How do you make chocolates?

[Trac]

I don't know if this belongs in N & G.E, but I'm looking for a recipe for chocolates that you would make in a mold. Just got a silicone chocolate mold, and I would like to make some chocolates free of additives and all that yucky stuff. Something easy, because...well, just because

[cristeen]

solid chocolates or filled?

For solid, it's really simple. Melt chocolate, pour into mold, let cool until set, turn out.

For filled, it's a bit more complicated, and then there's the whole question of what you want to fill them with. Not sure how a silicone mold would do with filled chocolates though, all my chocolate molds are hard plastic.

The addition of a little CO to the chocolate will help it melt smoothly and make it easier to work with.

I don't tend to bother with tempering, because I'm not a professional, and they don't have to be perfect for my purposes. But if you really want to get into it I suggest investing in a chocolate thermometer and read up on tempering.

[Trac]

Is it really as simple as that? I was just thinking of solid chocolates, but I was planning to use Baker's chocolate, which is a hard as a rock, break your tooth kind of solid. Will it return to that state after being melted and cooled? Is there something I can/should add to it to make it a bit softer?

What is CO?

Thanks!

[JamieCatheryn]

I made Easter chocolates earlier this year they worked great. The most important thing is get good chocolate that's just like what you want your finished product to be.

Set up a double boiler, if you don't have a special one put a smaller pot in a larger pot, boil water in the larger pot. Once that's good a boiling, put the chocolate in the smaller one and turn the heat way down or off. Then just let the chocolate melt, stirring when it's almost melted. Don't overheat just get it nice and melty. Don't let water get in it. Once it's melted just pour into molds, stick in the freezer for a few minutes (5-15 depending on size, too long is way better than too short).

To temper it and make it pretty and shiny as a finished product you get a chocolate thermometer where you can clearly see each degree. Melt 2/3 of your chocolate, bring it up to 115F for dark, 110 for milk or white, then add the rest. Cool down to 84, and when you're ready to use it in molds bring up to 88 for dark 87 for milk or white, make sure it doesn't get above 91 at this stage. All that isn't really needed though.


Another treat with chocolate and only great ingredients is truffles. They're a great soft and decadent chocolate. Take 8oz of good chocolate, either bittersweet or semi-sweet, put in a bowl (if it was squares or block then chop small, chip sized is fine). Get 1/2 cup dairy cream boiling well, pour it in to the chocolate bowl. Let it sit 5 minutes til the chocolate gets melted. Stir with a whisk in the middle of it until it's nice and blended (looks awful at first then so great!). Scrape down the sides when you're done.

You can add flavor, peppermint oil at the end of stirring (1/4t to 1/2t), flavored syrups or alcohol based extracts to the cream before combining, or steep grated orange peel in the cream then strain it out before combining.

Stick the bowl in the fridge overnight or several hours, then scoop out bite sized amounts and form into irregular balls (a melon baller is good, if you have to form it by hand you'll get messy). You could also put in molds before you refrigerate, I think. Either way, next you roll it in either cocoa power or powdered sugar. Store in the fridge, serve at room temp.

[Ruthla]

This might not be "nutritious" but chocolates are certainly "good eating!"

I've used double boilers to melt chocolates, or the microwave (be careful- it's easy to burn chocolate if you're not careful and don't keep stirring. Chocolates will NOT lose their shape when melted in the microwave- you have to stir them.)

I've never added anything to the melting chocolate. If you use unsweetened baker's chocolate, you'll need to add "stuff" to make it taste good and have a good texture. I usually use chocolate chips that are already yummy- just melt, pour, and let cool.

[cristeen]

If by Baker's choc you mean unsweetened - don't. You don't have the equipment to sweeten it without a gritty end product. Start with an already sweetened product... whatever sweetness you prefer, or mix a couple together to make your own.

And yes, it will be just as hard after as it was before. Adding a little coconut oil (CO) will help it to soften up a bit. Or a little bit of heavy cream. You don't want to add anything that contains water (like milk) - it will make the chocolate seize. But the problem with adding cream is that the chocolates won't last as long.

To start with I really recommend starting simple... chocolate chips or bars that don't really need any fussing. After you've done it a few times and have some confidence, then you can start experimenting.

[Trac]

Thank you so much! I see that I'll have to get another kind of chocolate. The Baker's chocolate I was planning to use is the sweetened variety, but if it's going to be as hard after as it is now, I don't want to use it. Maybe I will try a bit with CO () just to see what happens! Truffles sound so good, too!