Ideas for Making Chocolates

Chocolates are absolutely sinful; they are delicious beyond measure and one can get addicted. Apart from the various delicious brands in the market, one can also make chocolates at home.

 

Here are some tips for making chocolates at home:

  • The first task is to get all the ingredients and utensils ready. This mainly consists of chocolates and moulds which are available in the market.

 

  • There are many flavours of chocolate like white, semi sweet, dark, bitter, milk etc. They are available in block form and much easier than trying to create out of cocoa beans. Moulds need to be made of FDA approved plastic.
  • Sugar is basic ingredient. While buying form grocer, make sure it does not have traces of flour, salt, etc.
  • Unsalted butter is another ingredient. Salted butter can ruin the taste of your chocolate.
  • Don’t substitute butter with margarine. The latter has more water content, which will delay the cooking time.
  • To liquefy chocolate before giving it a final shape, there are three methods. One can heat the chocolate in an oven, double boiler or microwave.
  • One can also use a thermometer while making candies in order to keep tabs on the temperature.

 

  • While using a thermometer, make sure that its bulb is not touching the pan, which will give a wrong reading.
  • It is time to put the chocolate in the mould when it is ready. Use a teaspoon to fill up the moulds. This is also the ripe time to add ingredients like marshmallows, peanuts, candy sprinkles etc.
  • You must check the chocolates after 5 to 10 minutes. The time required depends on the size of the moulds. You can ascertain if it is ready by looking at the back of the mould. If at the bottom, a greying figure appears, it is time to empty the moulds.
  • Water is the enemy of chocolate. So don’t let them come in contact, lest the chocolate becomes grainy.
  • If you wish to add colour to white chocolate, avoid using regular food colour as it contains water. You must use only gel or powdered types.
  • When you are adding colour, do it little by little and with constant stirring lest it makes the chocolates too bright.
  • One can also use brushes of artists to paint designs into your mould.
  • After removing from mould, place chocolates in a box meant to be given away.
  • Now the moulds need to be cleaned with hot water and never with soap as it will reduce its stickiness.
  • The moulds must be dried completely with cloth and stored well so that it is ready to be used again.
  • If it is difficult to remove chocolate bits from the mould, apply a light coating of vegetable oil the next time you are using the mould.
  • If there is some chocolate remaining at the side of the mould, remove using butter knife.
  • If the melted chocolate is too thick to paint, add some cocoa butter and vegetable oil to make the mixture more pliable.
  • Melted chocolate, poured into a mould must be frozen immediately. To remove, simply empty into a tray. If it resists this, one can gently tap at the back or pour some hot water at the back.

These are some of the tips to make luscious chocolates at home. After you make them, you can get chocolates delivered in UK at your will and wish. Friends and family will appreciate these handmade treats.

admin

Author’s bio: She is a world renowned chef who specializes in baking and confectionary. Having several years of experience in this field, she contributes interesting articles to the website http://www.expressgiftservice.co.uk and many others.

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