Homemade Chocolate

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I love chocolate just like most people but I especially like my homemade chocolate! There is a huge difference between different types of chocolates. We all know that bitter chocolate is much better than milk chocolate. It is also a well-known fact that the darker the chocolate the better it is. Chocolate can be vegan, it can even be low carb and most importantly it can be healthy for you. So it’s time to replace the sugary chocolates with a homemade one that even kids love.

Did you know that chocolate can be healthy and nutritious? Yes, I’m talking about high-quality dark chocolate without (or almost without) the sugar. If you think that this is not the type of chocolate you like, you should know that it is acquired taste. Making homemade chocolate help you control the quality of it and create a powerful snack full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals without losing the fun of eating chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Benefits:

• Rich in Magnesium, fiber, iron, copper
• Antioxidants source – the raw cacao that we make at home is a powerhouse of antioxidants
• The raw cacao in dark chocolate may improve brain function
• Improve the good cholesterol (HDL), while protecting the bad cholesterol (LDL) from oxidizing

If you decide on not making your own chocolate try to choose dark chocolate of 85% cacao content or higher. These days you can find really good chocolates that are only using stevia as a sweetener. If you are not used to eating dark chocolate start at a lower cacao content of 70% and gradually increase it. Eventually, you’ll discover that the best ones are 90% cacao content or over.

One more thing to remember, there are plenty of calories (and sugar) in chocolate and it is really easy to over eat. So make a habit to have a square or two of chocolate after your dinner. When making your own homemade chocolate you can easily control the ingredients and quality and enjoy a bar of really good quality chocolate but it’s also easier to over eat it so watch out.

When I made this chocolate I wanted to make sure my son will eat it too. I started making homemade chocolates a few years ago and my son always loved them and that was a dessert for him. With time as he grows up he opt-in for the “kids” chocolate that you can find at stores and I really wanted to create something that will satisfy his sweet tooth. That’s why i made this chocolate without any unusual ingredients. This is a bar of ordinary chocolate made from raw cacao powder and butter, coconut oil, vanilla flavor, and a sweetener. I made 2 versions one with maple syrup that is a little more sweet for my son and one with only monk fruit sweetener for me. Both are fantastic.

So, how do you make chocolate?

First, you need to melt 1 cup of grated cacao butter along with 1.5 TBSP of coconut oil. You don’t want to overheat them otherwise your chocolate will melt when you’ll take it out of the freezer.  The best way to do it is by using a double boiler with warm water. The water should be warm enough to melt the butter but not to hot so as long as you can dip your finger in the water it should be good. Take a heat-safe pot and fill it with a mix of hot water and faucet water. In the water add the bowl with the cacao butter and coconut oil and let it melt while stirring. It should melt completely and be transparent.

Once the butter melted, add a cup of cacao butter (i use Nutiva cacao) and stir well. Add the sweetener of your choice and 1 Tsp of vanilla extract.For me, 2 tbsp of monk fruit is enough for sweeting my chocolate. When I make it for my kid I use about 1- 1.5 TBSP of maple syrup. Just add and taste and add more if needed. Once everything is stirred together you need to put it in a silicon mold and to the freezer for about 15 min. If you’re using chocolate molds you will have about 2 bars of chocolate + a little extra. Now you can enjoy your chocolate.

I love chocolate and you can find more chocolate recipes on the blog too.