American
Buttercups
A historical dessert recipe from Fannie Merritt Farmer's 1910 Boston Cooking-School Cook Book.
Gather
Ingredients
- 2 cups Molasses
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Boiling Water
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- ⅓ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- As needed Fondant Flavored With Vanilla
Make it
Method
- 1
Boil ingredients (except fondant) until, when tried in cold water, a firm ball may be formed in the fingers, not stirring until the last few minutes of cooking. Pour on a buttered platter, and when cool enough to handle, pull until light-colored.
- 2
Shape on a floured board, having strip wide enough to enclose a roll of fondant one inch in diameter. Place fondant on candy, bring edges of candy together, and press firmly over fondant. With both hands pull candy into a long strip.
- 3
Cut in small pieces; each piece will consist of fondant encircled with molasses candy. Care must be taken that candy is not cooked too long, as it should be soft rather than brittle.
Source & rights
Where this recipe comes from
Buttercups, from The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer (1910).
This source recipe has been reformatted for Pantry Start but has not yet been kitchen-tested by our editors. Check current food-safety guidance and use your judgment.
Historical measurements, equipment, temperatures and terminology may differ from modern kitchen practice.