CAKE CONFECTIONERY AND LITTLE SWEETS Delicious bonbons may be made with cake and fondant, and then there are many little sweets that are so closely allied to candies that they may well be included in a book on candy-making. To make these confections one needs to have fancy little cake cutters of all kinds, such as heart, star, round, diamond, leaf, bird and animal shapes. If these are not readily obtained a tinsmith will make them for you if you tell him just what you desire. You will also need a pastry bag with a finely pointed tube, and tiny gem pans. Bonbon CakesThe cakes that are best for making bonbons are the sponge cake, pound cake and angel food cake: these should be at least twenty-four hours old, and then can be cut up into any shape desired These little cake bonbons can be made with delicious fillings. Cut a sheet of angel food cake, which should be about an inch thick, into tiny hearts. With a small round cutter remove the center of each, leaving the bottom one-fourth inch thick. Fill this little hollow with candied pineapple or any candied fruit mixed with a little fondant, or with chopped nuts worked into a little fondant. Then dip in red or pink fondant; these are nice for St. Valentine's day or for bridal occasions. Take some sponge cake and cut into slices about an inch thick, cut out with a small Little rose confections can be made by dipping small round cakes in rose colored fondant, and laying on top of each a few candied rose petals, arranged to look like a rose. Violet confections can be made by cutting small round cakes out of angel food cake, dipping them in violet fondant and decorating the top with candied violets. Cut tiny stars out of a thin sheet of angel food cake or pound cake, dip in white fondant, and cover the tops over with the tiny silver or gold coated confectionery that one can obtain at the confectionery shops, and you will have silver and gold stars, which will be nice for Christmas. Cut some sponge cake or pound cake into little squares, dip into melted maple fondant, and decorate the Little heart shaped cakes dipped in pink or white fondant and then decorated in the center with little hearts cut out of candied cherries are nice. Squares or rounds of angel food cake dipped in fondant, and pressed with some sort of die, say a wish-bone, horseshoe, swastika or flower, then the impression made filled in with a different colored fondant carefully piped in with the pastry bag, are unique. Cut out some of the cake with a leaf-shaped cutter. Dip into a leaf-green fondant flavored with pistachio, and you will have pretty cakes. The leaf can be veined with chocolate put on with the pastry bag and pipe. Cut out some sponge cake in shape of dominoes, Slice some sponge cake a fourth of an inch thick, and cut out with a cutter in small rounds. On one-half of these cakes spread jelly of different kinds, such as peach, currant, and raspberry. Put the unspread cakes on these, and cover with fondant. In flavoring the fondant use what combines with the jelly used—almond flavoring with the peach jelly, chocolate with currant and so on. Use differently colored fondants and they will look very pretty. Spice NutsTake two eggs, one cupful of granulated sugar, one-fourth cupful of almond meats, one-fourth cupful of citron, one-half teaspoonful each of cinnamon, allspice and cloves, one cupful of flour, and one teaspoonful of baking-powder. Cut the nuts and citron up very fine. Sift the flour and baking-powder together and mix with the nuts, fruit and spices. Beat up the eggs and sugar until light and thick, then gradually add the flour Chocolate NutsTake one cupful of flour and add to it one tablespoonful of baking-powder. Sift into a bowl and add one cupful of sugar. Mix well together. Melt one-half cupful of grated chocolate in a tablespoonful of hot water, add two teaspoonfuls of vanilla and half a teaspoonful of soda. Beat up two eggs, add the chocolate and one-fourth cupful of melted butter. Work into the flour and sugar mixture. The dough must be stiff enough to form into balls the size of a hickory-nut. Drop on greased tins an inch apart. When cool dip in chocolate fondant. Walnut WafersCream one cupful of butter with one and one-half Peanut JumblesTake two tablespoonfuls of butter, one cupful of sugar, one egg, half a teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one tablespoonful of milk, and flour enough to make a soft dough. Roll thin and cut with a jumble cutter, brush over with beaten egg and cover lightly with chopped peanuts. Bake separately the small rounds cut from the center. Cocoanut JumblesBeat half a cupful of butter and half a cupful of sugar to a cream, flavor with a teaspoonful of Fruit RocksCream one cup of sugar with two-thirds cup of butter, add one and a half cupfuls of flour, two eggs, one cupful of English walnut meats, one cupful of chopped raisins, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and one-half teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water. Drop by teaspoonfuls on buttered tins an inch or more apart. Press one-half of an English walnut meat or a raisin in the center of each, and bake until a nice brown. Raisin SpiralsTake one cup of sugar, one-half cupful of butter and yolks of two eggs, and beat to a cream. Add one cupful of sour milk and one cupful of chopped raisins; one-half teaspoonful each of cinnamon and nutmeg. Dissolve one teaspoonful of soda