Autumn Holidays

FRUIT AND NUT CONFECTIONS | APRICOT COCONUT BALLS | APRICOT ORANGE BALLS | CANDIED ORANGE PEEL | STUFFED APRICOTS or PRUNES | STUFFED DATES | CANDIED APRICOTS OR PRUNES | SUGARED NUTS | GLACEED NUTS | COCONUT MARSHMALLOW DIPS | CARAMELS | CREAM CARAMELS | CHOCOLATE CREAM CARAMELS | NUT CREAM CARAMELS | MILK CARAMELS | CHOCOLATE MILK CARAMELS | NUT MILK CARAMELS | EVAPORATED MILK CARAMELS | COFFEE CARAMELS | PENUCHE CARAMELS | CARAMEL APPLES | CARAMEL PECAN TURTLES | LAYER CARAMELS | FIG FILLING

Darkness comes earlier; the reluctant schol-| ars are scurrying off to school again; the harvest moon is on its way and Halloween is about to raise its ghosts. Fall has arrived and the children have taken over the candy kitchen.

For this is the season of the year that is their own special time, the season of candy apples on a stick, of taffy pulls and popcorn balls, of Halloween faces on orange lollipops and the whole Thanksgiving repertoire of fruit and nut confections.

This is the time of year when you let the children try their skill at caramels after school, when candy-making can become the chief function at a children's party, when something sweet is just what is needed to allay that hungry feeling still there even at the end of a good trencherman's meal.

And this is the time when you pack those big boxes of luscious goodies to send off to the older ones away at school — and they must be big boxes so your own youngster can have a chance for at least a piece when all his friends and roommates come crowding in for a treat.

The holidays of fall are Halloween and Thanks­giving and each has its special candies, but fall is a continuous candy holiday for children.

Fruit and Nut Confections

Because they are usually less sweet, fruit and nut candies are favored by many as the finishing touch of a Thanksgiving or other holiday meal when the food has already been rich and ample.

But they dis­appear rapidly no matter how solid the meal, so make plenty while you are doing it. Most of these candies are easy to make. Except for glaceed nuts they keep well over a longer period than do most candies.

Apricots, prunes and dates are the most favored fruits, along with citrus peel, and there are innumer­able variations in the way they are treated. We in­clude the simplest as well as the best of the methods we tried.

Any nut you like may be used in candymaking and most nuts are a welcome addition to such candies as fudge, nougat, divinity and caramels. Here they stand on their own with just a touch of sweetness added.

APRICOT COCONUT BALLS

1 cup dried apricots, 1 teaspoon grated lemon, 1 cup dry coconut rind, 3/4 cup nuts — almonds,       1 teaspoon lemon juice, pecans or walnuts,      1          tablespoon orange juice, 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar or more

Steam 1 cup dried apricots in the top of a double boiler for 10 minutes, then grind with 1 cup coco­nut and 3/4 cup nuts, putting through the grinder twice. Knead into a ball adding 1 teaspoon lemon rind, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon orange juice, then 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Use more confectioners' sugar if needed to make a firm mass. Form into small balls and roll in granulated sugar. Allow to dry for several hours before storing.

APRICOT ORANGE BALLS

1 pound dried apricots, 1 seedless orange, 2 cups granulated sugar

Wash and dry 1 pound of apricots. Cut a whole seedless orange into pieces and grind finely with the apricots. Add 2 cups sugar and put the mixture into the top of a double boiler. Steam and stir until the sugar is well dissolved — about 10 minutes. Cool and shape the candy into small balls, roll in granulated sugar and let dry. Roll again in a few hours if they are too moist.

CANDIED ORANGE PEEL

Peel from 4 medium-sized, 2 cups sugar, oranges 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar

Remove the peel from 4 oranges carefully and cut into 1/4-inch strips. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook slowly for 15 minutes, drain off water and repeat until peel is tender.

Blend 2 cups sugar and 3/4cup water in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Put in your thermometer and boil quickly to 238°.

Lower heat and add orange peel. Cook slowly until peel absorbs most of the liquid and begins to look transparent. Remove from heat and drop peel onto a pan over which has been spread a half cup of sugar. Roll until each piece is covered.
Grapefruit and lemon peel may be prepared the same way.

STUFFED APRICOTS or PRUNES

Steam apricots or prunes for 15 minutes until they are tender and plumped out. Cool and stuff with nut fondant, softened marshmallow or with marzipan.

STUFFED DATES

Wash and stone dates if necessary, stuff with fon­dant, walnuts or toasted almonds. These may then be dipped in chocolate.

