Boston Cooking-School cook book

Grind almonds in meat chopper using finest macerator. Run them through 3 or 4 times until very fine. Cook sugar and water to 240° F. Mix with almond paste. Add orange juice. Stir until creamy, turn onto a slab dusted with confectioners’ sugar, let stand until cool. Pack in clean, air tight containers, store in cool, dry place at least one week. Use as needed. Almond paste is used as the basis for macaroons, flavoring cakes and cookies, for confections and desserts. Marzipans. Mold to represent miniature apples, peaches, strawberries, berries, vegetables, etc. Color with vegetable coloring and crystallize. To Crystallize. The brilliant air-tight coating adds to the appearance as well as the keeping qualities of Marzipans. Cook 5 pounds sugar with 24% cups water to 223° F. Do not stir after sugar is dissolved. Remove from fire very gently and let stand quietly until perfectly cold. Place candies to be crystallized in a pan in even rows. Pour the cold sirup carefully over the candies with as little agitation as possible. The sirup must completely cover the candy. Allow to stand for at least 8 hours, pour into a sieve, draining off all of the sirup. Place Marzipans on wire rack to dry. They will be covered with a fine white crystal. FONDANT (UNCOOKED) 1 egg white 34 teaspoon vanilla ¥% tablespoon cold water 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted Put egg white, water, and vanilla in bowl, beat until well blended, add sugar gradually until very stiff. Knead with hands until smooth. Color and flavor as desired. FONDANT 5 cups sugar 11% cups water \4 teaspoon cream of tartar Put sugar and water in smooth pan. While cooking, wash down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in cold water. Bring to boiling point, stirring constantly. Add cream of tartar, cover, and steam 3 minutes. Remove cover, put in thermometer, and boil to 238° F., or until mixture forms soft ball when tried in cold water. Pour on marble slab or shallow tray wiped over with damp cloth. Cool. Scrape and turn mixture toward center with spatula and work until perfectly smooth. Cover with cloth wrung out of cold water, let stand half an hour, cut in pieces, put in jar, cover with wet cloth or glass cover. Let stand 2 or 3 days before using. Coffee Fondant. Use very strong black coffee in place of water. Cream Mints. Melt over hot water, flavor with few drops oil of peppermint, wintergreen, clove, or orange. Color as desired. Drop from tip of spoon on waxed paper. Dipped Walnuts. Pecans, almonds, etc. Dip in melted fondant. Maple Fondant. Use half maple sugar and half white sugar. Cream Nut Bars. Melt, flavor, stir in nut meats cut in pieces, turn in oiled pan, cool, and cut in bars with sharp knife. BONBONS Flavor Fondant as desired. Shape in balls or surround pieces of nut meat or candied fruit; leave on board covered with waxed paper until firm and dip. To Dip Bonbons. Melt Fondant over hot water, flavor as desired, and color with food color. Do not allow fondant to become hot. If too thick, add few drops cold water. Drop one center at a time into melted fondant, stir with two-tined fork or candy dipper until entirely covered, lift up and put on waxed paper, and make coil over top of bonbon with dipper or fork. Stir fondant frequently. Decorate top, if desired, with bit of nut meat, candied fruit, coconut, or ginger. MARSHMALLOW MINT BONBONS Cut marshmallows in halves crosswise and flavor with peppermint, by putting a small wooden skewer in a bottle of oil of pepper- mint, then on the cut surface of the marshmallow. Arrange in layers in a box, cover, and let stand overnight. In the morning, dip in fondant flavored with a few drops oil of peppermint. CHOCOLATE CREAMS Dip any Fondant or Fudge in chocolate.