Cookery for every household

6 to 8 oz. sweet almonds. 3 table-sps. water. A good pinch cream of tartar, or 1 tea-sp. lemon juice. First blanch the almonds, shred them with a knife, and dry them in a cool oven until they are a pale brown colour. Turn them over once or twice so as to make them dry and brown equally. When these are ready, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the water and sugar, and melt over the fire, stirring occasionally. Then add the cream of tartar or lemon juice, and allow the contents of the saucepan to boil steadily without stirring until they become a rich brown colour, or to about 280° F. Stir in the almonds, cook them a moment, and pour the mixture into a greased tin. It should be quite a dark brown colour, and not the usual golden colour of toffee. When cold, break in pieces, and store in an air-tight tin box. 2905. Almond or Walnut Toffee 2 lbs. granulated sugar. 6 oz. butter. 1J gills water. A pinch cream of tartar. 6 oz. almonds or walnuts. If almonds are used, blanch and split them, then dry them in the oven, and arrange them with the flat side downwards on a greased tin. If walnuts are preferred, use those that are already shelled, toast them a few minutes in the oven, and then spread them out on a greased tin. To make the toffee, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the sugar, water, and cream of tartar, bring to the boil, and then boil without stirring to 300° F., or until the toffee breaks brittle when tested in cold water. Pour over the nuts and leave to set. Then break in pieces as required. 2906. American Candy 1 lb. loaf sugar. 3 oz. butter. 1 gill water. Flavouring. £ lb. glucose. Put the sugar, water, and glucose into a saucepan, and melt them slowly over the fire. Then boil with the thermometer to 290° F. Add the butter broken in pieces, and boil again to 305°. Pour the mixture out on a greased slab ; add flavouring to taste. Fold over and over with a wooden spoon or spatula, and, when sufficiently cooled, work well with the hands, and pull out into a long roll until it begins to stiffen. Then cut in pieces with a pair of scissors, and wrap in wax paper. Note. — A little colouring may be added to the candy if desired. 2907. Barcelona Toffee 1 lb. granulated sugar. 1 gill water. 1 dessert-sp. vinegar. 1 oz. butter. 6 oz. Barcelona nuts. A pinch of salt. 1 tea-sp. vanilla. Put all the ingredients except the nuts into a saucepan, stir until dissolved, and then boil to 300° or until the toffee breaks crisply when tested in cold water. Have the nuts ready shelled, toasted and chopped roughly, add them to the toffee, pour out on an oiled tin, and, when cold, break in pieces. 2908. Barley Sugar 2 lbs. white sugar. A few drops vanilla or 1 pti water. lemon essence. 1 tea-sp. lemon juice. Either granulated or loaf sugar may be used. Put it into a saucepan and boil as directed for Sugar Boiling (see p. 597) to 230° F. Then add the strained lemon juice and the flavouring essence. Continue the boiling until the “ large crack,” or 312° F., is reached. Pour out quickly on to a welloiled slab, and let the sugar cool slightly. Then cut it in narrow strips with a knife, and twist these with the fingers into a spiral shape. When quite cold, keep in an air-tight tin box. Note. — Barley water is sometimes used instead of plain water, hence the name. 2909. Butter Scotch