ALMOND paste for making macaroons and small fancy cakes may be bought of dealers who keep confectioners' supplies, although sometimes a resident baker or confectioner will sell a small quantity. Almond paste is put up in five-pound tin pails, and retails for one and one-half dollars per pail. During the cold weather it will keep after being opened for a long time.

Cinnamon Bars

10 ozs. almond paste

5 ozs. confectioners' sugar

White 1 egg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix same as Macaroons. Dredge a board with sugar, knead mixture slightly, and shape in a long roll. Pat, and roll one-fourth inch thick, using a rolling-pin. After rolling the piece should be four inches wide. Spread with frosting made of white of one egg and two-thirds cup confectioners' sugar beaten together until stiff enough to spread. Cut in strips four inches long by three-fourths inch wide. This must be quickly done, as a crust soon forms over frosting. To accomplish this, use two knives, one placed through mixture where dividing line is to be made, and the other used to make a clean sharp cut on both sides of first knife. Knives should be kept clean by wiping on a damp cloth. Remove strips as soon as cut, to a tin sheet, greased with lard and then floured. Bake twenty minutes on centre grate in a slow oven.

Horseshoes

Use Cinnamon Bar mixture. Cover with frosting oolored with fruit red. Cut in strips six inches long by one-half inch wide. As soon as cut, shape quickly, at the same time carefully, in form of horseshoes. Bake same as Cinnamon Bars. When cool, make eight dots with chocolate frosting to represent nails.

Cocoanut Cakes I

1/2 lb. fresh grated cocoanut Whites 1 1/2 eggs

6 ozs. sugar and glucose, using one mixing-spoon glucose

German Confectioner

Cook cocoanut, sugar, and glucose in double boiler until mixture clings to spoon, add whites of eggs, stir vigorously, and cook until mixture feels sticky when tried between the fingers. Spread in a wet pan, cover with wet paper, and chill on ice. Shape in small balls, first dipping hands in cold water. Bake twenty minutes in a slow oven on a tin sheet greased with white wax.

Cocoanut Cakes II

1 lb. fresh grated cocoanut

3/4 lb. sugar

Whites 2 eggs

Cook, shape, and bake same as Cocoanut Cakes I.

Stuffed Dates I

Make a cut the entire length of dates and remove stones. Fill cavities with castanea nuts, English walnuts, or blanched almonds, and shape in original form. Roll in granulated sugar. Pile in rows on a small plate covered with a doily. If castanea nuts are used, with a sharp knife cut off the brown skin which lies next to shell.

Stuffed Dates II

Remove stones from dates and fill cavities with Neufchâtel cheese.

Salted Almonds I

Blanch one-fourth pound Jordan almonds and dry on a towel. Put one-third cup olive oil in a very small saucepan. When hot, put in one-fourth of the almonds and fry until delicately browned, stirring to keep almonds constantly in motion. Remove with a spoon or small skimmer, taking up as little oil as possible. Drain on brown paper and sprinkle with salt; repeat until all are fried. It may be necessary to remove some of the salt by wiping nuts with a napkin.