Chocolate Tablets

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F.

   Step 2

   Place the almonds and canela on separate baking sheets and roast, turning often, until everything is toasted; the canela should take about 5 minutes and the almonds 10 minutes (remove the canela while the almonds continue to toast). Remove from the oven and let cool on a plate. (You could do this on the stove instead using a comal or griddle over moderate heat but you’ll need to pay close attention to it.)

   Step 3

   Lay the cacao beans in a single layer on another baking sheet. Once the almonds are done, put the cacao beans in the oven and decrease the heat to 300°F (the initial hotter temperature will give the almonds a nice roasted flavor). Make sure you move the beans around often so they roast evenly, and bake until they all change color and the outer shells begin to crack slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. The best test, however, is to smell them. Make sure you don’t overroast the beans or they will be bitter.

   Step 4

   Remove the beans from the oven and let cool slightly so they are easier to handle. Remove the outer shells with your hands by pressing each bean lightly. Try a bean; it should have a nice roasted flavor and shouldn’t be bitter, but may be acidic because of the tannins.

   Step 5

   Grind the cooled beans in a food processor for awhile until they are all “melted” into a smooth paste (you’ll know what I mean when you get there; just be patient), scraping down the sides as needed.

   Step 6

   Coarsely chop the almonds, break the canela into small pieces, and add to the cacao, continuing to grind. Add the sugar, starting with 3 cups and add a little more, if needed, depending on the beans (the mixture should be sweet but not overly so). Continue grinding for awhile longer until everything comes together. The mixture should be smooth and slightly grainy.

   Step 7

   Line an 11 by 17-inch baking sheet with a nonstick mat or wax paper, pour the chocolate mixture onto it, and flatten with your hands or a spatula (use a little cold water in either case so it doesn’t stick). Make sure it is spread out evenly. Using a sharp knife, lightly mark the tablets to your desired size (I like to do 1 inch by 2 inches) with a ruler, dipping the knife in a container of hot water and drying it as needed so it doesn’t stick. Allow them to fully set (usually overnight), then separate the tablets and store in an airtight container in a dry place. They should last about 3 months if stored properly. They may discolor with time, but this doesn’t mean they are spoiled.