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To Prepare the Chocolate

Pour some boiling water in a stone mortar to heat it well, remove, wipe dry, then place cacao in mortar and with stone-pounder, also warmed up, crush to a fine powder. Cut one-third of a bean best vanilla into exceedingly small pieces and add to cacao, sharply pound again for thirty minutes or till completely free from grit, detaching pulp with a spoon from around mortar once in a while. Gradually add a pound sifted fine sugar to the cacao, and vigorously pound again until a fine paste totally free from any clots. Take up pulp from mortar, roll it into a ball and sharply flatten between the hands. Repeat this three times. To have chocolate right the temperature where it is worked should be not less than 70 degrees.

Have two eight-sectioned chocolate moulds, each section to hold an ounce. Divide chocolate in two equal parts, then divide one part in half. Roll out these halves with the hands to length of mould and neatly and carefully spread it out equally to fully cover all sections of mould. Lift up mould by taking hold in centre of the narrow sides with thumb and finger and gently knock on table till chocolate is equally and smoothly spread in all the sections. Proceed with other half in same manner, then place both moulds on top of ice for thirty minutes, or until perfectly hard. Remove from ice, unmould, wrap in chocolate tinfoil, place in tin box, tightly cover, place in a dry, cool place and use when desired.

HOME-MADE CHOCOLATE WAFERS (PASTILLES) Have three ordinary low-edged tins (used for this purpose only). With the hands roll out remaining pound of chocolate to a long, thin, round, flute-like shape, then divide into small pieces the size of good-sized hazel nuts, roll with the fingers into balls and lay on tins a half inch apart. Take hold of a corner of each tin with the hand and slightly knock on table, so as to have the pastilles in a nice, round, smooth shape of about a half inch in diameter. As soon as a tin is full place it directly on the ice, and when another is ready place it alongside the first. When the third is finished the one first put on ice should be quite hard enough; remove and place the last one in its place and let stand until hard. Remove from ice, spread a large sheet of white paper on table, turn tins upside down and sharply shake off pastilles from pans. Dress on a dessert dish over a fancy paper and serve, or place in a tin box, tightly cover, place in a cool spot and use as required. N.B. Cacao shells should never be thrown away. Prepared as you would prepare tea, they make an excellent stomach-fortifying tonic. Place a tablespoon shells in a teapot, pour boiling water over, allow to infuse for ten minutes, strain and serve. Place shells in a covered tin, keep in a cool place and use as desired.