Cream Peppermints

From 1913:

Make a stiff paste of a pound of sugar with four tablespoons of water, put over the fire, and leave it there until it just reaches the boiling point. Take it off the moment it begins to bubble, stir until it cools partially, add a few drops of essence of peppermint – enough to suit the taste – and drop the candy from a teaspoon on waxed paper, allowing enough to each portion to make a round the size of a penny. Care and practice will be required to get the skill to make the candies of uniform size. Set them in a moderately warm place until firm.