Have all of these articles conveniently at hand: Place the table in a position where the air will strike it on all sides from a door or window. Be sure that it is level and that you can pass around it. Arrange the kettle in the most convenient manner, so that when you lift it off the stove you will not have to turn it about or jar it unnecessarily, as this is sufficient to spoil the syrup.

BON-BON CREAM.

• 5 pounds Granulated Sugar.
• 6 drops Acetic Acid.
• 1½ pints cold Water.

Put the sugar and water into the kettle and place it over a HOT FIRE (it must boil quickly and not be allowed to simmer), and stir constantly until it commences to boil. It is not necessary to stir quickly, but the sugar must not be allowed to settle. USE THE WOODEN PADDLE or spoon to stir with, and splash the syrup against the sides of the kettle to wash down the granulations. Just before the syrup begins to boil, wipe down the sides of the kettle with a damp cloth and BE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO GRANULATIONS ON THE SIDES OF THE KETTLE, because, unless they are removed they would make the fondant gritty. NEVER STIR THE SYRUP AFTER IT BEGINS TO BOIL. NEVER JAR OR MOVE THE KETTLE WHILE THE SYRUP IS COOKING.

When the syrup begins to boil, add the acetic acid. Drop it on a spoon because you might not drop it accurately. TOO MUCH ACID would spoil the candy. Put the lid on the kettle and let it steam for several minutes. This is done so that the steam will wash down the sides of the kettle and remove some remaining grains of sugar that might be sticking to the sides. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF THESE GRAINS SHOULD BE REMOVED. Do not remove the lid until the steam is coming out freely around the edges, because it does not matter if the lid is left on a little longer than three minutes. Remove the lid and put in the thermometer, so that the bulb is covered with the syrup. The thermometer may be read easier if it is fastened to the kettle by the hook on the back of the case. If a black scum appears on the surface do not disturb it until it gathers into a bunch, then carefully remove it by using a spoon and do not disturb the syrup.

While the syrup is cooking, prepare the slab by washing it with a damp cloth. Do not dry it and NEVER GREASE THE SLAB WHEN MAKING FONDANT. Place the bars in position. If you use a platter instead of a slab, it must be ice cold.

When the thermometer registers 240 (remember to make the correct allowance if your thermometer does not register 212 in boiling water), remove it quickly. See that your way is clear, lift the kettle off the stove and carry it to the slab, taking great care not to shake the syrup. Pour the syrup on the slab, beginning in the center at one end of the slab, pouring down toward the corner and while doing this, keep the kettle as close to the slab as you can, and at the end, quickly tip up the kettle so that it will not drip. NEVER ALLOW THE LAST OF THE SYRUP TO DRIP OUT OVER WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY POURED ON THE SLAB. NEVER SCRAPE OUT THE KETTLE, because these drops and scrapings will granulate, and when the syrup is cold there will be sugared spots on top. If this should occur, they must be removed before the syrup is worked, because they would make the fondant gritty. NEVER MOVE THE TABLE OR PLATTER WHILE THE SYRUP IS COOLING AS THIS WOULD RUIN THE CANDY. Allow the syrup to remain on the slab until cold. Test it by using the back of the hand, as it is more sensitive than the palm. WHEN THE SYRUP IS COLD IT IS READY TO BE WORKED. Then it should be as smooth as glass.

WORKING THE FONDANT.

Remove the bars by running a corner of the scraper between them and the syrup.

With the scraper or wooden paddle commence by scooping or turning the syrup toward the center so as to get it into a mass in the center of the slab, as shown in Fig. 1. Continue turning it over and over; always work from the edge and keep the scraper in the position of Fig. 1. The mass will move from one end of the slab to the other, but by always working around the edge, you will be able to keep the syrup in a mass and prevent it from spreading over the slab. Each time that you turn up the syrup, scrape the slab clean and turn the scraper up and over the mass as shown in Fig. 2. This movement removes the syrup from the scraper and when it works up to the handle, clean the scraper with a knife. Sugar will soon appear on the under side of the scraper, but this is only an indication that the syrup is reaching the creamy stage, when it will become much thinner and easier to work; also it will require more rapid working to prevent it from running off the slab. (Fig. 3.)

When this stage is reached, work rapidly and in a short time it will become harder and finally become a hard ball when it is finished (Fig. 4). Scrape off any remaining particles on the slab; clean the scraper, and put this sugar on the batch. Wring out a heavy cotton cloth out of COLD WATER (such as a piece of toweling), so that it is damp, and place this cloth over the fondant on the slab; tuck it in on all sides, allowing it to remain for a half hour. This sweats or seasons it and mellows the fondant. Remove the cloth and your efforts will be rewarded by a mass of snow-white fondant, smooth as velvet. Cut it into chunks and put them into a crock or stone jar. Wet the cloth, (wring it out well), and lay it over the top of the crock. It must not touch the fondant, because the cloth will draw the syrup and absorb the moisture of the fondant. In three days it will be ready for use.

The fondant may be kept six months in a dry, cool place. Keep the cloth moist. You may have the delicious bon-bons at any time, as the fondant is always ready for immediate use.

