How To Make Various Kinds Of Sugar

If a housekeeper does not like to use extracts, flavored sugars may be prepared, and they are then ready for use when it is not convenient to obtain the fresh fruits. These sugars must be placed in bottles and tightly corked ; self-sealing jars are also excellent for this purpose.

Range Sugar

Cut off the thin yellow rind of twelve oranges. Spread this on a platter, and set it in a warm, dry place to dry. When the rind is dry, which will be in about forty-eight hours, put half of it in a mortar with a cupful of granulated sugar. Pound the mixture to a powder, rub the latter through a fine sieve, return the coarse parts left in the sieve to the mortar, and pound them again. When all is through the sieve, put the balance of the peel and another cupful of sugar in the mortar, and proceed as before. One table-spoonful of this sugar will flavor a quart of custard or cream. '

Orange Zest

This is another form of orange sugar, only the oily portion of the peel being added to the sugar. Rub lumps of loaf sugar on the outside of an orange until they are coated with the oil from the peel, using enough pressure to break the oil sacks. Pound the sugar in a mortar and bottle for use.

Lemon Zest

This is made with lemons in the manner directed for orange zest.

Rose Sugar

Spread rose-leaves on a flat dish, and dry them in the oven. Put a pint of the dried leaves in a mortar with half a pint of granulated sugar, pound the whole to a powder, rub the latter through a sieve, and bottle tightly.

Vanilla Sugar

Cut an ounce of vanilla beans into small pieces, mix them with a pint of granulated sugar, and pound all in a mortar until the mixture is like flour. Sift through a fine sieve, pound what will not pass through, and sift until all is fine. Allow a table-spoonful of the sugar to a quart of cream.

Another variety of vanilla sugar is made as follows : Cut the beans in small pieces, and split them so that the seeds may be exposed. Place an ounce of the beans in a small jar with a pound of granulated sugar, and seal tightly. Sift the sugar as required for use, add more to the jar, keeping it closely corked, and use as long as there is any flavor in the sugar.

How To Cream Butter

If the butter is hard, the inside of the bowl in which it is to be creamed should be warmed. Pour hot water into the bowl, let it stand for about a minute, pour it out and wipe the bowl. Put in the butter, and cut it in small pieces; work it on the bottom of the bowl until it becomes soft, then beat it until it is light and smooth by running the spoon rapidly in a circle. After two minutes' work the butter should be a light creamy mass, and will then be ready for the addition of any other ingredients, such as sugar or flour. The work can be done more quickly and with less fatigue in this way than if the sugar were added at once. The hot water should not stand long enough in the bowl to heat the outside, and the bowl should never be hot enough to melt the butter. Butter should always be prepared thus for cake and for pudding sauces.