in a little of the milk. Just before putting in the flour add the beaten whites of two eggs. Make a very stiff dough and cut into thin strips about five inches long. Roll around the finger and fry in butter a delicate brown. Fruit BarsMix together one cupful of butter and one cupful of brown sugar until creamy, add two well-beaten eggs, one-half cupful of sour milk and scant teaspoonful of soda if the milk is thoroughly sour, if not use only half a teaspoonful. Beat up together, then add enough flour to make a dough that will roll nicely but be careful not to get it too stiff. Flour the board well, then roll out thin and cut with a narrow oblong cutter. Put through a food chopper one pound of stoned dates and Maple DropsTo a half cupful of maple syrup add one teaspoonful of melted butter, one well-beaten egg and one cup of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder. Add a pinch of salt. Beat and drop by spoonfuls or half-spoonfuls on buttered tin, and bake in a quick oven. Cover with maple fondant. Ginger ChipsStir together a cupful of butter and one cupful of brown sugar. Add one tablespoonful of ginger and one teaspoonful each of cloves and cinnamon. Mix in two cupfuls of good baking molasses and the grated peel of a large lemon. Add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little hot water. Ginger WafersStir one-fourth cupful of butter and one-half cupful of sugar to a cream, add two eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately. Add a half cupful of flour or just enough to make a thin batter, mix well, then add one tablespoonful of ginger, and the grated peel of a lemon. Drop by spoonfuls on buttered tins, far enough apart not to run together. Bake in a moderate oven, and when half done roll up into little cylinders, and return to the oven and crisp until brown. Marshmallow CakesBlanch and dry gently in the open oven sufficient hickory-nut meats to fill three-fourths of a cup. Cool and chop very finely. Beat three eggs, yolks and whites together, until light. Add Ginger NutsTake one pint of baking molasses and add one-half cupful of melted butter, one cupful of brown sugar and one tablespoonful of powdered ginger. Stir these ingredients well together, and while mixing add two tablespoonfuls of candied lemon or orange peel, one tablespoonful of candied angelica cut into small dice, and a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water. Having mixed all thoroughly together break in one egg and work in as much flour to form a paste just stiff enough to handle. Form into balls, and press a raisin or blanched almond in the top of German Ginger BallsBeat up four eggs until very light and foamy; then add gradually a half pound of light brown sugar, a teaspoonful of ginger, and one-half teaspoonful of allspice or cinnamon, the juice of one lemon and three-fourths cupful of pastry flour. Form with floured hands into small balls, placing in the center of each a tiny piece of preserved ginger, or candied ginger. Place in a greased baking-pan far enough apart not to touch when baked. Bake in a quick oven. Cinnamon CrispsBeat one-third cup of butter and two-thirds cup of sugar until light and creamy, then add one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, one and one-half cups of flour and one teaspoonful of baking-powder together. Mix to a dough with one-third cup of milk, using only enough to make the dough so that it will roll out easily. Roll very thin, and Chocolate SticksCream together one cupful of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, the yolk of one egg and one-half cup of milk. Melt one and one-half squares of chocolate, add to the mixture, then add one cupful of flour, add one-half cupful more of milk, and one-fourth cupful of flour into which has been sifted one teaspoonful baking-powder and one-fourth teaspoonful of soda. Bake in a sheet that will be about three-fourths of an inch thick when baked. Cut into strips about one inch wide and three or four inches long. When cool dip into pink fondant, then into melted chocolate. Decorate the top of each strip with a half of a pecan or hickory-nut meat. Orange CakesCream together one-half cupful of butter, one cup of sugar, add the yolks of five eggs beaten thick, one-half cupful of milk, one and three-fourths Cocoanut DropsSift together one and one-half cupfuls of flour and a rounding teaspoonful of baking-powder. Beat up one egg until light, then beat into it one-half cupful of sugar, add a half cupful of grated cocoanut and a teaspoonful of grated lemon rind, then alternately the flour and half a cupful of rich cream. Drop in little pats on greased pans which have been dusted with flour. Have the cakes far enough apart so that the batter will not run together. Sprinkle a little grated cocoanut over the top of each cake and bake in a moderate oven. Almond CakesMix together one-fourth cupful of butter and a cupful of sugar to a cream, add the beaten yolks Peanut WafersBeat together one-half cupful of nice white lard mixed with butter (half and half of each) and one cupful of sugar, add one cupful of ground peanuts, and one and one-half cupfuls of flour mixed together with one teaspoonful of baking-powder, and one-third teaspoonful of salt. Add one-half cupful of milk or water, or just enough to make a dough that will roll thinly. It is best to mix the flour and milk in alternately. Cut into small rounds and place a