Easter is on its way, and we are all currently tucked away from the outside world in our own 'bubbles'...so what better way to entertain the household and prepare for the Easter holiday than to try making your own chocolate from scratch??
It's a very simple recipe, which only requires four ingredients...however it is important that these ingredients are quality! As you can really taste the difference...
The cacao butter in particular is the soul of your chocolate (particularly when you want to make white chocolate), and so it is very important to find a brand that works for you. I personally buy my cacao butter from The Source Bulk Foods, as it has a beautiful flavour and texture, and is reasonably priced. I then source my cocoa butter (which is similar to cacao, but has a very mild flavour and a harder texture due to different processing methods) from Nourish and Thrive, while my cacao powder and golden sugar are bought from Huckleberry.
Raw Dark Chocolate
Ingredients
100g raw golden sugar
125g cacao butter
125g cocoa butter
90g cacao powder
pinch of salt (if desired)
Method
Blend the golden sugar in a small blender until smooth and powdery. Take care not to let any moisture in, as the sugar will clump.
Fill a small pot with approximately 2cm of water, and bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.
Measure all ingredients into a large glass or metal bowl. Place the bowl on top of the pot, making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. The steam from the simmering water will gently heat the ingredients.
As the cacao butter melts, stir gently with a rubber spatula. Check the temperature regularly, and when it reaches 42°C (feels warm against your skin, and all cacao butter has melted), remove the bowl from the heat.
Continue to move the liquid chocolate around the bowl with the spatula until the mixture cools to 32°C. It is important to keep the liquid chocolate in motion as it cools, as this is how you 'temper' the chocolate, which will give your chocolate a beautiful shine and 'snap' when it sets.
When it reaches 32°C (feels mildly cool on your skin, but is still liquid) the chocolate is in temper. Pour into a lined baking dish, or a chocolate mould of your choice, and place in the fridge for 10 minutes to set. Your chocolate is now ready to enjoy!!
Keep an eye out for some more chocolate recipes coming this way soon...especially with Easter on the horizon!
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