Step 1

• Cut the stems off the chiles; open them and remove the seeds and veins. Reserve a tablespoon of seeds (or more if you want your mole to be spicier); discard the stems, veins, and any remaining seeds. Roughly chop the chiles.
• Heat two tablespoons of lard in a frying pan. Fry the chili pieces, stirring constantly so they don't burn.
• Place the fried chiles in a bowl. Heat half a liter of chicken broth to a boil. Pour the broth over the chiles, just enough to cover them. Let the chiles soak for at least an hour or overnight.

Step 2

• Roast the tomatoes in a hot pan, turning them occasionally so they char slightly on all sides. Set them aside.
• In a dry skillet, toast together the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon (broken into small pieces), coriander seeds, and anise seeds. Stir frequently to prevent burning; the goal is to release the flavors and aromas of the spices with the heat. When they are lightly browned, remove them from the heat and set them aside.
• In the same dry pan, toast the chili seeds. Set them aside with the spices.
• Chop the onion and garlic. Cut the tortillas and bread into pieces.

Step 3

• Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet. (You'll add more fat, one tablespoon at a time, as needed.) Fry the onion and garlic over medium heat until the onion is translucent. Remove them from the skillet and set aside.
• Briefly fry the raisins; remove them from the pan and add them to the fried onion.
• In the same fat, fry the almonds until lightly browned; don't let them burn. Remove the almonds and set them aside with the onion.
• Fry the tortilla and bread pieces until golden brown; then store them with the other fried ingredients.

Step 4

• Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large pot.
• Place the roasted tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Add all the spices and toasted seeds and blend well. Pour the mixture into the skillet and fry, stirring frequently, for about five minutes. (Be very careful not to burn yourself, as the blended mixture will splatter a lot in the hot oil when poured into the pan.)
• Pour the chiles into a blender along with the broth they were soaked in. Add the fried ingredients (onion, garlic, tortillas, bread, raisins, peanuts, and almonds) and another liter of chicken broth. Blend until smooth. If the mixture needs more liquid to blend properly, add a little more chicken broth.
• Add this mixture to the pan and continue cooking the mole, stirring frequently so that it does not stick.

5º Paso

• Chop the chocolate into pieces and add them to the mole. Continue cooking and stirring frequently for about 40 more minutes, or until the flavors are well combined and the mole has thickened slightly. Use the mole immediately or refrigerate it for several days (it will develop an even more exquisite flavor as it rests); simply reheat it when you want to eat it.
• Serve the mole with pre-cooked pieces of chicken or turkey, topping them with the sauce and accompanied by white rice. If there are leftovers, use them to make enchiladas, tostadas, or tortas.