2 or 3 dozen tart, juicy apples, pared, cored and sliced.

A little cold water.

¾ pound of sugar to every pint of juice.

Juice of 2 lemons.

Stew the apples until tender, in just enough cold water to cover them. Drain off the juice through a cullender, and put into a porcelain or enamel kettle; stirring into it three-quarters of a pound of sugar for every pint of the liquid. Boil until it begins to jelly; strain the lemon-juice into it; put in the apples and stew pretty fast, stirring almost constantly, until the compote is thick and smooth. (If the apples are not soft all through, you had better rub them through the cullender before adding them to the boiling syrup.)

Put up the marmalade in small jars or cups, and paste paper covers over them as you would jelly, having first fitted a round of tissue-paper, dipped in brandy, upon the surface of the marmalade. Keep cool and dry.

The simple precaution of covering jellies, jams, and marmalade with brandied tissue-paper, will save the housekeeper much annoyance and inconvenience by protecting the conserve from mould. Should the fungus form inside the upper cover, the inner will effectually shield the precious sweet. I have seen the space left by the shrinking of the cooled jelly between it and the metallic, or paper cover of the glass, or jar, completely filled with blue-gray mould—a miniature forest that might appear well under the microscope, but was hideous to housewifely eyes. Yet, when the tissue-paper was carefully removed, the jelly was seen to be bright, firm, and unharmed in flavor as in appearance.

Pear and Quince Marmalade. Maltese cross

2 dozen juicy pears.

10 fine, ripe quinces.

Juice of 3 lemons.

¾ pound of sugar to every pound of fruit after it is ready for cooking.

A little cold water.

Pare and core the fruit, and throw it into cold water while you stew parings and cores in a little water to make the syrup. When they have boiled to pieces strain off the liquid; when cold, put in the sliced fruit and bring to a fast boil. It should be thick and smooth before the sugar and lemon-juice go in. Cook steadily an hour longer, working with a wooden spoon to a rich jelly. When done, put into small jars while warm, but do not cover until cold.

Orange Marmalade. Maltese cross

18 sweet, ripe oranges.

6 pounds best white sugar.

Grate the peel from four oranges, and reserve it for the marmalade. The rinds of the rest will not be needed. Pare the fruit carefully, removing the inner white skin as well as the yellow. Slice the orange; remove the seeds; put the fruit and grated peel in a porcelain or enamel saucepan (if the latter, those made by Lalange and Grosjean are the best), and boil steadily until the pulp is reduced to a smooth mass. Take from the fire and rub quickly through a clean, bright cullender, as the color is easily injured. Stir in the sugar, return to the fire, and boil fast, stirring constantly half an hour, or until thick. Put while warm into small jars, but do not cover until cold.

This is a handsome and delicious sweetmeat.

Dundee Orange Marmalade.

12 fine, ripe oranges.

4 pounds white sugar—the best.

3 lemons—all the juice, and the rind of one lemon.

Cut the peel of four oranges into small dice, and the rind of one lemon. Stew them in clear water until tender. Slice and seed the oranges; put them into a preserving-kettle with the juice of the lemons and cook until all are boiled down to a smooth pulp. Rub this through a cullender; return to the saucepan with the sugar, and keep at a fast boil until quite thick. Stir in the “dice” from which the water has been drained; boil two minutes longer and pour into small jars. Cover with brandied tissue-paper when quite cold, pressed close to the surface of the marmalade, then, with metal or stout paper tops.

All marmalade should be stirred constantly after the sugar goes in.

Use loaf, or granulated sugar for making marmalade—not powdered. The crystals are said to make it more sparkling.

Candied Cherries.

2 quarts large, ripe, red cherries, stoned carefully.

2 lbs. loaf sugar.

1 cup water.

Make a syrup of the sugar and water and boil until it is thick enough to “pull,” as for candy. Remove to the side of the range, and stir until it shows signs of granulation. It is well to stir frequently while it is cooking, to secure this end. When there are grains, or crystals on the spoon, drop in the cherries, a few at a time. Let each supply lie in the boiling syrup two minutes, when remove to a sieve set over a dish. Shake gently but long, then turn the cherries out upon a cool, broad dish, and dry in a sunny window.