half peanut meat on top of each cake. German WafersWarm one-third cupful of butter, and stir in five eggs, one at a time. Mix in one quart of Japanese WafersBeat up the whites of two eggs until stiff, then add two tablespoonfuls of rice flour and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. Work in one tablespoonful of softened butter. Pour into a pan lined with paraffine or oiled paper, making it as thin as possible. Bake in a moderate oven and roll around a round stick, after cutting them in four inch squares. English WafersStir together one cupful of butter with one-half cupful of sugar, add four eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, one-half cupful of currants, and one-fourth teaspoonful of cinnamon. Add two tablespoonfuls of strong rose water and three-fourths cup of flour, roll very thin and bake on buttered Delicious Tea CookiesCream together one-half cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar, add four eggs, one cupful of chopped nut meats, one cupful of chopped raisins, a teaspoonful of soda stirred in one cupful of good New Orleans molasses, and one-half teaspoonful each of cinnamon and allspice. Add enough flour to make a dough that will roll out thin. Mix all the ingredients well together. Bake in a hot oven and ice or not as liked. Raisin CookiesCream together one cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar, add two eggs well beaten; then add one teaspoonful of soda and two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar dissolved in a little lukewarm water. Now stir in three cupfuls of flour, one cupful of chopped raisins, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, and one-fourth teaspoonful of nutmeg. Love DiamondsCream together one cupful of sugar and one-fourth cupful of butter, then add one-half cupful of sweet milk. Sift with one cupful of flour one teaspoonful of baking-powder and add half of it. Stir in two whites of eggs beaten stiff, and then the remainder of the flour and a teaspoonful of vanilla. Pour into a square pan and bake. When cool cut into diamonds. Mix into a cupful of melted chocolate fondant a half cupful of cocoanut, and spread the diamonds with this, or spread with a pink fondant flavored with rose, and sprinkled over with grated cocoanut. Marmalade DiamondsCream together one-half cupful of butter and one cupful of granulated sugar; then add the beaten yolks of three eggs, one-half cupful of Lemon CakesCream together one cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar, add two eggs, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of sweet milk, and the grated rind and juice of one lemon. Add enough flour to knead into a stiff dough, roll thin, cut into stars, rounds or squares. Bake in a quick oven. Ice with lemon flavored fondant or icing. Maple Nut WafersCream together one cupful of maple sugar and one-half cupful of butter, add two eggs, the whites Vanilla WafersCream together one-third cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar, add one egg, and one-fourth cup of sweet milk. Sift together one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of baking-powder, with two and one-fourth cupfuls of flour. Beat up, add a tablespoonful of vanilla. Pour into pan, spreading thinly over it. Bake in a moderate oven. Chocolate DiamondsCream together one-half cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar. Sift into three cupfuls of pastry flour two tablespoonfuls of baking-powder, Coriander CakesCream together one cupful of sugar and four eggs until thick and white, then add one and a half cupfuls of flour into which has been sifted one teaspoonful of baking-powder; then add two tablespoonfuls of coriander seed and one teaspoonful of lemon extract. This should be a rather thick sponge. Drop by spoonfuls on buttered Peach Blossom CakesCream together one cupful of sugar and one-half cupful of butter, then add one-half cupful of sweet milk. Sift into one cupful and a half of flour two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and stir in half of this, then add the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs and then the remainder of the flour and one-half teaspoonful of corn-starch. Pour into two square pans and bake in a rather quick oven. When cool cut in small squares and ice with pink fondant flavored with peach or rose extract or ice with white fondant and sprinkle with pink pulverized sugar. Wild Rose CakesCream together one-half cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar, then add one-half cupful of sweet milk. Sift with one teaspoonful of baking-powder into one cupful of flour, add part of the flour, then the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs, Cream Nut PuffsTake one-half cupful of butter, one and one-half cupfuls of flour, eight eggs and two cupfuls of hot water. Melt the butter in the water, set over the fire and bring to a gentle boil. Then put in the flour and boil until it leaves the sides of the saucepan, never ceasing to stir. One minute is enough. Turn into a bowl to cool. Beat the eggs in one at a time, beating one minute after each egg is put in, and then when all are in beat for two or three minutes. Set on ice for an hour, then drop in spoonfuls on buttered paper, being careful to get them far enough apart so that they will not touch each other. Bake for about fifteen Spice FingersBeat five eggs and two cupfuls of light brown sugar