Choose the best treble-refined sugar with a good grain, pound it, and pass it through a coarse hair sieve; sift again in a lawn sieve to take out the finest part, as the sugar, when it is too fine, makes the drops heavy and compact, and destroys their brilliancy and shining appearance.

Put some of the coarse grains of sugar into a small drop pan (these are made with a lip on the right side, so that when it is held in the left hand the drops can be detached with the right), moisten it with any aromatic spirit you intend to use, and a sufficient quantity of water to make it of a consistence just to drop off the spoon or spatula without sticking to it. Colour with prepared cochineal, or any other colour, ground fine and moistened with a little water. Let the tint which you give be as light and delicate as possible. Place the pan on the stove fire, on a ring of the same size. Stir it occasionally until it makes a noise, when it is near boiling, but do not let it boil; then take it from the fire, and stir it well with the spatula until it is of the consistence that when dropped it will not spread too much, but retain a round form on the surface. If it should be too thin, add a little coarse sugar, which should be reserved for the purpose, and make it of the thickness required. Have some very smooth and even plates, made either of tin or copper; let them be quite clean, and drop them on these, separating the sugar from the lip of the pan with a piece of straight wire, as regularly as possible. About two hours afterwards they may be taken off with a thin knife. If you have not the convenience of tin or copper plates, they may be dropped on smooth cartridge paper. Wet the back of the paper when you want to take them off Cover the bottom of a sieve with paper, lay them on it, and put them in the stove for a few hours. If they remain too long, it will destroy their fragrancy.