Grand Operas - 1936

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup broken pecans
4 squares Baker's chocolate

Combine sugar, cream, milk, corn syrup, and salt, and heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture boils, stirring constantly. Continue cooking, stirring constantly. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until a small amount of syrup forms a soft ball in cold water (234 degrees F). Cook to lukewarm (110 degrees F) and add vanilla. Beat until mixture begins to thicken; then add nuts and continue beating only until mixture loses its gloss. Turn at once into greased pan, 8x8 inches. Cool. Heat chocolate over boiling water until partly melted; then remove from boiling water and stir it rapidly until entirely melted. Pour over candy. Cool until firm. Cut in squares. Makes 64 pieces.

Source: Chocolate Candies You Can Make, copyright 1936, General Foods Corporation

Honey Drops - 1920s

2 cups white sugar, 1/2 cup boiling water, 1 large spoonful strained honey, butter size of an egg. Boil until it threads, take from fire and add 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring, then pour gradually, beating at the same time, over the beaten white of a fresh egg; beat until firm enough to drop on oiled paper without running.

Taken from: Sweets, Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Co.