Candy-Making Revolutionized: Confectionery from Vegetables

by Mary Elizabeth Hall

Flavor the potato fondant with one of the stronger extracts such as peppermint, cinnamon or cloves. If desired it may be used without flavoring, but the more delicate flavors are not so pleasing. Mix enough sugar with the fondant for it to mold smoothly and easily and hold its shape. Upon a clean piece of glass, or oil cloth, if glass is not easily obtainable, place a piece of angelique of a size suitable for the stem. To form the petals roll pieces of potato fondant between the fingers. Properly arrange these petals around the center. Press a piece of candied orange peel down upon the stem and petals. This peel gives the yellow center of the daisy and acts as an additional means for holding the stem and petals together. Or, yellow fondant may be substituted. Run a thin knife under the flower and lift it over the glass to an oil cloth placed over a board or to a piece of waxed paper and dry for twenty-four hours.

Cook to two hundred and twenty degrees, a syrup made of one cupful of sugar and one-third of a cupful of water; pour this into a dish so that the syrup will be about an inch deep. Add to the daisies such leaves cut from angelique as may be desired and then dip into this liquid and lift upon a wire rack. In the making of this as in all composite models the crystal syrup—one cupful of sugar and one-third cupful of water cooked to two hundred and twenty degrees—is an essential asset for gluing purposes. A small bristle brush is good for applying, but care must be used as in using glue not to use too much of the syrup. The syrup, when dry, will hold the leaves to the stem. If the amateur confectioner is very conscientious, she may improve the looks of the flowers by coloring the outside edges of the centers lightly with sugar—first a little brown and then a touch of yellow placed there with the pointed end of the modeling stick.

Before the flowers have thoroughly set, free them from the wires of the rack. Shortly after the dipping, when as much of the syrup as will has run off the flowers, run the fingers along the under side of the rack springing the wires under each piece. This method not only frees the flowers but it rids them of undue accumulations of the syrup. Otherwise, the wires would dry into the candies, which would be broken upon their removal. Leave on the rack until dry.

Yellow Daisy.—Yellow daisies may be made by coloring the white potato fondant or by making fresh fondant, using the yolk of the egg in place of the white. The fondant made of the yolk will not model quite so readily but coloring is unnecessary.

Form the yellow daisy as the white, but use a small raisin for the center, instead of the piece of orange peel. No colored sugar is necessary. Crystallize as before.

If exceptionally bright and clear colors are desired, the flowers may be dipped twice into a thin crystal instead of once into an ordinary crystal. Use the same proportions of sugar and water—one cupful to one-third cupful cooked to only two hundred and twenty degrees. Into this dip the flowers after they are thoroughly dry, and dry on a rack as before. The next day dip them again into a crystal of the same sort. Dry as before. The result will be glossy flowers, free from crystals, with particularly beautiful yellows and browns.

Calla Lily.—This is particularly suitable for Easter time. For the stem, use a small stick of angelique. Make the center from yellow fondant. While still moist, dip into granulated sugar. See the illustration facing page [138].

If the yellow fondant is not on hand, a little of the ordinary white may be colored yellow and used. It is hardly worth while to make up a batch of the special egg fondant for one set of lilies.

From the white potato fondant, pat out rather thin pieces, wrap them around the stem, form the lily and curl the edges and make the pointed top and the front fold prominent. If leaves are desired, cut a long leaf from the angelique, dip the stem end into thick syrup and fasten to the stem. To make a perfect union, cover the stem below the lily with syrup.

If the lilies are to be used for box trimmings, do not make the stems very long and if leaves are used, bring them up well onto or behind the flower to give added strength so that the stems will be unlikely to break at their juncture with the lily.