How to Make Chocolate - Chocolate Recipes

My first batch of chocolates were cinnamon truffles. If I didn't remember sweating over the stove and painstakingly following the directions I would swear when I bit into the first one that they were bought from a gourmet shop. They were that good.

I've been hooked on chocolate making ever since. It's not that I'm exceptional - I really just followed the directions in the recipe. It's just that I think making chocolates is an undiscovered art, and it can be quite simple if you let it!

I let someone convince me once that melting chocolate in the microwave is okay. I think I read it somewhere. It wasn't fine! I burned the chocolate. I've realized that part of the fun of making chocolate is to sit and watch it melt. It goes too fast in the microwave and if you space out and don't take it out in time, it could burn. For me, it always burns.

Option 1 - Use a Double Burner to Melt Chocolate

This is the only method I ever use because I don't like buying gadgets. At the moment I don't have a lot of kitchen storage so buying a melter is the last thing on my mind. Instead, I just fill a saucepan with two inches of water and put a mixing bowl over the pan (a metal or glass one). Then I turn the heat onto medium, put the chocolate in the bowl, and stir it until it melts. Works like a charm!

Option 2 - Buy a Special Melter

If I had a big enough kitchen, I would buy a chocolate melter. They're convenient and easy to use and since I make chocolate so often, it streamlines the whole process. I remember watching a cooking show with Jacque Torres and he had a fun melter. He effortlessly ladled chocolate all over the place to make his beautiful creations. That's how I envision filling up my days!

Whenever I roast the nuts or coconut flakes before I stir them in the chocolate, I always think it tastes better. Roasting brings out the flavors and compliments the chocolate very well - especially darker chocolate.

To roast, just put a fry pan on the stove and set it to medium. Put nuts or coconut in the pan in a single layer. Stir after a minute or two. And roast until browned.

Don't leave it! It only takes a minute or two and leaving it causes it to burn - trust me! Stick with it and watch it - it will only take a few minutes!