Drop a center into melted chocolate; with the dipper move it around until covered, then lift out, upside down, scrape off superfluous chocolate on the edge of the pan, and place bonbon on the paper right side up.

Make a line of chocolate over the top of the bonbon when removing the dipper. Different designs on top sometimes indicate the kind of center. Between the dipping of every bonbon the chocolate must be thoroughly beaten.

Chocolates sometimes harden very quickly. On a warm day they must be put in the refrigerator as soon as coated, for ten minutes or until hard.

If the chocolate is neither too warm nor too cool and was beaten sufficiently, and chocolates were cooled quickly enough, they will have a gloss and retain the markings perfectly. If they are gray or streaked, they did not cool quickly enough. If spotted, the chocolate was not beaten enough. If chocolate runs off and forms a thick base, it was not cool enough.

If the least bit of steam or water gets in it, the chocolate will become thick and unfit for coating but may be used for cooking purposes. If it does not remain thin enough for dipping, a small piece of cocoa butter may be added, or the water underneath may be heated slightly, when chocolate must be beaten again. Chocolate may be left in the dish in which it was melted and be ready for use at any time.

Decorating Chocolates

If chocolates are to be decorated, the nut, dragnets, candied fruit, or other decoration must be put in place as soon as the bonbon is placed on the paper. Chocolates may be rolled in cocoa-nut, chopped roasted almonds, or pistachio nuts immediately after dipping. Chopped nuts may be stirred into the melted chocolate before the centers are dipped.

Do not remove dipped chocolates from wax paper or oilcloth until the bottom is glossy and chocolate is firm.

Keeping Chocolates

Chocolates should be packed in boxes between layers of wax paper as soon as hard. A few of the chocolates may be wrapped in gold or silver foil. They should be kept in a cool, dry place, and should at no time be exposed to the rays of the sun. They should not be placed in the vicinity of articles that give off strong odors, as chocolate is very absorbent.

Solid Chocolate Shapes Prepare coating chocolate as for dipping and beat until cool enough to hold its shape. Put into a cloth or paper pastry bag with a small tin rose tube in the end. Force chocolate upon chocolate dipping paper, paraffin paper, or table oilcloth in small fancy shapes, as roses, spirals, or bars, and leave until firm. Some of the pieces may be sprinkled with a very little coarse granulated sugar, flavored with peppermint, and colored pink or green.

Milk coating chocolate is particularly good in this way.

Green Mint Sugar

½ cup sugar

2 drops green color paste

I drop oil of peppermint

Put sugar in a small bowl, add a drop of oil of peppermint, then, using a spoon, work in the green color paste, a tiny bit at a time, until the desired shade is obtained. Pink color paste and oil of wintergreen may be substituted for green color paste and oil of peppermint. Other colors, with or without flavor, may be substituted for either.

Almond Tulips

Fondant Almond extract

Blanched almonds Coating chocolate

Flavor fondant with almond extract, and make into balls, shaping them high and pointed. Dip in melted coating chocolate, and put three halved blanched almonds on the sides.

Burnt Almond Chocolates I Cover almonds with boiling water, let stand two minutes, cover with cold water, drain and remove brown skins. Put in pan, and leave in moderate oven until a golden brown. Cool and dip in melted coating chocolate.

Burnt Almond Chocolates II

½ cup almonds

½ cup fondant

Coating chocolate

Prepare almonds as in previous recipe. When golden brown, cut in pieces, mix with fondant, shape in balls, let dry on wax paper, and dip in melted coating chocolate.

Roast Almond Chocolates

Coarsely chop roasted almonds, mix with melted milk chocolate to make a thick paste, and drop with a spoon in small pieces on wax paper.

Bittersweet Chocolate Creams

Center Cream II

1/2 pound bitter chocolate

1 pound sweet coating chocolate

I teaspoon vanilla

Make center cream as given on page 90, and shape in small balls. Put both kinds of chocolate in upper part of double boiler, and prepare for dipping. Just before beginning to dip, add vanilla and beat thoroughly. Dip centers one at a time, and remove to wax paper. Use coating as cold as possible in order to retain the gloss.

Chocolate Butterscotch Creams Make Cream Butterscotch Balls, and leave mixture in the buttered pan. Cover with melted fondant flavored with vanilla, and when firm cut in small pieces, and dip in melted coating chocolate.

Chocolate Coffee Beans Coating chocolate Fresh roasted coffee beans

Melt chocolate over hot water, being careful that not a drop of water gets into the chocolate; then beat it until cool. Dip freshly roasted coffee beans in the chocolate; lift out with a fork, and drop on wax paper or marble slab to harden. Blanched almonds or Brazil nuts, filberts, peanuts, pecans, or walnuts may be coated in the same way.

Cocoanut Chocolate Ruffs ¼ pound coating chocolate 1½ cups cocoanut

Melt chocolate over hot water, and stir in all the long strip cocoanut it will coat and hold. Take out pieces the size of a marble, and lay on wax paper to dry.

This is an excellent way to utilize a small amount of chocolate that may be left from dipping centers.