Home-made Candy Making That Paid
Reading edition
A man in Seattle, who had never made an ounce of candy in his life, bought a book on candy making at a stationer’s, then worked in a candy factory for almost nothing for two months, and came out a skilled confectioner. The following are some of the candies that proved to be the best sellers and biggest money-makers, and he gives the formulas below, with the statement that the making of any one of them will provide a good living for any person who will work and stick to it. Each is therefore submitted as a separate plan for making a living.
PLAN No. 329. MOLASSES CANDY
White sugar, 2 pounds; sugarhouse syrup, 1 pint; best molasses, 1 pint. Boil until a little of it hardens when dropped into cold water, then work in the usual manner.
This enjoyed a tremendous popularity, and yielded an immense profit.
PLAN No. 330. PEPPERMINT CREAMS
White sugar, 1 pound; essence of peppermint, 1 teaspoonful; add sufficient water to work into a stiff paste, roll into thick sheets, and cut out with a round stamp of the required size.
Profit enough in this to support an entire family.
PLAN No. 331. CHOCOLATE CARAMELS
Boil a quart of best molasses until it darkens, then put in water. Before removing from the fire, add 4 ounces of fine chocolate. Pour a thin layer into tin trays slightly greased, and when it hardens a little cut into small squares.
His customers never seemed to get enough of these.
PLAN No. 332. A FINE NUT CANDY
Nut candies are always in demand, and those he made as follows were particularly delicious:
Put the meats of walnuts, hickory nuts, peanuts, or any other kind desired, to the depth of half an inch, on the bottom of tins previously greased. Boil together 2 pounds of brown sugar, 1 pint of water, and 1 gill of molasses, until a portion of it hardens when cool. Pour the hot syrup on the meats, and allow it to remain until hard, then break it into small chunks.
This was one of his biggest money-makers.
PLAN No. 333. FIG PASTE
Chop a pound of figs fine, and boil in a pint of water until reduced to a soft pulp. Strain through a fine sieve, add 8 pounds of sugar, and evaporate over boiling water until the paste becomes quite stiff. Form the paste into thick sheets, and divide into small pieces with a thin-bladed knife. Roll the pieces in powdered sugar, and pack in wooden boxes.
A delicious and healthful confection that proved its popularity all the year round.
PLAN No. 334. SUPERB CHEWING GUM
No matter how great the supply of chewing gum becomes, the demand for it always exceeds the supply. There is none better than the following, which was one of his biggest sellers:
Chicle, 7 pounds; paraffin wax, 2 pounds, Tolu balsam, 4 ounces; Peru balsam, 2 ounces. Dissolve the gum in as much water as it will take up, melt the paraffine and mix all together. Now take finely granulated sugar, 20 pounds; glucose, 8 pounds; water 6 pints. Put the sugar and glucose into the water, dissolve and boil them to a “crack” degree (confectioners’ term), pour the syrup over an oiled slab and turn into it sufficient of the gum mixture to make it tough and plastic, adding any of the following flavors, if desired: Cinnamon, chocolate, sandalwood, wintergreen, myrrh, galangal, ginger and cardamon. When completely mixed, remove to a cold slab previously dusted with powdered sugar, roll out into sheets and cut into sticks.
PLAN No. 335. SPRUCE CHEWING GUM
Spruce gum, 20 parts; chicle, 20 parts; powdered sugar, 20 parts. Melt the gum separately, mix while hot, and immediately add the sugar, a small portion at a time, kneading it thoroughly on a hot slab. When thoroughly mixed, roll and cut into sticks.
One of the most popular and profitable chewing gums made.