center cream; it may also be used for making a grainy fudge, which is the only exception when it is used in a stirred candy.
Japanese Gelatine, a vegetable gelatine, is used in making the various jellies. The ordinary gelatine cannot be used as a substitute.
Nonparaf must be used instead of paraffine in all candy made for sale, on account of the pure food laws. It is used in chewing taffy and caramels; it keeps them in shape and preserves their good qualities. It may be omitted, but by so doing a certain chewing quality of the candy is destroyed.
Chocolate. Only coating chocolate should be used for candy making because it is stronger in flavor and imparts a delicate taste such as no other kind does. It may be bought of any confectioner, who makes his own candy, in ten pound cakes.
Flavors. The best candies may be spoiled by using cheap flavorings, and we strongly advise you to buy the very best. Only a few drops are required for flavoring candies and, by buying a few at a time you will be able to have a large assortment in a short while.
Color Pastes may be used for coloring ice cream, cakes, icings and desserts and they add a dainty touch to an otherwise ordinary dish. Those that are used for candy making are adapted for all other needs, are pure and strong, so that a two ounce jar will last a long time. Colors seem to be a necessity when making bon-bons, and we offer you a variety. Leaf green, fruit red, golden yellow, damask rose, caramel, violet, chestnut, mandarin orange and imperial blue.
Color pastes which we sell are made from vegetable colorings and are guaranteed under the pure food laws.
Almond Paste is used as centers for bon-bons.
Paper. Waxed or oiled paper. You may use the ordinary waxed paper that is found in all stores for covering butter, etc. Waxed paper is used to line candy boxes and also for wrapping candies.
Wafer Paper. For dropping purposes, a heavier paper is required, such as is found in cracker boxes, cookies, etc. Save all these papers, iron them flat and they will answer the purpose and save you the expense of buying wafer paper.
Rice Paper is only used when making nougat, and can be bought at a confectioner’s.
Wax paper bags are a neat and sanitary way of putting up salted and fresh nuts.