CANDIED APRICOTS or PRUNES

1 pound dried prunes or apricots, 1 cup sugar, I 1/2 cups water

Cook 1 pound dried prunes or apricots in 1 cup sugar blended with I 1/2 cups water over low heat in a covered 2-quart saucepan for about 30 minutes, watching carefully so that they do not burn. These may be used as they are, or they may be stuffed as above.

SUGARED NUTS

1 1/2 cups sugar,      1/2 CUP water, 2 cups nutmeats

Measure l 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2cup water into a small saucepan. Stir and blend until syrup boils, then put in your thermometer and cook to 240°. Add 2 cups nuts and remove from heat. Stir until syrup is cloudy and begins to sugar. Turn out on greased plat­ter and separate with fingers.

As a variation use the water from the first cooking of orange peel in the recipe for candied orange peel. Or the sugar that remains in the pan after finishing the candied peel may be diluted and recooked and the nuts added.

GLACEED NUTS

2 cups sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar, 2/3 cup water 1 pound of nuts

Blend 2 cups sugar and % cup water in a 2-quart saucepan and dissolve over low heat, stirring con­tinuously. When the syrup boils, add 1/4teaspoon cream of tartar and put in your candy thermometer. Wash away sugar crystals as they form with a brush or fork wrapped in muslin and dipped in hot water. Cook without stirring until 300° is reached. Remove from direct heat and put over boiling water to pre­vent hardening. Drop nuts in the syrup a few at a time and pick them out one by one with a fork. Place each nut separately on a greased pan or plat­ter, allowing as little extra syrup as possible to cling to them. Stir the syrup no more than necessary or it may crystallize. Fruits may be glaceed by the same method. Instead of cream of tartar, 1 or 2 table­spoons of corn syrup may be used. Glaceed nuts do not keep long and are difficult to make in humid or rainy weather.

COCONUT MARSHMALLOW DIPS

16 commercial marshmallows           Walnut halves, steamed or 1 cup homemade     apricots or bits of prune, marshmallow or dates (1 tablespoon water with          1 cup dry coconut commercial marshmallows)

Melt 16 commercial marshmallows in a double boiler with 1 tablespoon water, or melt one cup of homemade marshmallow — no water needed. Dip nutmeats, steamed apricot halves or bits of prune in marshmallow and roll in coconut. Dates may also be used.

Caramels

Once there was a little girl who asked her mother if they might make some caramels.

"Goodness, no, child," her mother replied. "It takes forever to make caramels and we're going to have dinner in an hour or two."

By old methods caramels did take so long to make that hungry young cooks were likely to eat them before they had been cooked enough to harden properly. Some recipes we tried out took as long as three hours to cook.

This is chiefly because the milk or cream usually used in caramels is apt to scorch easily — even with frequent stirring the heat must be kept low. Thus the time required to cook the mixture down to the proper consistency and up to the proper temperature drags on and on.

The secret of quick caramels is a simple one. The sugar and syrup are cooked to a very high tempera­ture before adding the butter, milk and cream, which are then added bit by bit and bubble up and evapo­rate quickly. The caramels taste better cooked this way because long cooking of milk or cream tends to toughen candy and often causes curdling. If evapo­rated milk is used this method is not necessary be­cause half the moisture has been removed from the milk already and it will cook quickly anyway.

Caramels are one of the top-favorite candies. Even poor-grade commercial caramels have their following. But if you have never eaten homemade caramels made with butter and heavy cream you don't know how good caramels can really be. They are among the easiest of candies to make, but again a candy thermometer is of prime importance. If you must make a batch of caramels before you get your thermometer, check the chart showing cold-water tests for various degrees and stages of candy cooking.

The final temperature for cooking caramels de­pends on how hard and chewy you like them — as well as on the altitude and the weather of the place you are cooking them. We suggest temperatures of between 246° and 250° for sea level; but for a very hard caramel it is possible to go to 255° or 260°. The British like their caramels cooked to 270° or 280° where they are almost too hard to be chewed and must be sucked first.

If you like a fudgy-textured caramel, beat the caramels for a minute or two after adding the flavor­ing and before pouring into the pans.

Pans for caramels should be lightly buttered. If you forget to do this you will have real trouble try­ing to get them out. But all need not be lost! Heat the bottom of the pan slightly over a stove burner and you will be able to turn them out. A large heavy knife is best for cutting caramels. Mark the oblong or square of caramels lightly with the knife to be sure of uniformity, then cut through with one heavy slice. Cut your waxed paper or cellophane into sizes just large enough so that you can get a fold at the top and fold over the ends. Caramels should be wrapped soon after they are cut.

