How to make chocolate

It has been often asked, how to make chocolate at home? Making homemade chocolate is a truly wonderful experience. It can be the most delicious chocolate you ever had, and it is fun to make. Chocolate is a delicious dessert that many people enjoy. A great thing about chocolate is that it is versatile. You can put in on many things, and serve it with almost anything. There are many different kinds, and each offers a unique flavor. In this recipe, we will be making real, pure chocolate, which many consider
to be bitter.

This kind of chocolate is said to taste bad and it is rich with antioxidants, which keep your immune system up and ready.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. of raw cocoa beans (you can find these online)

• 1/2 cup of sugar

• Additional flavoring (mint)

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 2/3 cup of milk, or half and half

Steps

1. Roast the raw cocoa beans. Put a single layer of beans on a cookie sheet. Roast them for about 30 minutes in a 300 degree oven. Let the beans cool, and pull the husks off. Discard of the husks.

2. Break up the beans. This can be done with a hammer and washcloth, or you can use a mortar and pestle. When they are in pieces, grind them in a clean pepper grinder, or continue using the mortar.

Tip- It is suggested you use a pepper grinder for the second phase of grinding as it gets harder to use a mortar as the pieces get small. It is possible, however, to make the pieces smaller with a mortar.

3. When the pieces of bean are small, continue mashing with the mortar and pestle. By this point the beans will have turned into a brown mush. It may look good, but it tastes very bitter.

4. Heat a large pan of water until it is hot, but not boiling. Transfer the cocoa bean paste to a smaller pan. Place the smaller pan in the pan of hot water. When the paste is heated, but not cooking, transfer the paste back into the bowl and continue to work with the mortar. Continue to use the mortar on the paste until it is of a smooth consistency.

5. Add the sugar and the milk or half and half and vanilla, if you decide to use any flavoring. When the sugar and flavorings are mixed in, pour the chocolate into molds, or a large pan that you can cut into small bars. Let the chocolate cool and harden. This can be done a room temperature, or in the fridge covered by foil.

Tips

Start with less sugar, and keep adding until it reaches the desired sweetness. Experiment with different flavorings, or stick to just sugar and cocoa.

The chocolate is crude, not like the chocolate that you buy in stores. If you want to make a smoother chocolate that requires more equipment.

Warning

Be careful that you do not burn yourself on the stove. Always supervise children while they are cooking.

Things You’ll Need

• Two pans

• Mortar and pestle

• Pepper grinder

• Bowl

• Wooden spoon

• Molds

• Cookie sheet

• Cocoa beans

Did you enjoy this recipe on how to make chocolate at home?

And you'll never guess what? Dark chocolate can actually help with
weight loss. So now you have no excuse.

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