Chapter IX · Ryzon Home-made Candies

Who can resist home-made candies? Very few indeed, for if well made they are delicious. Then, besides being delicious, the home article is cheap as compared with bought candy of the same quality, and, above all, it is pure.

The making of dainty bon-bons is a very attractive pastime to the amateur housekeeper and would-be confectioner, and it is quite surprising how many pretty and delicious candies can be made at home, and how simple and fascinating the process.

The value of sugar as a food for both young and old is undisputed, and candy is looked upon nowadays as almost a necessity instead of a mere luxury.

For home-made confectionery, very few tools are necessary, although for the more elaborate kinds the investment of a few dollars amply repays the enthusiast. For instance, there are many candies which can be made without any special instruments, but for perfect candy boiling a sugar thermometer is a great asset, ensuring as it does accuracy and success. The candy thermometer registers over 300° F. or more. But for those who are not so ambitious there are many sweets which can be well made with a little experience and a careful consultation with the clock.

Different kinds of sugar are needed for the various candies—brown, confectioners’ and granulated—together with syrup, butter, milk, flavoring extracts, colors, and such toothsome dainties as fruits, shelled nuts, and preserved ginger.

The use of a little Ryzon will be found of immense advantage to the amateur candy maker, as it makes the sugar less liable to crystallize while boiling, and gives a more creamy effect to such candies as fudge and caramels.

Tiny crinkled paper cases are pretty for the more elaborate bon-bons, but are not at all essential.

RYZON OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES CANDY

2 cupfuls (1 pint) molasses.

1 tablespoonful vinegar.

2 tablespoonfuls (1 ounce) butter.

½ level teaspoonful Ryzon.

1 teaspoonful vanilla or ginger extract.

Put molasses, vinegar and butter into a saucepan. Bring to a boiling point, and boil, stirring all the time until the mixture is brittle when dropped into cold water, or when it registers 265° F. by candy thermometer. Stir in Ryzon and extract and pour into a buttered tin. When nearly cold pull until glossy. Cut into small pieces and lay on a buttered plate or wrap in waxed paper.

Sufficient for one pound of candy.

RYZON CHERRY PASTE

1 level teaspoonful Ryzon.

3 level tablespoonfuls (1 ounce) powdered gelatine.

1¼ cupfuls (2½ gills) water.

2 level cupfuls (1 pound) sugar.

1 level cupful (¼ pound) chopped preserved cherries.

A few drops red color.

1 lemon.

Confectioners’ sugar.

Put gelatine, Ryzon, water, sugar, grated rind and strained juice of lemon into a saucepan, bring slowly to boiling point, then boil gently for fifteen minutes, stirring constantly.

Rinse a deep plate with cold water, put in red color and cherries. Strain in mixture and stir. Set in a cold place until firm, then cut into neat squares, using a knife constantly dipped into hot water, and roll in confectioners’ sugar. Put into boxes lined with waxed paper.

Sufficient for thirty squares.

RYZON FRUIT AND NUT FUDGE

1 level teaspoonful Ryzon.

2 level cupfuls (1 pound) sugar.

½ cupful (¼ pint) molasses.

½ cupful (¼ pint) cream.

½ cupful (¼ pound) butter.

½ cupful (2 ounces) grated chocolate.

2 level tablespoonfuls chopped preserved ginger.

2 level tablespoonfuls stoned and chopped dates.

½ cupful (2 ounces) chopped walnut meats.

½ cupful (2 ounces) blanched and chopped almonds.

1 teaspoonful lemon extract.

1 teaspoonful orange extract.

Boil together for seven minutes, sugar, molasses, cream and butter, stirring all the time; add chocolate and boil seven minutes more, then add fruit, Ryzon and nut meats; stir constantly until it boils, then cook slowly until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or 240° F. by candy thermometer, then add extracts. Remove from fire, put pan into larger pan of cold water and stir until creamy. Pour into buttered tins and mark into squares when half cold.

Sufficient for fifty squares.

RYZON BETTY CARAMELS

2 level cupfuls (12 ounces) brown sugar.

1 level teaspoonful Ryzon.

½ cupful (1 gill) milk.

1 tablespoonful (½ ounce) butter.

1 teaspoonful coffee extract.

Pecan nut meats.

