HOW TO MAKE PLASTER PARIS MOLDS.
Don’t run the plaster paris into starch, as it requires too much work to whittle them in shape. For a smooth mold follow these instructions:
Soak in cold water one-half pound of Jap gelatin for three hours, then put it in the kettle and cook it, stirring all the time until it is dissolved, then pour it in a deep pan and let set. Try it once in a while by sticking your finger in it, and when the impression you make with your finger does not close up at once, then put in one of each kind of molds you wish to get pattern of, and let remain in gelatin until it gets cold and sets. Then pick out the molds and mix whatever plaster paris you wish to use in cold water so that it can be run through a funnel, and run it in the impressions made. When they set you can take a pin, pick them out and refill the impressions a dozen times if you like and your molds will come out nice and smooth. Don’t get the plaster paris too thin when mixing; also use the dentist’s plaster paris, as it is the best for this use and costs very little more than the common.
A very soft center for a hand-made chocolate can be produced by placing eight or ten pounds of bon bon cream in a one-gallon ice cream can, and then surrounding the can with ice, and leave so for a few hours; then as your helper takes out of the can pieces of the cream and rolls them around as you dip them, you will find after they are dipped that in less than ten minutes you have a softer center than you can produce by running cream in starch.