Strawberry Divinity Fudge
Place in a saucepan two cupfuls of granulated sugar, half a cupful of water and a fourth teaspoonful of cream of tartar. Boil to the hard ball stage. Add one glassful of whole preserved strawberries and boil up again. Pour the mixture over the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs and beat up until light and foamy. When the mixture begins to harden pour into buttered pans and when cool cut into squares. Any thick preserved fruits can be used in the same way. Preserved strawberries and preserved pineapple are good combined, half and half of each being used. If pear preserves are used a little chopped ginger will be an improvement.
Tutti-Frutti Cream
Melt one pound of fondant in a double-boiler, add one teaspoonful of vanilla or orange flavor; then add one tablespoonful of strawberry preserves (using only the berries), one tablespoonful of preserved cherries, two tablespoonfuls of preserved or candied pineapple, and one tablespoonful each of peach and pear preserves. The addition also of a teaspoonful each of candied orange and lemon peel will improve the mixture. When partly cool pour into a mold for slicing or form into bonbon shapes. If not quite stiff enough add powdered sugar to make of the right consistency to mold nicely. These can be rolled in powdered sugar or dipped in colored melted fondant or coated with chocolate.
Pear Caramels
Place in a saucepan two cupfuls of light brown sugar, one cupful of corn syrup, half a cupful of good milk and one tablespoonful of butter. Boil for a few minutes, then add one cupful of preserved pears, half a cupful of chopped candied ginger and a fourth cupful of candied lemon peel. Boil to the hard ball stage, add one teaspoonful of orange flavor and pour into pans. When cold cut into squares. Peach caramels are made in the same manner, only instead of the candied ginger a cupful of chopped almonds is added, the orange or lemon peel is omitted and almond extract used.
Marzipan Fruit Candies
Delicious fruit candies can be made by using marzipan paste. To make this paste take one cup of blanched almonds and run them through a food chopper; then pound to a fine flour. Place in a bowl and add to this flour the same amount of powdered sugar. Use enough water, rose water, orange juice or grape juice to make stiff paste—about three ounces will be enough. Beat an egg up stiff and work it into the paste. Roll out the marzipan an inch thick and cut into rounds or squares. Place a bit of preserved fruit on each one and mold the paste up around it. Place in the oven until the candies are dry. Another way to make the paste is to boil the ingredients. Use about three ounces of rose water or other liquid to the amount of almonds and sugar given above. Stir over a slow fire until when touched with the finger the syrup will cling. When cool knead into a paste.
Surprise Dates
Select some nice large dates and remove the stones. Fill some of the cavities with chopped raisins, figs, nuts and so forth, and some with chopped candied cherries; try to have the varieties of fillings as great as possible. Fondant with several different flavorings may also be used. Dip some of these stuffed dates in chocolate fondant, some in different colored fondants and some in plain white. Every date eaten then will prove to be a surprise and delight.