Caramels keep well — preferably in a cool place as with all candy — and taste even better the second or third day than the first. But like any homemade candy without preservatives, they are best eaten while comparatively fresh.

Our favorite recipe of the ones that follow is the cream caramel but we think the milk caramel an un­usually good inexpensive candy.

CREAM CARAMELS

2 cups sugar, 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup light corn syrup (warmed), 1/4 cup butter 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla

Measure 2 cups sugar and 1 cup light corn syrup into a 4-quart saucepan. Blend with a wooden spoon, and place over a low heat, stirring continuously until the thick mixture begins to dissolve.

Continue stir­ring until the mixture boils, then put in your candy thermometer and boil without stirring over a high flame until the thermometer registers 305°. Have ready 1/4 cup butter which has been broken into small pieces and 2 cups heavy cream which has been warmed. Remove the candy from the stove for only a moment, put in the first bit of butter, return the pan to the stove and continue cooking, stirring well and adding bits of butter. The mixture will bubble up and steam. Add 2 cups heavy cream slowly, never allowing the candy to stop boiling hard and con­tinuing to stir vigorously so that it will not stick or burn. Continue cooking until the thermometer regis­ters 246° to 250°, depending on how hard you wish the caramels to be. This whole process should not take more than 30 minutes and will usually take less if the heat is kept high enough. When the desired degree is reached remove the pan from the stove immediately. Let stand 5 minutes, add 1/2teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Stir only enough to blend, then pour into a lightly greased pan — 8 by 11 inches is a good size — and allow to cool for sev­eral hours. Turn out of the pan, cut into squares or oblongs with a heavy knife, wrap in waxed paper or moistureproof cellophane and store in a tin box. Caramels keep well for weeks in a cool place if they are not exposed to other types of candy.

CHOCOLATE CREAM CARAMELS

Follow recipe for cream caramels, only decrease the butter to 2 tablespoons and after the caramels are cooked stir in immediately 2 squares of melted bitter chocolate.

NUT CREAM CARAMELS

Let either cream caramels or chocolate cream cara­mels stand an extra 5 minutes after the vanilla is added and then stir in gently 1/2to 1 cup of coarsely broken nutmeats — pecans, walnuts, black walnuts, brazil nuts or toasted blanched almonds.

MILK CARAMELS

2 cups sugar, 2 cups warmed milk, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla

Measure 2 cups sugar and 1 cup light corn syrup into a 4-quart saucepan. Blend with a wooden spoon and stir over low heat until the thick mixture dis­solves and comes to a boil. Put in your candy ther­mometer and cook without stirring over high heat until thermometer registers 305°. Have ready 1/4cup butter broken into bits and 2 cups warmed milk. Re­move the pan from the stove for a moment, add the first bit of butter. Return to high heat immediately and continue cooking and stirring while adding the rest of the butter and the milk bit by bit. The mix­ture will bubble up and steam. Do not allow mixture to stop boiling. When the thermometer reaches 246° to 250°, depending on the hardness you wish, remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla and pour into a buttered pan, 8 by 8 inches. Let cool for several hours, then turn out and cut into squares. Because of the higher water content in the milk, this caramel takes a little longer to cook than do cream caramels or those made with evaporated or condensed milk — up to 35 minutes by this method.

CHOCOLATE MILK CARAMELS

Follow recipe for milk caramels, stirring in 2 squares of melted chocolate immediately after remov­ing from heat.

NUT MILK CARAMELS

Add 1/2 to 1 cup broken nutmeats after caramels have stood an extra 5 minutes.

EVAPORATED MILK CARAMELS

2 cups sugar, 1 tall can (14 1/2 ounces), 2 cups light corn syrup evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla

Measure 2 cups sugar and 2 cups light corn syrup into a 4-quart saucepan. Blend and stir over low heat until mixture dissolves and begins to boil. Put in your candy thermometer and boil rapidly over high heat, without stirring, to 250°. Have ready 1/2 cup butter broken into bits and 1 tall can evaporated milk at room temperature. Add the butter bit by bit and then the milk little by little, over high heat, stirring all the time. Do not let the mixture stop boiling. Con­tinue to cook and stir over high heat until ther­mometer shows 244° to 248°, depending on hard­ness desired. Remove from heat, cool for 5 minutes and add 1 teaspoon vanilla, blending in gently. Then pour into a pan, 8 by 11 inches. Allow to cool several hours, then cut with a heavy knife into squares or oblongs. Wrap in waxed paper or moistureproof cel­lophane. Because these caramels are made with evaporated milk they cook quickly without taking the first mixture to a high temperature. For the same reason they harden at slightly lower temperature than do other caramels.

