How To Make Chocolate

The word ‘chocolate’ always brings a smile on your face and if you are able to grab one as well, it gives immense satisfaction. It is not only a valuable energy source, but also helps boost your mood when you are depressed, suffering from pre-menstrual syndromes or have the problem of high blood pressure. The craving of chocolate can come at any time of the day (even at night) and it is quite obvious that you won’t always put your shoes on and go out to buy the ‘sinful’ food, if your stock is empty. So why not make chocolate at home and pamper yourself by giving a Chocó treat. With help of the simple recipes given below, know how to make your very own chocolate at home and satisfy the urge.

Homemade Chocolate Recipes

Recipe 1

Ingredients

Butter
Powdered Sugar
Baking Cocoa
Milk Powder
Hot Water

Instructions

Combine one cup of cocoa powder and 2 cups of milk powder in a bowl and mix well.
Put two cups of sugar in a pan and place it on flame. Let it caramelize, while stirring the mixture so that it doesn’t get burnt.
Add the mixture of cocoa and milk powder to the caramel and stir it well. Mix it till it thickens and then add lukewarm water to it, to form a slightly thick paste.
Beat the mixture well, to form a smooth paste. Take a mould or tray and pour the liquid chocolate in it.
Put the mould/tray in freezer for 5- 6 hours. Take the chocolate out of the mould and serve.

Recipe 2

Ingredients

Cocoa Beans
Cocoa Liqueur
Roasting Pan
Sugar
Milk Powder
Sugar
Lecithin
Vanilla Pod (optional)
Cocoa Butter

Instructions

Lay the cocoa beans in a single layer across a cookie sheet and start off with an 18 minute roast in a preheated oven, at an initial high temperature of 450 deg C (1200 deg F).
Expose the beans to lower temperature, between 120-160 deg C (250-325 deg F), gradually and stop roasting when the beans start to crack (but do not burn).
After roasting, let the beans cool down. Now, crack into nibs and winnow them to remove husks. Grind the nibs in cocoa liqueur, in a juicer that is more powerful than what we use at home.
Feed the nibs into the juicer one handful at a time, being sure to push them in gently. Cocoa liqueur will come through the screen and a mixture of husks and liqueur will find its way through the spout. You can feed this mixture through the juicer again, until only the husk comes through the spout.
Melt the chocolate and the cocoa butter in the oven, to about 120 F. You can even combine them with milk powder, sugar, lecithin and a vanilla pod (split and soaked in the cocoa butter for 1 hour; this is an optional flavoring).
Pour the chocolate mixture in a 2 L Santha Wet grinder, pointing a hair dryer periodically at it for 2-3 minutes. to keep the chocolate melted during the first hour. The friction created by the grinder will keep the chocolate liquid melted later.
Continue refining for at least 10 hours, but no more than 36 hours, until the chocolate tastes smooth and balanced. If you are taking a break, turn off the grinder, put the covered bowl into an oven that's preheated to 150 F, but turned off, and leave it there overnight. It shouldn't solidify, but if it does, take the cover off and turn the oven on, at about 150-175. until the chocolate melts.
Melt the chocolate at 100 degree F and pour about one third of the contents of the chocolate onto a hard, non-porous countertop or other surface (granite or marble works best).
Spread the chocolate out with a spatula and then bring it all back together. Continue doing it for 10-15 minutes, until it comes down at a temperature of 85 degree F and becomes a thick mass.
Now, add some more chocolate (100 degree F) from the bowl and repeat the process.
Return the chocolate back into the bowl, with the 100 degree chocolate. Stir it gently, and try not to create bubbles. Take care that the temperature strictly lies between 90- 92 degrees F.
Pour the chocolate in the moulds you would prefer and either freeze, refrigerate, or let it harden at room temperature.
When the chocolate is hardened, remove it from the mould and look for the glossy appearance. Your yummy chocolate is ready.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Art & Entertainment'