Make Chocolate From Scratch Like The Pro's

If you know how to appreciate good chocolate, this is a decadent little treat that you probably keep in your home at all times. If you're tired of combing store shelves looking for the perfect chocolate confection, you can take matters into your own hands and learn how to make chocolate from scratch. You've probably always thought that making chocolate was something too complicated for the ordinary home cook. However, with the right resources, anyone can make their own chocolate. It's much easier than you may have thought and the rewards are all too sweet.

To make chocolate from scratch, you'll need to follow these steps:

•    Roast whole cocoa beans in the oven
•    Separate the hulls from the nibs so you're working with the peeled cocoa beans
•    Process the cocoa beans to make a fine powder
•    Grind your desired sweetener until very fine
•    Combine the cocoa bean powder and the sweetener and blend well
•    Add cocoa butter as needed to the soft moist blend until it reaches your desired consistency
•    Blend additional spices or flavorings into the chocolate
•    Conch the chocolate mix with a mortar and pestle for at least 15 minutes, or until the mixture achieves your desired flavor
•    Table the chocolate on a marble slab and fold it slowly with scrapers until it's free of lumps and has a smooth even consistency
•    Pour your chocolate into the desired molds

Each step of the process allows for lots of personalization. When you make chocolate from scratch, you have complete control over every step of the process. Your decision-making begins with the cocoa beans you choose. Different varieties will give you different flavors when you make chocolate from scratch. The type and amount of sweetener that you add will determine how dark the finished chocolate is. Additional spices and flavorings will give you lots of room for creativity as you create one of a kind flavors each time you make chocolate from scratch.

Don't leave your taste buds at the mercy of mass produced chocolate. Truly gourmet chocolate is handmade. While there are many expensive gourmet options that are still handmade, particularly in Europe, obtaining them isn't realistic for most chocolate lovers. You can solve this problem by learning to make chocolate from scratch at home. Your finished products are sure to astonish and impress. If you manage to cook up more chocolate than you can eat through in your own home, just imagine the possibilities for unique one-of-a-kind gifts.

When you know how to make chocolate from scratch, you can make a special chocolate treat for everyone on your gift list. Carefully consider each recipient's personal tastes and brew up a special batch of chocolate just for him or her. Deep and dark or smooth and milky, there are endless options when it comes to making chocolate. You can create chocolate truffles, squares, or candies for your family and friends. You may even become an amateur chocolatier yourself, selling your creations for profit. The options for making delicious snacks and desserts are unlimited when you take the time to learn all the intricacies of homemade chocolate.

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