How To Make Chocolate
If you are reading this then you probably want to know how to make chocolate from scratch at home. Your question could stem from seeing the ever increasing prices of store-bought chocolate, or you could be looking for a natural chocolate that contains only the ingredients you want it to contain. You could also be looking for a new hobby, so why not learn how to make chocolate at home.
How to make chocolate in 5 easy steps
Making chocolate from scratch isn’t actually that easy and there are many factors that can affect the quality of your finished product. The following steps will produce a tasty chocolate.- Roast your cacao beans – you can roast your beans in your oven or over a gas grill if you prefer. When using an oven you should spread the beans in a single layer on a cookie tray for anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes. Start the roasting process at a high temperature (320ºF) and then decrease it as time goes on. Your beans are ready when the husks begin to crack.
- Winnow the roasted beans – this is one of the most important steps with regards to how to make chocolate because it ensures your finished product is free from bits of crunchy husk. First you need to crack and peel away the husks from the beans. Then you need to stir the beans in a pot while blowing on them (by mouth or with a hair dryer) to winnow away the small bits of husk.
- Grind the beans into a thick liquid – this is best achieved with a good quality juicer although you can do it by hand if you don’t have a juicer. The end result is a chocolate paste that tastes very bitter.
- Temper the chocolate – this is said to be the hardest part of learning how to make chocolate from scratch. It involves heating the chocolate paste to 320ºF and letting it cool to around 212ºF while constantly stirring. It is then left to cool by another 10 degrees before being reheated back up to 320ºF when the cycle starts again. The result of getting the process right is a smooth, creamy chocolate but don’t worry if you get it wrong – your chocolate will still be delicious.
- Flavor and mold – add dry milk powder, sugar and flavorings to your chocolate (vanilla and mint are popular) until you get the taste you want. Finish by pouring the mixture into molds or onto a cookie tray and allow it to cool and harden.
Now that you know how to make chocolate candy there is nothing stopping you from having a go.