COFFEE CARAMELS

2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, l/2 cup light corn syrup, 1 1/2 cups warmed cream, l/2 cup strong coffee          1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla

Measure 2 cups sugar, 1/2cup light corn syrup and 1/2cup freshly made, strong coffee into a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Blend with a wooden spoon and stir over low heat until the mixture dissolves and begins to boil. Put in your candy thermometer and continue boiling over high heat, until the thermometer reaches 280°, stirring occasionally. Have ready 2 tablespoons butter in bits and l 1/2 cups warmed cream. Add the butter bit by bit, stirring continuously, and then the cream little by little, never allowing the mixture to stop boiling. Continue to cook over high heat until the thermometer reads 246° to 250°. Let stand for 5 minutes, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla, blending in gently, and pour into a but­tered pan, 8 by 8 inches. Let cool for several hours then turn out and cut into squares or oblongs with a heavy knife. Wrap in waxed paper or moistureproof cellophane.

PENUCHE CARAMELS

1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup warmed cream,1 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla

Measure 1 cup sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar and 1 cup light corn syrup into a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Blend and stir over low heat until thick mixture dissolves and begins to boil. Put in your candy ther­mometer and boil rapidly over high heat until ther­mometer registers 305°. Have ready 1/2cup butter broken into bits and 1 cup cream which has been warmed. Remove the pan from the heat for a mo­ment, add the first bit of butter. Return to high heat immediately and continue cooking and stirring while adding the rest of the butter bit by bit and the cream little by little. Do not allow the mixture to stop boil­ing. When the thermometer reaches 246° to 250°, depending on the hardness you wish, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Then add 1/4teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons vanilla and pour into a pan, 8 by 8 inches. Let cool for several hours, then turn out and cut into squares or oblongs.

CARAMEL APPLES

1 recipe milk caramels (page 92) 10 or 12 small to medium apples

Use the recipe for milk caramels, cooking the final mixture to 246°. Pour the mixture into the top of a double boiler and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Place over hot water. Medium-sized or small apples are best for dipping. Wash, remove the stems and insert skewers in 10 or 12 apples. Dip each apple into the caramel, twirl, allow to drip, then set on heavy waxed paper and put into refrigerator immediately for 10 minutes. If caramel thickens and becomes too hard to handle, remelt over hot water.

CARAMEL PECAN TURTLES

1 recipe cream caramel, 1 pound sweet or semisweet chocolate, 1/2 pound pecans

Make 1 recipe of cream caramels or evaporated milk caramels, cooking the final mixture to 246°. Place 1/2pound pecan meats in little circles of 3 to 4 pecans on large greased cookie sheets. When the caramel has cooled for 10 minutes drop by spoonfuls on the circle of pecans. If you have one, you can use a metal fun­nel and wooden stick, only be sure to heat and oil both the funnel and stick. Pour the caramel into the funnel and push circlets of caramel out with the stick.

Put cookie sheets into the refrigerator to cool for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile melt 1 pound sweet or semisweet chocolate over hot (not boiling) water, stirring and beating while melting it. Remove from water before chocolate is completely melted and continue beating until chocolate is all melted and has begun to cool.
When it is just cool to the touch drop the caramel turtles into the chocolate, pick up with fingers or fork and set on waxed paper to cool. Or dip turtle only halfway into chocolate.
For more detailed instructions on melting choco­late see section on chocolate dipping.

LAYER CARAMELS

Use any preferred recipe for caramels, using two pans instead of one so that the caramels will be thin enough to use in layers. For marshmallow layers melt either homemade or commercial marshmallows over hot water, being careful not to get the marshmallow too hot and runny. Remove from heat as soon as all lumps are out. Turn caramel out of pans, spread marshmallow mixture over one layer of caramel. Set in refrigerator for 10 minutes; then place second layer of caramel on top. Return to refrigerator for 10 minutes more; then set in a cool place. Cut in squares and wrap immediately in waxed paper or cellophane so that caramels will not spread. For fig-filled cara­mels use recipe for fig filling and spread that over one layer of caramel, putting other layer on top.

Two different kinds of caramels may be put to­gether also.

FIG FILLING

1/2 pound figs, 1/2 Cup water, 1 cup sugar,  2 tablespoons lemon juice

Wash l/2 pound figs thoroughly, dry them and put through a food chopper. Measure 1 cup sugar and 1/2cup water in a 1-quart saucepan, blend and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and syrup boils. Cook to 275° without stirring. Remove from heat and pour over ground figs, stirring thoroughly; set mixture over hot water to dry out. After half an hour add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and stir. Continue to dry out for another 20 minutes. Cool before using.

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