Step by Step - Let us make chocolates at home!!

Process:

Take equal amounts of milk chocolate and dark chocolate and boil them using the double boiler method.( Keep a wide mouthed vessel eg: kadai and fill it one-fourths with water and set on a medium flame. Take a vessel that fits into the kadai, but make sure the water does not reach the tip of the vessel. Keep chocolates in the vessel. It is important to make sure water does not get into the chocolates. Keep on a low to medium flame and stir constantly. In minutes you will notice the chocolates melting well. As it becomes into a think liquid consistency, add about one teaspoon of stabiliser. It is fine if you dont have the stabiliser. You just have to store it in a cool, dry place. . Once the chocolate reaches a good sitrrable consistency, and is quite thick - switch off the gas. If required, add nuts and pour into moulds using spoons. Make sure you pour it hot, else it wont set. Keep the moulds the fridge for about 20 - 30 mins in the fridge cabinet ( not in freezer). Then once they are done, just topple them over, and there they are - Amazing Chocolates !

Chocolates used:
Take (roughly) equal amounts of dark chocolate & milk/white chocolate.
Chop into small bits or scrape thin with a sharp kniife.:
Melt in a double-boiler:
It should reach a flowing consistency.

If the amount is just 100 gms, take in a MW bowl, heat on Hi for 30 secs. Remove & mix. It would have started melting. Now keep for another 30 secs for complete melting.
The difference between this & the chocolate melted on stove top by double boiling is, the former cannot be "re-melted", on cooling, whereas the latter can be.
Tempering:
On removing the melted chocolate,from the flame (or MW) go on stirring with a spoon, till it starts slightly thickening & acquires a sheen. Then use as directed.




Scraping thin oir shredding

Shredded chocolate

Double boiling chocolates

 

Wrapping airtight immediately is the key to success!

Keep the moulds ready & spoon into them.
Some moulds can be half filled & toppings like chopped nuts, ice cream, chopped biscuits can be added. Keep in fridge till set. Pour more topping to cover them & set a second time.
When well-set, just tap them & they will fall down easily. IMMEDIATELY WRAP THEM IN THIN ALUMINIUM FOIL WRAPPERS AND STORE AIRTIGHT.

Special, thin wrapping foils are available for wrapping chocolates.. Cut size as per requirement, just the right size.
For small ones, keep diagonally, as shown in the photo. Pull each side one by one, over the chocolate, gently but firmly. After pulling all sides, gently press all over to make it as airtight as possible.
When keeping on the foil to wrap, the top side should go down. In the last photo, you can make out that for almond choolate, almond is seen on the top, right side.

 

All set to gift wrap!

Wrap each variety in a different colour for easy identification.

 

Rock Chocolate - simply rocks!

This is ideal to be tried, if you do not have chocolate moulds. Just heap the mixture!
Melt together (as given above)
50 gms bitter chocolate + 50 gms milk chocolate
When melted, add upto 100 gmsl mixture of lightly crushed cornflakes, chocoflakes, a few crushed nuts.
Make or heap rock shape in butter paper, refrigerate forv30 mtes, remove from butter paperb & wrap immediately.

 

Chocolate Cups - serve with any filling!

These edible chocolate cups can be filled with anything & eaten with the cups!
Serve whipped sweetened cream, any set puddings, mousse, icecream etc!
choc-cup1 - Starting from top left moving clockwise
Have ready the muffin tin lined with paper cases and melted chocolate.
Add a spoon of melted chocolate and spread it inside the paper cup.
Repeat for the rest of the cups.
Set it in the refrigerator to set for 15 mts.

choc-cup2-
Apply a second coating in all the cups. If left with a single coating the cup tends to break.
Repeat for all the cups and set it in fridge for 30 mts
Peel the paper carefully without breaking the chocolate.
Now your chocolate cups are ready. Arrange them in the muffin tray and filling is your choice. Here have used lemon mousse and allowed it to set in fridge till the mousse filling sets.

choc-cup3:
1,2,3- Chocolate cups with lemon mousse fully set.

 

Chilli Fruit Chocolate - a glamorous combo!!

The photos are self-explanatory. Dried fruits are ideally used.

 

Chocolates with Honey-Peanut Centre

This is a hard-centre chocolate.

Melt a mixture of Bitter+milk chocolate.
Deep moulds are ideally suited.
Fill half the mould with choccolate & spread it all over the mould with a spoon or palette knife or small brush.
Allow to set in the fridge.
Mix 2 tbsp honey+2 tbsp half crushed roasted peanut.
Once the chocolate is set, take out & keep a little filling in each.
Por a little melted chocolate over it & allow to set again.

 

Bounty Chocolates - a very novel chocolate!

Dark Chocolate (Grated) – 100 grams

Mix the following, to a thick dough, binding with drops of water:
Icing sugar-2`tbsp

Corn flour -2tbsp

Dessicated Coconut-2tbsp

Coconut Essence - Few drops (if available). If not available, omit it.

Glycerine-3/4 tsp

Make small balls. Refrigerate them till use.

Melt chocolate. Remove. Mix well.

Coat as shown in the picture.

 

Polo Mint Chocolate - polo mint ‘hiding’ inside chocolate!!


Dark chocolate (Grated) – 100 grams

Polo mint- as required

Fill half of the moulds with chocolate.

Cover as a shell in the sides

Refrigerate till set.

Place a polo mint on each chocolate shell.

Fill the remaining with chocolate.

Refrigerate till set.

 

Gourmet Fruit & Nut Discs - most elegant looking!

Bitter chocolate is best used. Melt 100 gms in a double boiler.
Once melted, cool, stirring to temper. Transfer to a piping bag & using a piping nozzle, pipe on to butter paper as small discs. Immediately keep almond, cashew , pista & raisins on each & refrigerate to set.