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. Color with prepared cochineal, or any other color, 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.
CATECHU DROPS.--One pound of sugar, three ounces of catechu. Make as violet. These may also have the addition of a little musk or ambergris--about fifteen grains.
CHOCOLATE DROPS.--One pound of sugar, one ounce of chocolate. Scrape the chocolate to a powder, and mix it with the sugar in coarse grains, moisten it with clean water, and proceed according to the instructions already given, but do not mix more than can be dropped out whilst warm at one time. If any remains in the pot, it will grease the next which you mix, and will not attain the consistence required.