Jane Withers' Valentine's Day Recipes!

            "My favorite Valentine is the one that says, 'Sweets to the sweet!' - and means it!" says Jane Withers in a 1939 issue of Modern Screen magazine. Jane began her film career at age three and was one of the most popular child stars of the 1930s and 40s. After a supporting role in the 1934 Shirley Temple vehicle Bright Eyes, Jane was signed to a seven-year contract with 20th-Century Fox. She was typically cast as a troublemaker or bratty character in contrast with that of Shirley's good girl persona. In later life she did voice work for Disney films and is known as a noted philanthropist and doll collector. Today in 2021, Jane is 94 years old!

            I love to bake, so if I can combine that with old movies I won't pass up the chance! In this article, written when Jane was twelve, she shares her love for candy-making and four of her recipes for Valentine's Day treats. Here they are, in case you'd like to try them out yourself or simply see what candies were popular in 1939.

PUFFED PETITES

(A  puffed-rice treat that sounds similar to a Rice Krispie.)

1 package puffed rice or puffed wheat

3/4 cup white corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon almond extract, if desired

            Crisp the puffed cereal in a pan in a hot oven. Place in large buttered bowl. Mix the corn syrup, sugar and water in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil slowly, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Cover and boil gently for 5 minutes. Then uncover and continue cooking first to "soft crack" stage (that is, when a little of the mixture dropped in cold water will "crack" when in the water but becomes soft when removed from water - 264°F on candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Add butter and salt, also 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, if desired. Pour over puffed cereal. Stir until syrup is thoroughly distributed. While mixture is still hot, shape into balls 2 inches in diameter, with slightly buttered hands. Cool on waxed paper.

SWEET SNAX

(A no-bake cereal treat.)

4 squares semi-sweet dipping chocolate

1 and 1/2 cups shredded ralston

Note: Shredded Ralston was a popular breakfast cereal introduced in 1936. Its modern-day equivalent would be shredded wheat.

            Break the chocolate into small pieces, place in top of double boiler, over boiling water. Heat chocolate until partly melted. Remove from boiling water and stir rapidly until entirely melted. Drop three or four of the little shredded cereal bits at a time into the chocolate. Lift out with a fork and place on waxed paper. Cool until firm.

COCONUTTED FUDGE

(Chocolate fudge with shredded coconut.)

 2 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup dark corn syrup 

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla 

            Cut the chocolate into small pieces.  Place in heavy saucepan. Add sugar, milk and corn syrup. Cook very slowly over low heat, stirring almost constantly, until mixture is smooth and blended and sugar is dissolved. Then bring to a boil, slowly without stirring. When mixture boils, cover and cook 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking until a few drops in cold water will form a soft ball (238°F on candy thermometer), stirring only occasionally, while cooking, to prevent burning. Remove from heat, add butter but do not stir until cool. Meanwhile, prepare a square pan by buttering it and sprinkling it with one half of the shredded coconut. When fudge has cooled to lukewarm (110°F ) add the remaining coconut and the vanilla. Beat until fudge is thick. At the moment that fudge loses its gloss pour it quickly into prepared pan. When almost cold, cut into squares.

NUTTY DIVINITY

(A nougat-like candy with chopped nuts.)

1 cup white corn syrup

3 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup boiling water

2 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup chopped mixed nuts

            Combine corn syrup, sugar and boiling water in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil slowly, over low heat, stirring almost constantly until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth and blended. When mixture boils, cover and boil gently for three minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, without stirring, until a few drops of mixture will form a hard ball in cold water (254°F on candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Beat egg whites until stiff. Pour the candy syrup slowly onto whites, beating constantly. Continue beating until mixture starts to thicken, add salt, vanilla and nuts. Beat until thick. Turn into slightly buttered square pan. Cut in squares when almost cold. 

            There are Jane's recipes in their entirety. Let me know if you try any, and what you think!