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About Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1956)
THE HOUSEWIFE'S HANDY Edited by Marion Lewry Fischer Planning By MARIAN LOWRY FISCHER Capital Journal Foods Section Editor It's not completely Christmas time unless there are some home made candies and confections a round the house, to go along with She many cookies and fruit cake. Even though there are quantities of wonderful candy to be purchased in these days, many homes still like to make a few of their own sweets-half the enjoyment of hav ing them around being in the mak ing of them. Modern methods and equipment have speeded along the process of making candies and the like, o it is not the task it once was. One of the favorite confections In make is Divinity. This candy dnos not keeD well, so it is made the last day or two before Christ mas and eaten while u is iresn, Divinity cup water cup white coin syrup 2 cups granulated sugar 2 eggs white (at room temperature) & 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ? 1 cup broken nutmeats or shredded coconut Mpacur the water and con syrup into a 2-quart saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add sugar and stir to dissolve well. Cover pan, place over heat and bring to a boil: cook about 3 minutes, or until steam inside the pan has melted all the sugar crystals down from the sides. Remove cover and xnniinns rnnkine without stirring to a hard-ball stage (425 degrees F ) Watch carefully during last rnnkine for the tempera' ture will rise rapidly. While the u rnokintf olace egg whites In a large bowl (you need lots of room for beating) and beat until they are just stiff enough to hold thair shane. When syrup has reached the cooked stage, start pouring it over the egg whites in a fine stream, beating vigorously with a slotted spoon or egg whip. Add the syrup a little more rapidly toward the end-do not scrape the pan. When all the syrup bas ueen aaaea, moncura in the vanilla and nut meats or coconut. Keep up the beating, changing to a heavy spoon if the whip seems too light. Rest between beating if yon are doing It alone. When the candy is thick and creamy and noids us snaps, Amn fmm ii teasnoon onto paper. or spread Into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan and cut Into niecci while still warm. Recipe nhnnt 24 nieces. You'll like these toasted almonds crunch squares, too. Toasted Almond Crunch 1 cup butter or margarine 1 cup sugar Vi teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons warm water 1 tablespoon white corn syrup Vi cup medium-finely chopped, blanched almonds, toasted 1 (1 oz.) cakes semi-sweet chocolate, melted In a heaw m qt. saucepan, over medium high heat, melt butter or margarine. Stir in sugar and salt until mixture has smooth appear ance, then add water and corn syrup, mixing until ingredients are well combined. Cook to hard crack stage (300 deg. F.) about 20 min utes, stirring often to prevent scorching. Remove from heat: stir i u. .,.n nf the toasted almonds. Pour immediately into a liehtly buttered 8-inch square pan. Allow candy to cool about 7 minutes, for easier cutting mm squmn. cr,t nn melted chocolate Sprinkle the remaining v. cup of nut meats over the chocolate. Cool ...mnietplv. Invert pan. press in a1 center; 9-inch square of candy will come out. Break crunch along cut" markings. Wrap pieces in cellophane or wax paper squares. Store in a tightly covered con tainer. Makes about 1 lb. For toasted almonds: Blanch, chop, then "toast" in a very hot oven (450 dee. F in a flat pan for about 7 minutes: stir or shake once during the toasting time. Hard Crack Stage Test: Drop 4 teaspoon of boilir.g syrup into I cup cold vrateT: mass will separate into hard, brittle threads when :ton Time For Holiday Goodies and Meals Here; Suggest ions Varied Homemade fudge is always a favonie. picked up. To marK canay easily: use a silver knife whose tip has been rubbed over butter or margarine first. The brown sugar fudge below a bit different, some wheat germ added. Brown Sugar Fudge (Makes about 3 dozen pieces) 1 pound dark brown sugar 1 cup milk 1 tablespoon