This chocolate coating is very easily and quickly done, and is exactly the same as all fine hand-made chocolates are coated, and it is practically all done by girls; so you will have no trouble in soon mastering it. Do not think it too difficult, for it is so simple that a child can coat after these directions.

The methods for working the chocolate as illustrated, are those used by a professional chocolate coater. Notice how the chocolate is kept in the palm of the hand. These pictures were taken after she had completed her work of preparing the chocolate, and at the end of the day her hand is just as free from chocolate as in the pictures.

Take the desired amount of chocolate; break it into pieces, put them in a double boiler, and place it over the fire. The heat of the water in the lower part of the boiler melts the chocolate. Do not put on a lid or add water because moisture or water that gets into the chocolate ruins it for chocolate coating, but it may be used for cocoa or baking. In most cases where the chocolate becomes too thick to coat with, you can save it by adding cocoa butter, of which we will tell you later on. Stir the chocolate occasionally while melting, to help break up the lumps. As soon as the water in the lower part of the boiler comes to a boil, turn the fire down very low, so that the water does not boil and cause steam to fly over the top of the chocolate, as that is sufficient to thicken the chocolate. When it is about half melted, draw it to the back part of the stove, and stir it until all the lumps are dissolved. If you wish, you may test the chocolate with the thermometer. Put the thermometer in the chocolate as soon as you set the double boiler off the fire. The required degree is 125. If the chocolate is cooler than this, heat it until it registers 125. If it happens to get a little too hot, lift the upper part of the boiler out of the water for a few minutes, but do not leave it out long. After you have a little experience, it will not be necessary to test with the thermometer, as you can tell with the hand when it is about the required degree.

If you wish to coat a large amount of candy, it is best to melt all the chocolate at the same time. It can be kept the correct temperature by allowing it to stand on the back part of the stove, or if you use gas for cooking, keep a simmering flame under the double boiler. It is always necessary to melt more chocolate than you expect to use, because you must allow for that which cools around the edges, forms the base on the slab, and clings to the sides of the kettle.

Orientals are the favorite chocolate candy and that is why we use it in illustration. Three-fourths of a pound of chocolate is the actual amount of chocolate needed to coat a batch, but as you will put it on thicker, and use more when you are a beginner, melt 1½ pounds.

You will learn from experience only, about how long it is necessary to work and knead the coating before using it. This is done for two purposes: One is, to break up the small globules of oil in the chocolate to prevent them from being spotted when coated, and the other is, to get your chocolate thick enough, so it will not run off the cream after you lay it on the oilcloth or wax paper. As you all know, if you dip chocolate creams in thin chocolate, it runs off and forms a base on the bottom of them.

If you should use a bowl and a pan of water instead of double boiler, be very careful and do not get any water in it, and also in pouring the chocolate out in order to work it, do not pour it on a cold slab or platter, as that chills it too quickly, but have it lukewarm.

DIRECTIONS.

Pour on the slab 1½ pounds of the melted chocolate. Assume the position of the hand as shown in figure 1; draw the fingers through the chocolate with a “pawing” motion as shown in figure 2. Each time that the fingers touched the chocolate on the downward motion, close the hand, and lightly squeeze the chocolate that is held between the fingers and the palm. The chocolate flows through the fingers and from the sides of the closed hand. Repeat this motion until the chocolate is spread out over the slab, (it will only be a few times), then encircle the outer edge, drawing the chocolate toward the center, as shown in figures 3 and 4. The thin layer of chocolate which remains is the foundation for the base which keeps the chocolate within bounds. Never draw into the center any of the chocolate that has become hard or that which is getting stiff. It will spoil the entire lot. Continue the “pawing” process, following it with the operations as shown in figures 3 and 4. Occasionally take up a handful and squeeze it as shown in figure 5. The chocolate in these illustrations was allowed to become cold, so as to give you a better idea how it should be done.

When the chocolate is warm it is thin, but by the time it has cooled enough it will be thick enough not to run off the center. You must continue working the mass of chocolate until the heat has all left it. There are several ways of telling when it is cooled enough.

For a beginner, we might advise you to use the thermometer until you have had a little experience. Slide the scale with the glass on, out of the case, so that the chocolate will cover all of the bulb, and after you have worked it for about five minutes, stand the thermometer in the center of the mass of chocolate until the mercury stops rising. If it registers about 82, it is then ready. If it is higher, continue working until it has reached the required degree. In cool weather the chocolate may be cooled sufficiently in from five to eight minutes, but in warm weather it may even take as long as twenty minutes. After you have used the thermometer a few times, you will know just how cool the chocolate should be, and then you can get along without it.

Another way to tell when the chocolate is cooled enough is, when you have worked it for five or six minutes, and it seems cold to the hand that is in it, simply dip the back of the fingers of the other hand in the chocolate, and if it is in reality cold, or you are sure the heat has all left it, then dip a piece or two, and cool them quickly, and you can soon tell. The chocolate has a high gloss, and retains the markings if it is cooled sufficiently.

COATING THE BON-BONS.

When the chocolate has been worked as directed, take a cream, (see directions “How to Mold in Cornstarch”), an Oriental center, or a nut and drop it on the mass of chocolate near the edge of the slab in front of you. Cover it thoroughly by using the thumb and first three fingers, as shown in figure 6. Pick up the cream from the mass of chocolate, wipe the side and back of your hand on the slab (or use the back of a knife) to clear it from the excess of chocolate which clings to it, otherwise this will drip over the paper when you lay down the cream. Smooth the chocolate covered cream by rolling it between your thumb and fingers until it is evenly covered with chocolate. Hold it with the tips of your fingers as shown in figure 7, and place it on the oil cloth at your right. In doing this, do not hurry or you will have strings of chocolate over the table and paper.

In laying the bon-bons on the oil cloth, LAY THEM DOWN SQUARELY. Do not allow them to slide or a base will form, which you wish to avoid. It is essential that the tray be level.

Coat the bon-bons as rapidly as possible so that it will not be necessary to reheat the chocolate before you have finished. If the chocolate is reheated, it must be worked again, as in the beginning.

ORNAMENTING THE BON-BONS.

In ornamenting bon-bons it is necessary to have some one help you. The ornament must be placed on each bon-bon as soon as coated, before the chocolate is set. Your helper can do this while you must continue with the work of coating.

A nut or silvered dragee, as shown in figure 8, may be put on top as an ornament. Do not press the ornament on the bon-bon, but place it lightly, otherwise it will form a base.

To acquire this skill in marking, begin by trying to mark the coated nuts. Roast some almonds in the oven with the skins on, which need not be removed when coating. English walnuts or pecans may also be used. The thread of chocolate is carried with the thumbnail across the top, as shown in figure 11. There is enough chocolate on the thumb, so that it is not necessary to touch the coated nut as you do when you mark the bon-bons.

After you have coated for some time and become an expert, you can learn to make the pretty markings seen on chocolate bon-bons, as shown in figure 9, which always distinguishes the hand-coated bon-bon. After you have placed the chocolate coated bon-bon on the paper, touch the top lightly with the chocolate covered middle finger. Carry the thread of chocolate that lifts up with your finger in a circle as shown in figure 10.

Do not be discouraged with your work, if you do not succeed the first few times. Many persons prefer the rough appearing candies, because in their opinion they look more “home-made.”