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Making Chocolates At Home Is Fun

Making chocolate at home from beans is not so easy. Millions of dollars are invested by the chocolate companies in the tools and machinery to turn bitter cacao beans into delicious sweet chocolate bars.

Author: Margaret Chicken
Date: Sep 6, 2011 - 7:00:55 AM

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Making chocolate at home from beans is not so easy. Millions of dollars are invested by the chocolate companies in the tools and machinery to turn bitter cacao beans into delicious sweet chocolate bars. With some efforts and hard work you can make chocolate at home in your very own kitchen.

Roast the cocoa beans

The process is same as roasting coffee beans, but with gentler requirements. Roast it for 5-35 minutes at temperatures between 120-160 degrees C. first expose the beans to an initial high temperature, lower the temperature gradually, and stop roasting when the beans start to crack but do not just burn it. And if you are wishing to roast it in large quantities then invest in a drum which is rotates over a gas grill.

Cracking and winnowing

After roasting the beans crack with a hammer and remove the husks by hand if you are working with a small batch. And for larger batch you can use a very coarse, Corona type mill to crack the beans into nibs. Stir the nibs gently with your hands or a spoon to winnow the nibs as you blow on them with a hair dryer or small shop vac until the husks are blown away.

Grinding nibs into liqueur

You will need something strong enough to liquefy the nibs and separate the remaining husks. General food processors and most of the juicers will not work. Many people making chocolate at home finds success with the Champion Juicer. Feed the nibs gently into the juicer one handful at a time or else forcing them in may overheat the motor. Cocoa liqueur comes out through the screen and mixture of husks and liqueur finds through the spout. Feed mixture through juicer until only husk comes through the spout.

Conch and refine

Both of these processes can be applied at the same time with the help of a powerful wet grinder. Conch and refining depends on the equipment used.

Tempering

This is the most difficult part of making a chocolate. It ensures you that your chocolate will be shiny and has a snap to it rather than being matte and soft that melt in your hand. You have to take care that no moisture enters your chocolate. If moisture enters your chocolate it will ruin it. For that you can buy a tempering machine online.

Molding and getting it ready

Mold the chocolate while it is still liquid. Pour it carefully into the molds and try that it does not get spilled. You can try pouring them with a large syringe in the mould it’s your own personal preference. As chocolate have been poured in the moulds you can freeze, refrigerate, or let them harden at room temperature. After they are hardened into the molds remove it. It should have a glossy appearance and should snap cleanly in two.

Copyright © 2011

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