corn syrup 2 tablespoons butter 1 teaspoon vanilla V4 cup wheat germ iA cud cocoanut Combine brown sugar, mux, corn syrup. Boil slowly to soft ball stage. Add butter: then cool. Add vannia: beat until it creams and will hold shane when dropped from spoon. Stir in wheat germ and cocoanut; spread in buttered 8 x8 pan. uoi, -iit into smiares. Molasses candy ot some son is holiday favorite. Molasses Peanut Crunch 1 cup unsulphured molasses 1 run sugar 1 tablespoon butter or margarine Vi teaspoon baking soaa 91A pun chnnned Deanuts Combine unsuipnurea moiasses, sugar and Butter in a z-quan sanrenan. Place over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat, until syrup when dropped in very cold water separates into threads which are hard, but not brittle, or until candv thermometer reaches 270 dee. F. Remove from heat, stir in baking soda. Add nuts, iurn mio a greased 8-inch square pan; spread quickly. When candy is Slightly cool, CM imo squares. Wrap in waxed paper. Yield: About Mi pounds. Pnncnrn balls are a must in many homes, the special treat foj the smal flry and their guests. These can be made in any size white, red or green tinted by add ing a drop of vegetable coloring into the corn syrup mixture, anu then ran be made ahead of time because they can be wrapped in cellophane, waxed paper or ton Quick Popcorn Bans y cup salad oil u cup popcorn Vi cup dark corn syrup Vi cup super V4 teaspoon salt Heat salad oil in a -quart cover ed kettle over medium heat for S minutes. Add popcorn. Cover, leav ing small air space at edge oi cover. Shake frequently over med ium heat until popping stops. Mean while mix together corn syrup, sugar and salt. Add to popped corn n kettle and stir constantly over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes or until corn is evenly and completely coat ed with mixture. Remove from heat. Form into balls using as little pressure as possible. Use butter on hands. Makes 6 popcorn balls about Wi Inches in diameter. Do not double recipe. Make each batch separately. DmnA fnnfertinnl Oregon own dried prunes make ideal confections. Steamed prunes, dipped first in melted marshallows and then shredded coconut, are easy to make nnH delicious to eat. Stuffed prunes are a popular con fection, too. Put prunes in a strain er over boiling water, cover closely and steam 15 minutes. Slit each prune down one side and remove pit. Fill with walnuts half, fondant, roasted almonds or filberts, then roll in granulated sugar. And speaking of Oregon pro ducts, walnuts and lilnerts are prized in all holiday candies using them, and the nuts also have their own field. Filbert Fudge to cup coarsely cnoppea urt-ijuu filberts 1 6-oz can evaported milk 2 cups granulaled suzar 1 6-oz packaee chocolate chips 2 cups miniature marshallows 1 tablespoon butter I teat nflbn vanilla CombiM milk and ugar in alem'j Authentic Jcc4 (juide tc fatter i$ing C apit al Adjournal . Salem, Oregon, Thursday, December 13, 1956 9 9 saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 6 minutes, stirring constantly. He move from heat and add chocolate chins, marshallows, filberts, but ter and vanilla, stir only until marshallows and chocolate chips have melted and candy has thick ened. Pour into buttered 8 by 8 inch shallow pan. Chill until firm. Cut into squares. Here is a walnut treat, quickly made, too. Coffee Walnut Penuche Dissolve 1 tablespoon soluble coffee in 1 cup hot water; combine with 3 cups brown sugar in deep saucepan. Cook, stirring constant ly to 236 degrees on candy tner- mometer or to soft ball stage. Re move from heat; add 2 tablespoons butter or margarine. Cool without stirring to lukewarm. Beat until thick and creamy. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and 114 cups chopped wal nuts: mix well. Pour into lightly buttared pans. When cold, cut into squares. Maxes lYi pounds, Other Walnuts Treats Sugared walnuts are a favorite holiday tidbit. Boil 1M cups sugar and Vi cup apricot wnole iruit nectar to soft ball stage. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups wal nuts halves, 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind and 1 teaspoon butter. Stir until syrup loses gloss and becomes dull. