Take a large metal baking tray and turn upside down. Cover with a sheet of wax paper - waxed side upmost.

Take the bowl of fluid chocolate, flavoured to taste if required - Coffee or chocolate are ideal flavourings

Wipe the bottom of the bowl well to get rid of any moisture, and pour the melted chocolate evenly onto the waxed paper making as even an oblong as possible Bang the tray to get rid of any air bubbles and tilt the tray to keep the chocolate in as even shape as possible.

Spread chocolate evenly over the surface using a plastic spatula to help and leave the slab to set at room temperature.

Make an icing bag from waxed paper or use an icing tube or bag fitted with a thin plain nozzle and fill 1/2 full with melted chocolate.

Hold the bag or tube about 6" above the chocolate slab and squiggle a stream of chocolate in an irregular pattern over the whole of the slab.

Should the chocolate solidify at the tip of the nozzle just remove with the tip of a clean knife The higher you hold your bag or tube the more irregular your pattern on the slab will look - this is the effect you want for your chocolate sticks.

Leave the slab to set at room temperature - NOT IN THE REFRIGERATOR!

Leave only long enough for chocolate to become firm before progressing to the next stage.

Cut out sticks by putting a clean ruler on its edge and pressing the blade of a sharp knife along the ruler's length. Sticks should not be too wide or they will break (a good width is 1/4 inch).

When the widths have been marked, they can thenbe divided into sticks of the required length. Do make them too long or they will break. Should you have any breakages - don't worry! Even up the lengths and use as smaller sticks.

Any shapes may be cut from your slab with a knife or fancy cutters but be careful that your slab is not too firm or you will find a tendency to cracking.

You may require a more fancy finish - create this by decorating the surface of your slab with chocolate vermicelli or hundreds and thousands.

Remove the sticks by running your hand under the back of the wax paper to loosen the shapes. Put the tray into the refrigerator for about 5 minutes to set completely then remove carefully onto a clean tea towel.

Should you have any left over chocolate or trimmings this can be returned to the melting bowl and later remelted.

Your chocolate sticks make an ideal after dinner offering. Display them in a shiny silver goblet or crystal glass.

We will see how to make a chocolate stand to complete a centre piece for your table in a later lesson