Cookery for every household

This must be done quickly, as the nougat becomes hard when cold, and it is difficult to cut it neatly. These may then be coated with chocolate in the usual way, or they may be kept for some time in an air-tight box before covering. Finish with a slice of sweet almond on the top of each. Notes. — Other kinds of nuts may be used instead of the almonds. Any scraps of the nougat may be broken up finely, mixed with a little chocolate, then dropped in small lumps on wax paper, and allowed to set. PART IV 2900. Chocolate Pralines \ lb. castor sugar. I Lemon juice. 6 oz. sweet almonds. | Covering chocolate. Wipe the almonds in a damp cloth to clean them, but do not blanch them. Then dry them in a slow oven until they are slightly browned all the way through. Put the sugar into a saucepan with a few drops of lemon juice and melt it carefully over the fire until there are no lumps left, and the sugar itself looks brown and clear. Keep pounding down the lumps with a spoon or fork, and remove the saucepan from the fire occasionally, if the sugar shows signs of browning too quickly. When ready, pour it out on a well-greased tin, and scrape out the saucepan with a spoon. This should be quite brittle when cold, and snap clean when it is broken. Put this crisp toffee into a mortar with the almonds, and pound the two together until the mixture is very fine and clings together in one lump. When required, form into small round balls with the hands, or in any other shape preferred, and coat at once with chocolate. They lose their shape if allowed to stand. Note. — If a larger quantity of the praline centre is required, the toffee part should be made in different lots of 8 oz. each, as it is not easy to melt more than this quantity at a time. 2901. Chocolate Drops Prepare some chocolate the same as for covering (Recipe 2881). Put a small quantity at a time of this chocolate into a paper cornet, close it securely at the top, and cut a piece off the end in order to make a small opening. Then force out little lumps on a bright and clean tin, making them as far as possible one size and shape. Shake the tin to flatten them slightly, and then leave the chocolates to set. When cold, tap the tin, and the drops will become detached. Note. — If liked, the drops may be sprinkled with some nonpareils (tiny white and coloured sweets) before the chocolate has set. 2902. Chocolate and Nut Kisses £ lb. covering chocolate. 4 to 6 oz. shelled nuts. Toast the nuts for a few minutes in the oven, then pound or chop them, but not too finely. Use good covering chocolate, or chocolate prepared as in Recipe 2881, and melt it carefully in a saucepan without making it too hot. When quite smooth, add the prepared nuts, walnuts are perhaps the best, and there should be sufficient to thicken the chocolate. Drop the mixture in small rough heaps on greased paper, and leave them until set. If liked, the kisses may be decorated, before they have time to harden, with a slice of pistachio nut, or a small crystallised violet or rose leaf. 2903. Chocolate Peppermint Creams Make some peppermint creams as directed on p. 601, keeping them rather small. When quite cold and set, cover them with coating chocolate in the ordinary way. TOFFEES, CANDIES, AND CARAMELS 2904. Almond Hardbake 1 lb. Demerara sugar. £ lb. butter.