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and separate nuts immediately. Cinnamon Sugared Walnuts: Combine 1 cun eranulated sugar. 1 teaspoon cinnamon, dash of salt and 6 tablespoons milk in sauce pan. Cook to soft ball stage (236 degrees). Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 to 3 cups walnuts halves, btir until creamy. Immediately, before it hardens, drop bp spoonfuls on wax f DRESS UP HOLIDAY MENUS WITH... j m: m av . & , s & . v. ? I Vi Wl rf 1'4 te(1M Mng 99g K WW. tnp.r0tu. Soflw ooHn. cold wotet, ( SysA IT ' ' - V & I I 1 melon. KrmCeHtine hnpm tlnead estnet ptoce over hot wok to di.wtve. Stif slowly into egnnoo Add k I.S J -w - . U"r ' I Vi taps presatHetref 1 envelope Knei Ceiatine Vi cepnMnuf it eepwpf at JbiM rata ska ' v. -r-'-rv-v .-.j " ed paper and separate nuts. For giving and nibbling, few flavor treats surpass this one be low. It has brown sugar as a sur prise flavor. Cut into Christmas shapes with tiny cutters (or make your own designs out of paste board and cut around). Sprinkle with colored sugar or decorations suggested for candy. Glamorous and unexpected. Candied Orange Peel Cut the peel from six navel oranges; then cut into small star, tree or bell shapes. Place these designs plus any leftover orange strips in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil and boil S minutes; drain and repeat 3 times to prevent bitterness. Drain water and add 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons corn syrup. Bon gently, stirring con- tantly until syrup is tnicK and almost absorbed by peel. Drain and roll in sugar or in colorful candy decorations. Coconut confections are always a must. Coconut Fruit Balls Vh cups ground seedless raisina - 1 cup ground pitted prunes . 1 tablespoon lemon juice Dash of salt Tender-thin flaked coconut Mix together thoroughly the fruit, lemon juice, and salt. Shape into small balls and roll in coconut. Makes 2 dozen confections. And now for a couple of quickies: Rocky Road Candy Melt over hot (not boiling) water 2 king sized bars of milk, almond or crunch chocolate bars. Spread Vi melted chocolate In lightly greased or waxed paper lined 8 by 9-inch pan. Sprinkle with 2 or 3 cups miniature marsh mallows, spread and press in re maining chocolate over marshal lows. (Chocolate melts to a thick consistendy and has to be spread and pressed through the marsh mallows. Do not stir, as heated chocolate melts marshallows.) FRUIT COCHTAIL 5 Hi V Uwpeea tlneed extract 1 est vtiipptnf enm I No. Vh c VO DESSERTS PUDDINGS c HOLIDAY D RI N Candles make wonderful gifts, too. Groceries Rate as Gifts Groceriea make fine gifts. Cater to gourmet appetites, flatter the recipient because of your aware ness of their special liking for cheese, for fine fruits, or perhaps for fancy fish and shellfish, smoked poultry or other food spe cialties. For the cheese lover an assortment of softer types such as Leiderkranz, Camembert, Lim burger. Roquefort andor Bleu will be remembered long into 1957. For family giving, particularly for families with numerous prog eny, nothing beats an assortment of fresh, dried or candied fruits. Sweet-juicy winter pears, Bosc, Cool, chilling for one hour, and serve. Five-Minute Chocolate Mint Fudge (makes about 2 pounds) .... 2 tablespoons butter cup (small can) undiluted evaporated milk n cups sugar teaspoon salt I'M cups (about 16) diced marshallows Hi tups Utt 6-ounce packages) semi-sweet chocolate chips Vt teaspoon peppermint extract cup chopped nuts Combine butler, evaporated milk, sugar and salt in 2Vfe quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Cook 4 to 5 min utes, stirring constantly. (Start timing when mixture starts to "bubble" around edges of pan.) Remove from heat. Stir in marsh mallows, chocolate chips, pepper mint extract and nuts. Stir vigor ously for 1 minute or until marsh- mallows are completely melted and blended. Pour into 9-inch square buttered pan and allow to cool. Cut into squares. Top each square with a colored mint wafer It you want to make the fudge extra festive. bring eggnog to room