until light, then stir in one teaspoonful of cinnamon and one-half teaspoonful each of cloves, allspice and nutmeg, also one-fourth cupful of almonds pounded into a paste and two ounces of citron cut fine; then add one-half cupful of molasses, and lastly the flour into which three level teaspoonfuls of baking-powder have been sifted. Use enough flour to make it stiff enough to roll thin. Cut into long strips about the length of a Caraway CookiesCream together one cupful of sugar, one-half cupful of butter till light, then add one-fourth cup of water, and two eggs well beaten. Sift with three cupfuls of flour two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, and add gradually, and then stir in a tablespoonful of caraway seeds. Mix the ingredients well together, roll thin and cut out in fancy shapes or in rounds. Bake in the oven until a delicate brown. Daisy CakesCream together one-fourth cup of butter and two-thirds cupful of sugar, add one egg, one-half cupful of cold water or sweet milk, and the grated rind of one orange. Sift a teaspoonful of baking-powder with one cupful of flour and stir in. Vanilla Sugar CakesCream together one cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar, add two well-beaten eggs, and three teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract. Sift with three cupfuls of flour three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. Roll out thin, sprinkle with sugar and press in with the rolling pin. Cut into rounds or squares and bake them a delicate brown on greased tins. Chocolate Ginger DropsPlace in a bowl one cupful of molasses, half a cupful of sour cream, one tablespoonful (level) of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon and mix well together, then stir in one-fourth cupful of melted butter. Dissolve a teaspoonful of soda in a little Cocoanut Fruit DropsCream together one cup of sugar and one-half cup of butter, then add one egg and one cup of milk. Mix one cupful of raisins in one-half cupful of flour and add to the other ingredients with one and one-half cupfuls of flour into which has been sifted two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, then add one-half cupful of grated cocoanut and one teaspoonful of vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls on greased pans and bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes. Can be iced with white fondant and sprinkled over with grated cocoanut. Preserved Fruit DaintiesCream together one-half cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar, then add three well-beaten eggs and one-half cupful of sweet milk. Mix smooth and then add gradually one and a half cupfuls of flour into which has been sifted one teaspoonful of baking-powder. The dough should be as soft as it can be handled easily. Flour the board well and cut out into rounds or squares, and place preserved fruit over the top. Any thick preserved fruit may be used. Bake in a quick oven a nice brown. Jelly JumblesCream together one-half cupful of butter and one cup of sugar, add one well-beaten egg, then one and one-half cupfuls of flour into which have been sifted one teaspoonful of baking-powder and one-fourth teaspoonful of salt. Stir well, then add one-third cup of sweet milk or just enough to form a dough that will roll out. Flour the board and roll very thin. Cut out with a jumble cutter or a doughnut cutter. Spread half of these Chocolate Nut WafersCream together one-half cupful of butter with one cupful of sugar, add two well-beaten eggs, and two squares of grated chocolate melted in one-fourth cupful of hot water. Sift with two-thirds cup of flour one teaspoonful of baking-powder, and a pinch of soda. Pour very thinly over well-greased pans, and sprinkle generously over with chopped nut meats. Bake in a moderate oven, and cut into small squares or diamonds. Lady FingersBeat five eggs up until light, add one-half cupful of powdered sugar and beat up for several minutes; sift in with one cupful of flour one teaspoonful of baking-powder and stir slowly. Place the batter in a pastry bag and run it out through the tube on light brown paper (not Fruit PuffsTake five eggs and beat the whites and yolks separately, stir in gradually one and a half cupfuls of sugar, and one and a half cupfuls of flour into which has been sifted two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. Bake in deep gem pans, filling about half full. Make a fruit filling as follows: Place in a saucepan one-half cupful of finely chopped figs, one-half cupful of dates, one-half cupful of chopped raisins and one-half cupful of water. Let simmer slowly for an hour, then add a teaspoonful of vanilla. Make slits in the sides of Nut TartsPrepare a short pastry crust, adding to the flour one tablespoonful of powdered sugar. Roll out very thin. Dip fancy cutters in flour and cut the pastry, then pierce the half of the cakes with a small circular cutter. Some of the cakes can be made with one hole, some two and some three. Place these on greased pans and bake in the oven a pale brown. After removing make a paste with the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped nut meats, two tablespoonfuls of maple sugar, and a little cream if the paste is too thick to spread nicely. Spread this on the cakes that have been left whole, and then place the cakes with the holes on top. Fill up the depressions or holes with jelly, marmalade or fondant. |