Make chocolate yourself
Time
Preparation time: 2 hours
Total preparation time: 2 hours
Delicately melting, sweet and incredibly delicious? There is probably no one who can resist the unique taste of high quality chocolate. Although the shelves of supermarkets are filled with countless types of chocolate, but the sweet seduction? also be easily created in your own four walls.
Chocolate is one of the most popular stimulants and "small sins"? many people. The "brown gold", as chocolate is often called, fills the shelves of huge supermarkets? the choice is almost limitless. From whole milk over dark chocolate to fancy chocolates is almost everything. Constantly created new extraordinary creations, which are refined with sweet fruits, alcohol or hot spices. Chocolate? a stimulant that seduces the palate and melts the heart.
What is in it?
Although the ingredients depend on the variety, however, are
- cocoa paste
- cocoa butter
- sugar
- Cream powder and
- emulsifiers
the basic ingredients used to make chocolate. Darker chocolates that use less sugar have a high cocoa content. Whole milk chocolates, on the other hand, are much brighter and sweeter because they are enriched not only with a lot of sugar, but also with milk or milk powder.
Cocoa mass, cocoa butter, emulsifiers? What is it?
When cocoa paste are called the fragments of dried cocoa beans, which are mixed with liquid and processed into a pulp. Since this process is extremely time consuming, the cocoa mass can also be replaced with cocoa powder. It is the same with cocoa butter, which is mainly used in industrial production technology. Cocoa butter is considered to be fat produced by squeezing cocoa seeds. Coconut oil is an ideal substitute and much cheaper than cocoa butter. On the addition of emulsifiers (Lecithin) can be safely dispensed with in the private sector. Emulsifiers can improve the consistency of the chocolate, they also provide the typical shine and a longer shelf life. Homemade chocolate should therefore be stored in the refrigerator to keep it shape-retaining and fresh.
Chocolate is not unhealthy
Basically, chocolate should be consumed in moderation as it contains fat and sugar that promote weight gain. However, consumers can benefit from positive effects due to the ingredients of cocoa beans, the main ingredient of dark chocolate. In the chocolate are contained caffeine and theobromine? two alkaloids that stimulate the nervous system. In addition, each bar of chocolate contains the two substances anandamide and phenylethylamine, which seem to release happy hormones.
Ingredients ? pay attention to quality
In the production of own chocolate mainly biological products should be used, in order to achieve an unadulterated taste. It is important to choose an unsweetened cocoa powder, which is largely responsible for the aroma of the chocolate. While inferior products tend to taste sour and bitter, more expensive products have a particularly mild flavor.
By buying fair trade products, customers are supporting fair trade in cocoa so that people from poorer developing countries receive adequate pay. Fair trade products are available either in supermarkets and health food stores or on the Internet (World Shop). Another significant ingredient is vanilla. As an important flavor the spice plays an equally important role, but no inferior vanilla powder, the so-called vanillin, but the pith of a real vanilla pod should be used.
Make chocolate
Ingredients for a basic recipe:
- 100 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 250 grams of coconut oil
- 200 grams of powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
Additionally:
- a heat resistant silicone mold for the chocolate and
- a water bath pot
needed.
Tip: As an alternative, use a thermostable container placed in a water bath.
preparation
For the preparation of delicious chocolate, the coconut oil is heated in a water bath. When the fat has melted, the cocoa powder, powdered sugar and marrow are added to a vanilla pod, which are mixed with constant stirring. Then pour the creamy mass into a silicone mold and put it in the fridge for about two hours. The chocolate can be served as soon as it is fully cured.
White and dark chocolate
For the production of white and dark chocolates, only the ingredients change, but the preparation remains the same.
Recipe for a dark chocolate
- 100 grams of cocoa powder
- 150 grams of coconut oil
- 100 grams of powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
Recipe for a white chocolate
- 200 grams of powdered sugar
- 200 grams of coconut fat
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Create chocolate variations
More creative ingredients give the specially made chocolate a very special touch.
Chocolate can with
- a shot of vodka, rum or amaretto
- Dried fruits (mango, cherries, raisins, cranberries)
- Coconut chips or brittle
- cinnamon
- cornflakes
- Schokolinsen
- Poppy
- dried or candied ginger
- Almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts, pistachios, sunflower or pumpkin seeds
- chili
- edible flowers (daisies, geraniums, elderberries or roses)
be refined.
Tip: If the chocolate is to have a caramel taste, the icing sugar is replaced with whole cane sugar.