tomperotvre. Softto gelatine in cold wotac, ptoce over hot water to dissolve. Stir slowly into eggnog. Add sugar, soil, flavorings. Stir until dissolved. Chill until mixture wounds who dropped from spoon. Whip cream, fold into geta- wMh 1 ops weB-droinect fruit i I in. unci nurure leoeadt. Spooa Anjou and Cornice, will be on their best behavior during the holidays. Dates stuffed with nuts and rolled in powdered sugar are al ways a treat. But, then, fresh Cali fornia dates are delightful in any form. Fill a nut bowl with a selec tion of seasonal west coast crop of walnuts, filberts, almonds or whatever. Den't forget to include a nutcracker. So, shop your gro cery store and you'll probably come up with some wonderful and thoughtful gift ideas. While you're about it, you might pick up couple of rolls of metal foil for easy elegant wrapping. Cook Books are always a wel come gift for today's busy home maker. Consider any of the many fine west coast cook books usually offered in a special department at your book store. For instance with outdoor cookery increasing in pop ularity you might like The Com plete Book of Outdoor Cookery" by Helen Evans Brown and James Beard. We found it full ot new ideat.- -Fruit Buys Fresh, tart cranberries are Just right. Pears, to be bought firm then ripened at home, are in good PIE! cocktail. CMI 5 to cooled pw shea. I2e4l PHONE 3-9205 Cake Filling Note Add chopped plumped raisins and rum flavoring to a vanilla butter frosting and use as a cako filling. You can plump the raisins by let ling them stand in very hot water fur a short time and then drain ing thoroughly. Add leftover green peas to frozen condensed oyster stew for a de licious soup. supply. A variety of crisp, juicy apples both red and yellow are of good quality and price. California dates, the candy that grows on trees, are plentiful and reasonable. A wide choice of seasonal nuts and of dried and candied fruits for holiday baking are well priced. Bananas, citrus Iruils and grapes continue at reasonable prices. Vegetable Buys Cabbage, cauliflower, onions Bell peppers, potatoes, celery. squash, and sweet potatoes are all well priced and should help make menu planning easy. Meat Department: Beef and pork are both in good supply with some outstanding buys for the budget minded homemaker. Tur key and chickens continue as good buys. Happy shoppingl LATEST IDEAS FOR YOUR Fubliihed Christmas is minus something without Check up on Your Cheese Supply Now Cheese makes an excellent des ert course when accompanied by thin slices of fruit cake, cookies, crackers or ginger snaps and some pears, red or yellow apples or other fresh fniit. It is particu larly perfect during the holidays when many of us have a tendency to eat heavier, richer meals than usual and could well do with a light dessert. So check on cheese supplies now. Possible kinds you'll bo wanting include good old Amer ican, Swiss, Roquefort, Brie, Gor- gonzola, Limbergcr (for the male contingent), Camembert, Edam, Neufchatcl, Liederkrantz and Bleu. Cheeses will satisfy the most epi curean tastes; are easy to serve, attractive to arrange. Fluted paper cups come in dif ferent colors. Nice for cupcakes, 'Nicest filing thaf ever Happened to a salad' children love salads with 1890 ...watch the children go for their healthful salads when lopped with Milani's 18901 ARKETING: Thursday Each Wk J A - .- x w- i candy. For Christmas Eve Christmas Eve. when you want an easily prepared supper, is just the time to serve warmly inviting vegetable or cream of celery soup. Fleck it with sprigs of green pars ley to carry the color scheme. A basket of hot cranberry- muffins and a relish plate of cheese-stuffed celery and radishes makes happy eating with the hot soup. Have plenty ol it to take care of all comers. CHOCOLATE SAUCE Chocolate sauce, to be served over Ice cream, usually stores well in a lightly covered container in the refrigerator. Nice to keep on hand. NICE DESSERT Fold crushed pineapple (drainedT into soft vanilla ice cream; place in freezing compartment of re frigerator until ice cream is firm, and serve for a company dessert. .FREHCH. DPccciNi KSOT