GlacÉ Cherries.

Make as above, but do not let the syrup granulate. It should not be stirred at all, but when it “ropes,” pour it over the cherries, which should be spread out upon a large, flat dish. When the syrup is almost cold, take these out, one by one, with a teaspoon, and spread upon a dish to dry in the open air.

If nicely managed, these are nearly as good as those put up by professional confectioners. Keep in a dry, cool place.

Candied Lemon-Peel.

12 fresh, thick-skinned lemons.

4 lbs. loaf sugar.

A little powdered alum.

3 cups clear water.

Cut the peel from the lemons in long, thin strips, and lay in strong salt and water all night. Wash them in three waters next morning, and boil them until tender in soft water. They should be almost translucent, but not so soft as to break. Dissolve a little alum—about half a teaspoonful, when powdered—in enough cold water to cover the peel, and let it lie in it for two hours. By this time the syrup should be ready. Stir the sugar into three cups of water, add the strained juice of three lemons and boil it until it “ropes” from the end of the spoon. Put the lemon-peels into this, simmer gently half an hour; take them out and spread upon a sieve. Shake, not hard, but often, tossing up the peels now and then, until they are almost dry. Sift granulated sugar over them and lay out upon a table spread with a clean cloth. Admit the air freely, and, when perfectly dry, pack in a glass jar.

Maple Syrup. Maltese cross

6 lbs. maple sugar—pure.

6 large coffee-cups of water.

Break the sugar to pieces with a stone or hammer; cover with the water—cold—and let it stand until it is nearly, or quite melted. Put over the fire and bring to a gentle boil, leaving the kettle uncovered. Boil, without stirring, until it is a pretty thick syrup.

If possible, buy maple sugar direct from the “sugar camps,” or their vicinity, and in large blocks. The pretty scolloped cakes offered by peanut venders at treble the price of the genuine article, are largely adulterated with other substances.

Cranberries.

Instead of expending my own time in covering a couple of sheets of paper with receipts touching this invaluable berry, I would direct the reader’s attention to the very admirable and comprehensive circular issued by Messrs. C. G. and E. W. Crane, as an accompaniment to their “First Premium Star Brand Cranberries,” raised in Ocean County, New Jersey. I have never seen finer, or tasted more delicious berries than those sent out with their stamp upon the crates, and I consider that I am doing my fellow-housekeepers a substantial service by this unqualified commendation of the same. The berries are larger, firmer and of richer flavor than those one is accustomed to see in the markets (and to buy, knowing no better), and certainly delivered in a more sightly and wholesome condition.

The receipts go with them, and are clear, safe, and excellent.

The plantations on which the “Star Berries” are grown are in Cassville, Ocean County, New Jersey.

Peanut Candy. (Very nice.)

1 scant pint of molasses.

4 quarts of peanuts, measured before they are shelled.

2 table-spoonfuls of vanilla.

1 teaspoonful of soda.

Boil the molasses until it hardens in cold water, when dropped from the spoon. Stir in the vanilla—then the soda, dry. Lastly, the shelled peanuts. Turn out into shallow pans well buttered, and press it down smooth with a wooden spoon.

I can heartily recommend the candy made according to this receipt as being unrivalled of its kind.

The molasses should be good in quality, and the peanuts freshly roasted.

Dotty Dimple’s Vinegar Candy. Maltese cross

3 cups white sugar.

1½ cups clear vinegar.

Stir the sugar into the vinegar until thoroughly dissolved; heat to a gentle boil and stew, uncovered, until it ropes from the tip of the spoon. Turn out upon broad dishes, well buttered, and cool. So soon as you are able to handle it without burning your fingers, begin to pull it, using only the tips of your fingers. It can be “pulled” beautifully white and porous.

Those who have read Sophie May’s delightful “Little Prudy,” and “Dotty Dimple” series, will remember the famous “vinegar candy.”