If, after you have poured the syrup on the slab, you find that some scum has poured out with it, remove it just before you begin to work the syrup, because it will then be cold and there will be no danger of spoiling it.

If, when you begin to work the syrup and you find there are granulations on the bottom of the slab, or through the syrup, it indicates that you disturbed the syrup while cooking, jarred it too much when pouring it out, cooked it too high or did not cool it rapidly. If this should occur, work the syrup according to the above instructions and the sugar may be used for cooking purposes or for any kind of candy EXCEPT FONDANT.

You never beat the fondant, but it may be kneaded before putting it into the crock, if you wish to make it finer grained.

When the fondant is kept for any length of time, a crust forms on top, if the cloth becomes dry, which may be melted with the rest of the fondant. It is not spoiled. The contact of the air is the cause of this crust forming. Moisten the cloth and the crust will soften in a short while.

IMPORTANT: Never begin to work the syrup until it is cold. This is one of the secrets of perfect bon-bon cream.

Before you pour the syrup on the slab, wet your hand a little in cold water and moisten the slab, but do not get it too wet.

If any of the syrup should run out, hold something at the place where it is running out underneath the bars (for a minute or two) until the syrup hardens a little and it will stop running out. NEVER PUT THE SYRUP THAT HAS RUN OUT IN THE BATCH ON THE SLAB, BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE THE WHOLE BATCH GRAINY.

Always use the same side of the slab for fondant, and this side must never be greased.

Bon-bon cream should always be covered, so that it does not dry out.

It should not be used the same day that it is made.

Don’t allow the batch to get too cold, as that takes all the life out of the sugar.

The crock may be covered with wax paper and a lid.

Do not make a batch larger than what you can cool quickly on your slab, because it will take too long to cool properly. Sugar that is cooled slowly loses its strength and after it is melted, it will not keep a good string, and also will be dull looking within a few days.

If the fondant in the crock becomes hard from neglecting to keep the cloth damp with which it is covered, wet the cloth, squeeze it slightly and place it over the crock. The moisture will be taken up by the fondant, which will be as good as before the moisture was evaporated.

If you should be so unfortunate as to spoil a batch of fondant, you can use the sugar for most any kind of candy, except fondant or orientals, by simply using the grained fondant in place of sugar.

MAPLE FONDANT.

• 2 pounds Maple Sugar.
• 1 pound Granulated Sugar.
• 1 pint Water.

If you cannot procure the maple sugar, use the following recipe:

• 4 pounds Maple Syrup.
• 1 pound Granulated Sugar.
• ½ pint Water.

Maple fondant is made in the same manner as bon-bon cream. There is no acid used with the maple fondant.

It is more sticky than the white fondant, but is delicious.

COFFEE FONDANT.

• 1 pound Sugar.
• 2 drops Acetic Acid.
• 1 cup strong Coffee.

Follow the directions given for bon-bon cream.

FILLINGS FOR BON-BONS.

You may use fillings of any kind you are particularly fond of, but we will mention a few, so as to give you an idea of the different kinds, and will tell you how to use them later on. One of the finest fillings is composed of candied cherries and candied citron ground up together, or chopped very fine. If you should have a food grinder in the house, use that for this purpose; but if you have none, a chopping knife and bowl will answer the purpose. About two parts cherries and one part citron makes a fine combination, but you may use any proportion you wish. A small amount of candied orange peel ground with them, gives a peculiar flavor, which is liked by many Any kind of candied fruit, such as pears, plums, limes, or pineapple, ground very fine, make a nice filling. Figs, after removing the hard part around the stem, then ground up alone or with a little orange peel added to them, make a very fine filling. In fact, most any fruit of this order, such as raisins or dates, will do, but they are not so nice as the French candied fruits. It is best to prepare quite an amount of these different fillings while you are at it, as they will keep indefinitely without drying out, if put in a small jar of some kind with a tight cover on it. By doing this you will save a great deal of time and trouble, as your fillings are always prepared for you, and any time you wish to make a few bon-bons it will not be necessary to stop and grind your fillings.

Almond paste, which may be purchased at any bakery where they make macaroons, makes a very fine filling. It is all prepared when you buy it, and is to be worked in with the bon-bon cream the same as the chopped fruit. It is not expensive, and will also keep for a long time in a closed jar.

Ground pecans, English walnuts, hickory nuts, and Brazil nuts (sometimes called nigger toes), are about the best nuts to use for centers. It is also best to grind as many of these at a time as possible, as they will not spoil in cold weather. Fresh grated cocoanut may also be used, by working it in your bon-bon cream, for centers of cocoanut bon-bons; but we will tell you a much nicer way to make a cocoanut filling later on. Any bon-bon with the ground fruit center in it will keep fresh much longer than one in which you use only nuts. You will find that, if you put enough ground fruit in the centers, after your bon-bons are a week or ten days old, they are very soft and sticky inside, which is caused by the fruit sweating, and are delicious. Some people will wonder how you were ever able to get a center so soft.