Tips for Making Delicious Homemade Chocolate
Need some quick tips to making homemade
chocolate? Whether you're new to making
homemade chocolate or whether you've had
lots of experience, by following these tips
gathered over the years from expert chocolate
makers, you can create better chocolate candy
at home.
Tips to make your homemade chocolate
creations even better:
1. After you purchase the chips or wafers of chocolate you’re going to melt as a chocolate base for your candy, leave them in the plastic bags they came in to melt them. Simply put the bag into the microwave or use a double boiler to melt them in the bag, then cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and use it like a pastry bag, squeezing the chocolate out of the bag and into your molds.
2. When you're melting chocolate in the microwave, start with just 1 minute, then check it and stir before you microwave for another minute. Continue this at one minute increments until it’s melted. Everybody's microwave is different and each type of chocolate has a different melting point so it's important to go slowly until you figure out just how your own particular microwave deals with melting chocolate. Melting your
chocolate in one minute increments means that you won’t accidentally burn it.
3. If your chocolate is too thick after melting, add small amount of Crisco.
4. Avoid freezing your chocolate creations. Freezing breaks down chocolate and you'll lose the delicious homemade chocolate flavor. Instead of freezing your chocolate candy, store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
5. Properly wrapped and stored dark chocolate can be kept for up to a year. However, milk chocolate will only stay good for about six months. After six months, white spots will appear on the chocolate. This "bloom" means the chocolate is starting to separate and you should eat immediately or throw it away.
6. If your chocolate does develop bloom and you don't want to right away, you can still save it by melting the chocolate down, adding a few new ingredients, putting it in new molds, and then wrapping it and put it away once more to last another six months.
7. To cut calories and make your homemade chocolate last longer, cut your homemade chocolate bars into smaller pieces, then wrap them and put them in the refrigerator. When you or the kids want a cold, sweet treat on a hot summer day take out a piece of the cold homemade chocolate. It will have fewer calories and fat than ice cream or a full candy bar and homemade chocolate will taste great too!
If you refrigerate your homemade chocolate, be sure its well wrapped to prevent absorbing foreign odors and dampness.
When it comes to making homemade chocolates, everyone has their own preferred methods to use and over time, you'll develop your own as well. The most important aspect of learning to make great homemade chocoalte is just to jump in and experiment yourself.
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Tips for Making Better Homemade Chocolate
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