Put into a saucepan, sugar, Ryzon, milk and butter, bring to boiling point and boil gently, stirring all the time, until the mixture forms a soft ball when tested in cold water, or 240° F. by candy thermometer. Add coffee extract and pour into a dry basin, and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture becomes stiff.

Then roll into large even-shaped marbles and put a pecan nut meat on top of each. Lay on waxed paper to become firm.

These caramels are a pale coffee color.

Serve in paper cases.

Sufficient for twenty-five caramels.

RYZON NUT CANDY

3 level cupfuls (1½ pounds) sugar.

1 cupful (½ pint) corn syrup.

½ cupful (1 gill) water.

2 egg whites.

1 level teaspoonful Ryzon.

¼ level teaspoonful salt.

1 level cupful (¼ pound) chopped nut meats.

1 teaspoonful almond extract.

1 teaspoonful lemon extract.

1 teaspoonful vanilla extract.

Put into a saucepan, sugar, syrup and water and boil until the syrup forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or 240° F. by candy thermometer.

Add salt and Ryzon to eggs and beat to a stiff froth. Take syrup from fire and add eggs, a tablespoonful at a time, until all has been added, beating constantly. When mixture begins to thicken, add nuts and extracts, and beat until creamy. Pour into a deep buttered pan and allow to cool. Cut in cubes when cold. This candy is best when it has been allowed to stand for three days.

Sufficient for thirty cubes.

RYZON STUFFED DATES

Stoned dates.

1 egg white.

1 level teaspoonful Ryzon.

1 teaspoonful vanilla extract.

2 tablespoonfuls chopped preserved ginger.

Confectioners’ sugar.

Pink sugar.

Remove stones from desired number of dates.

Drop egg white into a basin, add Ryzon, extract, ginger and enough sifted confectioners’ sugar to make a stiff paste.

Fill dates with mixture and roll in pink sugar.

Serve in a bon-bon dish.

To Make Pink Sugar:—Put some granulated sugar on a piece of stiff white paper; sprinkle over a few drops of red color, and rub with a wooden spoon or between the hands until evenly distributed. Dry in a moderate heat, occasionally separating the grains by rubbing them between the fingers, and keep for use in a dry bottle or a tin box. Lump sugar may be used, but it must be broken up with a rolling-pin and sifted.

Sufficient for forty dates.

RYZON CHOCOLATE FUDGE

2½ level cupfuls (1¼ lbs.) sugar.

1 level teaspoonful Ryzon.

2 squares (2 ozs.) chocolate, grated.

1 cupful (½ pint) milk.

1 tablespoonful (½ oz.) butter.

1 teaspoonful vanilla extract.

Put sugar, Ryzon, chocolate, milk and butter into a saucepan and bring to boiling point; then boil, starting from that time, to 240° F., or until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. Remove from the fire, add extract, and beat until creamy. Pour into buttered tins and mark into squares when half cold.

RYZON ALMOND AND RAISIN BRITTLE

2 level cupfuls (1 pound) sugar.

1 teaspoonful vinegar.

3 level teaspoonfuls Ryzon.

1 level cupful (2 ounces) seeded raisins.

1 level cupful (¼ pound) blanched and roasted almonds.

1 teaspoonful almond extract.

1 teaspoonful lemon extract.

Melt sugar in a deep saucepan, stirring all the time, until it is a nice brown color, or 290° F., then add vinegar and Ryzon and boil until 300° F. by candy thermometer, or until brittle when tested in cold water.

Put raisins and almonds into a well-buttered tin. Add extracts to boiled syrup and pour at once over the fruit and nuts. Allow to cool and cut into squares or strips.

Sufficient for ten strips.

RYZON KISS-ME-QUICKS

4 tablespoonfuls honey.

2 level cupfuls (1 pound) sugar.

8 tablespoonfuls water.

½ level teaspoonful Ryzon.

1 pinch salt.

1 level cupful (¼ pound) chopped English walnut meats.

1 teaspoonful rose extract.

1 teaspoonful orange extract.

Put into a saucepan, honey, sugar, water and Ryzon and stir over the fire with a wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Let it boil quickly, stirring gently all the time, until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or 240° F. by candy thermometer.

Take pan from fire, stir in salt, nuts, and extracts and beat until creamy. Pour into a buttered tin, let cool, and cut into neat squares.

Sufficient for forty squares.