Melt a little fondant and flavor it to taste with essence of peppermint; leave the mixture white or tint very delicately with green or pink color-paste.  With a teaspoon drop the mixture onto waxed paper to make rounds of the same size—­about one inch and a quarter in diameter—­let these stand in a cool place about one hour.  Put about a cup of fondant in a double boiler, add two ounces of chocolate and a teaspoonful of boiling water, then stir (over hot water) until the fondant and chocolate are melted and evenly mixed together; then drop the peppermints, one by one, into the chocolate mixture, and remove them with the fork to a piece of oil cloth; let stand until the chocolate is set, when they are ready to use.

FIG-AND-NUT CHOCOLATES

[Illustration:  FIG AND NUT CHOCOLATES.]

5 figs, 3 or 4 tablespoonfuls of water or sherry wine, 1/2 a cup of English walnut meats, Powdered sugar, Fondant, 3 or 4 ounces of Baker’s Chocolate, 1 teaspoonful of vanilla.

Remove the stem and hard place around the blossom end of the figs, and let steam, with the water or wine, in a double boiler until softened, then add the nuts and chop very fine.  Add powdered sugar as is needed to shape the mixture into balls.  Melt the chocolate, using enough to secure the shade of brown desired in the coating and add to the fondant with the vanilla.  Coat the fig-and-nut balls and drop them with the fork onto a piece of oil cloth or waxed paper in the same manner as the cherry bon-bons.  These may be dipped in “Dot” Chocolate instead of fondant.

CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOWS

[Illustration:  CHOCOLATE MARSHMALLOWS.]

Cut the marshmallows in halves, and put them, one by one, cut side down, in chocolate fondant (as prepared for almond and cherry chocolate creams), melted over hot water and flavored to taste with vanilla.  Beat the chocolate with the fork, that it may not crust over, lift out the marshmallow, turn it and, in removing the fork, leave its imprint in the chocolate; sprinkle at once with a little fine-chopped pistachio nut meat.  To prepare the nuts, set them over the fire in tepid water to cover, heat to the boiling point, drain, cover with cold water, then take them up, one by one, and with the thumb and finger push the meat from the skin.

MAPLE FONDANT ACORNS

[Illustration:  MAPLE FONDANT ACORNS.]

2 cups of maple syrup, 1-3/4 cups of granulated sugar, 3/4 a cup of cold water, Confectioner’s sugar, 2 or more squares of Baker’s Chocolate, 1 teaspoon of vanilla, About 1/4 a cup of fine-chopped almonds, browned in the oven.

Make fondant of the syrup, granulated sugar and cold water, following the directions given for fondant made of granulated sugar (cream of tartar or other acid is not required in maple fondant).  Work some