How to Make Chocolate

Homemade chocolate makes a great gift. Just wrap these tiny nuggets in colorful shiny papers, put them in a fancy box and present them to your friends and family for birthdays, anniversaries or the holidays. Follow these steps to learn how to make chocolate.

Things You'll Need

• 1 lb. raw cocoa beans
• Spices like cinnamon, chili powder or mint extract, if you want
• Vanilla extract, a few drops
• ½ cup sugar
• Greased molds

Instructions

1. Purchase good quality raw cocoa beans. You can buy them online from several reputable sources (see Resources below).

2. Spread the beans evenly and in a single layer on a flat baking sheet.

3. Roast the beans in the oven for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F (or about 200 degrees Celsius).

4. Let the beans cool down and remove the husks.

5. Spread the beans on a tea towel, place another towel to cover them and use a hammer to break the beans. Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle to do the work.

6. Put the unevenly broken cocoa beans in a coffee grinder or a clean pepper mill and grind them finely. Remember not to grind them too much or they will liquefy and create a mess.

7. Shift the powdered beans to the mortar and pestle and resume grinding with hands. You will have a mushy mixture.

8. Transfer the mush to a pan and over a pot of boiling water, heat the mush. Don't put the pan containing cocoa mush directly on the stove.

9. Mix in the sugar, vanilla extract and other spices (if you desire) in the gooey cocoa mixture.

10. Pour it into greased molds and let it set. You may even put the molds in the refrigerator.

Tips & Warnings

• Add nuts such as almonds, cashews, pistachios and raisins when you're making chocolates.

• Sprinkle desiccated coconut flakes on top of your chocolate to give it a festive look.