Assorted Cream Mints

Put plain fondant in upper part of double boiler, and melt over hot water, stirring constantly after fondant begins to soften. Do not allow water to boil or fondant to become hot, as it spoils the gloss. Add flavor and color according to amount of fondant used.

Drop from tip of teaspoon on wax paper in rounds one and one quarter inches in diameter, or heat a confectioner's funnel by immersing it in hot water, and push a stick into the small opening. Pour in the melted fondant, and drop on wax paper by raising the stick and lowering it quickly when mint is the right size. In this way a large number of mints may be quickly and evenly molded.

Suggestions for Flavoring and Coloring Cream Mints Checker mints, color fondant pale pink, and flavor with oil of wintergreen.

Chocolate Mints, add melted chocolate to melted fondant until the right color is obtained, and flavor with vanilla.

Clove Mints, color deep red, and flavor with oil of clove.

Coffee Mints, use coffee fondant.

Lemon Mints, color pale yellow, and flavor with lemon extract.

Lime Mints, color pale green, and flavor with oil of lime.

Maple Mints, use maple fondant. Chocolate, coffee, and maple mints sometimes have a half walnut put in center, held in place with a drop of fondant.

Orange Mints, color orange, and flavor with orange extract.

Peppermints, leave white, and flavor with oil of peppermint.

Raspberry Mints, color deep pink, and flavor with raspberry.

Any of these mints may be dipped in melted fondant of the same color and flavor, or in melted coating chocolate.

Quick Checker mints

2 cups sugar ¾ cup water

Pink color paste

6 drops oil of wintergreen

Put sugar, water, and color paste to make a delicate shade in saucepan, stir until dissolved, and bring to boiling point. Wash down sides of saucepan with a butter brush dipped in cold water, and boil until syrup spins a long thread. Add oil of wintergreen, or half a teaspoon of extract, beat until creamy, and drop from tip of spoon on waxed paper.

When mixture becomes too thick to drop, stir over the fire until it will run again, and drop more mints.

Repeat the warming and dropping until mixture is used.

Quick Peppermints

2 cups sugar

¾ cup boiling

6 drops oil of peppermint

Put sugar and water in granite saucepan, stir until dissolved, and bring to boiling point. Wash down sides of saucepan with a piece of cheesecloth or a butter brush dipped in cold water, and boil until syrup spins a long thread. Add peppermint, beat until creamy, and drop from tip of spoon on waxed paper. When mixture becomes too thick to drop, stir over the fire until it will run. Continue dropping and reheating until mixture is used.

Center Cream I

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup corn syrup

½ cup cold water

Put sugar, corn syrup, and cold water in saucepan, and proceed as in White Fondant I. The fondant may be worked before it becomes perfectly cold, and should be put in a jar before it becomes firm, as it is very sticky if left under a wet cloth and kneaded.

This makes a soft smooth cream, and is best used by being molded in cornstsrch, and coated with chocolate. Be very careful not to get it hot when melting it, or the centers will be hard, instead of creamy.

Center Cream II

2 cups sugar½cup hot water

¼teaspoon cream of tartar White 1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

Put sugar, water, and cream of tartar in saucepan, stir until mixed, and bring quickly to boiling point. Wash down sides of saucepan with a piece of cheesecloth or a butter brush dipped in cold water, removing every crystal, and rinsing brush in water as needed. If crystals remain, they are likely to make the fondant grainy. Cover until it has boiled two minutes, remove cover, put in candy thermometer, and cook to 2360 F., or until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water.

Pour on a marble slab, large platter, or white agate tray that has been slightly moistened by being wiped with a damp cloth, and let stand undisturbed until candy is nearly cool. Beat egg until stiff, pour on top of candy, add vanilla, and work with broad spatula until very white and creamy. Just before it begins to set, turn it over and over very slowly, working from the edge. When firm, shape at once into small balls, working chopped nuts into it if desired.

Drop into confectioners' sugar, rolling around until ball is thoroughly covered, lay on waxed paper, and dip at once in melted chocolate. This center cream may be melted over hot water and molded in stsrch as on page 93 if desired, but centers will not be quite as soft and creamy.

Maple Center Cream

1½ cups maple sugar ¾ cup white sugar 1 cup water

¼teaspoon glycerin 3 drops acetic acid White 1 egg

Put both kinds of sugar and the water in saucepan, stir until dissolved, add glycerin, and stir again. Wash down sides of saucepan with a piece of cheesecloth or a butter brush dipped in cold water, removing every crystal.

Add acetic acid, cover, and boil two minutes. Remove cover, and boil to 238° F., or until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water. Finish like Center Cream II.