The boiled sugar was now about blood-warm, and a thin crust like ice had formed over it. This she was vexed to see, but she picked it off. Underneath, it was as thick as very thick molasses. She stirred it with a spoon, which was rather hard work, and in about five minutes it began to look milky; this by continual beating changed to a texture like lard. Now she could use the spoon no longer, and worked it like dough in her hands. When it was a compact, smooth mass she pressed it into a tumbler and covered it with oiled paper. Marta had been looking on with wondering eyes to see simple sugar change from a crystal-clear syrup to cream, and then to a paste, and now asked what it was for. “That is for icing cakes, and as it will keep just so for months, it is always ready. I should have called your attention to the boiling, only there was too much on hand, and there are such delicate degrees in boiling sugar that you would need your whole attention; some time you may take sugar and experiment; there can be no waste—unless you burn it, but that will not be likely—for it can be boiled over and over again. When it is _perfectly_ boiled, that thin crust is not upon it, only a jelly-like skin; but when it does form, if you find it is only on the surface, you can take it off and keep it to sweeten other things, but should it be _grainy_ all through, you must put water to it again, and boil it back to the ‘thread’; on the other hand, if you take it from the fire an instant too soon, you will find that, instead of forming a paste that you can handle, it will remain thick cream. This would do for icing, as the cake absorbs some of the moisture, but it would not do to keep, nor could you add much flavoring or coloring, so it is always better to boil it to a higher degree. To-morrow I’ll show you how it is to be used. Now I think you understand the principle of frying well enough to make the potato croquettes if I read the recipe to you. This is it: Two cups of potato, mashed very smooth without milk, a dessert-spoonful of butter, salt to taste, a pinch of white pepper and a very little nutmeg (rub the nutmeg across the grater twice), and the yolk of an egg. Mix all together; and for economy’s sake I am going to use only the white of the egg for crumbing; beat it with two tea-spoonfuls of water. Make the potatoes into the shape of small pears, roll each in the white of egg, then into cracker meal, and fry just as you do the other croquettes, in very hot fat. When they are done, stick the end of a sprig of parsley into the end of each one to simulate the stalk.” CHAPTER XXIX. BOILED CUSTARD—FROZEN BANANAS—USES OF FRENCH ICING—SCALLOPED POTATOES—HOLLANDAISE SAUCE—ROAST OYSTERS—UNEXPECTED VISITORS. FOR next day’s dinner Molly bought a piece of cod about three inches thick, and a leg of mutton (the cod weighed three pounds, the mutton six and a half, which she directed the butcher to cut in half), and half a dozen bananas.