Basic mole paste recipe

Toast the chiles
Wash the dried chiles under cold running water, break off the stems and shake off the seeds.

Toast the chiles in a heavy skillet over high heat, making sure that they do not turn black (and therefore bitter).

Soak the chiles and raisins
Add the roasted chiles and raising in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Leave for 30 minutes.

Toast the nuts, bread and corn tortilla
Place the sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and almonds into individual oven safe bowls or cups and toast in the oven at 350 F (180 C) for 8-10 minutes. Watch continuously and remove any nuts that start turning golden brown. Again, burning the nuts will cause them to turn btter.

While the nuts are toasting, place the white bread and corn tortilla in the oven and toast them as well.

Chush the spices
Add the cloves, black peppercorns, cinnamon and oregano in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and process until smooth.

Make the paste
Remove the chiles and raisins from the water and dry on a towel. Put in a bowl and add the almonds, pumpkin and sesame seeds and mix well.

Grind the chili and nut mixture in a blender, in 3-4 batches, adding every time a bit of water, until you get a smooth puree.

Add the spices, the raisins, the tortilla, the bread and chocolate and process until finely chopped. Add the chili puree and process for 1 to two minutes more, until all ingredients are well blended.