Lemon-Cream Candy. Maltese cross

6 pounds best white sugar.

Strained juice of 2 lemons.

Grated peel of 1 lemon.

1 teaspoonful of soda.

3 cups clear water.

Steep the grated peel of the lemon in the juice for an hour; strain, squeezing the cloth hard to get out all the strength. Pour the water over the sugar, and, when nearly dissolved, set it over the fire and bring to a boil. Stew steadily until it hardens in cold water; stir in the lemon; boil one minute; add the dry soda, stirring in well; and, instantly, turn out upon broad, shallow dishes. Pull, as soon as you can handle it, into long white ropes, and cut into lengths when brittle.

Vanilla cream candy is made in the same way, with the substitution of vanilla flavoring for the lemon-juice and peel.

These home-made candies furnish pleasant diversions for the children on winter evening and rainy days, and are far more wholesome than those sold in the shops.

Chocolate Caramels.

1 cup rich, sweet cream.

1 cup brown sugar.

1 cup white sugar.

7 table-spoonfuls vanilla chocolate.

1 table-spoonful corn-starch, stirred into the cream.

1 table-spoonful of butter.

Vanilla flavoring.

Soda, the size of a pea, stirred into cream.

Boil all the ingredients except the chocolate and vanilla extract, half an hour, stirring to prevent burning. Reserve half of the cream and wet up the chocolate in it, adding a very little water if necessary. Draw the saucepan to the side of the range, and stir this in well; put back on the fire and boil ten minutes longer, quite fast, stirring constantly. When it makes a hard glossy coat on the spoon, it is done. Add the vanilla after taking it from the range. Turn into shallow dishes well buttered. When cold enough to retain the impression of the knife, cut into squares.

Marbled Cream Candy. (Good.)

4 cups white sugar.

1 cup rich sweet cream.

1 cup water.

1 table-spoonful of butter.

1 table-spoonful vinegar.

Bit of soda the size of a pea, stirred in cream.

Vanilla extract.

3 table-spoonfuls of chocolate—grated.

Boil all the ingredients except half the cream, the chocolate and vanilla, together very fast until it is a thick, ropy syrup. Heat in a separate saucepan the reserved cream, into which you must have rubbed the grated chocolate. Let it stew until quite thick, and when the candy is done, add a cupful of it to this, stirring in well.

Turn the uncolored syrup out upon broad dishes, and pour upon it, here and there, great spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture. Pull as soon as you can handle it with comfort, and with the tips of your fingers only. If deftly manipulated, it will be streaked with white and brown.

Chocolate Cream Drops.

1 cake vanilla chocolate.

3 cups of powdered sugar.

1 cup soft water.

2 table-spoonfuls corn-starch or arrowroot.

1 table-spoonful butter.

2 teaspoonfuls vanilla.

Wash from the butter every grain of salt. Stir the sugar and water together; mix in the corn-starch, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to induce granulation. Boil about ten minutes, when add the butter. Take from the fire and beat as you would eggs, until it begins to look like granulated cream. Put in the vanilla; butter your hands well, make the cream into balls about the size of a large marble, and lay upon a greased dish.

Meanwhile, the chocolate should have been melted by putting it (grated fine) into a tin pail or saucepan and plunging it into another of boiling water. When it is a black syrup, add about two table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar to it, beat smooth, turn out upon a hot dish, and roll the cream-balls in it until sufficiently coated. Lay upon a cold dish to dry, taking care that they do not touch one another.

Sugar Candy. Maltese cross

6 cups of white sugar.

½ cup of butter.

2 table-spoonfuls of vinegar.

½ teaspoonful of soda.

1 cup cold water.

Vanilla flavoring.

Pour water and vinegar upon the sugar, and let them stand, without stirring, until the sugar is melted. Set over the fire and boil fast until it “ropes.” Put in the butter; boil hard two minutes longer, add the dry soda, stir it in and take at once from the fire. Flavor when it ceases to effervesce.

Turn out upon greased dishes, and pull with the tips of your fingers until white.