How to Make Chocolate From Scratch

Follow this step-by-step recipe to make chocolate at home

Some things are just better when they’re made from scratch—and making something with your own two hands provides such satisfaction. When you cook from scratch, you know exactly what ingredients go into your meals, and it offers you the flexibility to adjust your recipe for dietary or taste preferences.

Want to make that gift box of chocolates even more (or, you know, actually) special? Make it yourself. Not only will you impress the recipient, there are lots of leftovers you can store for yourself, and you can tailor the type of chocolate to your preferences, or mix it up.

Don’t be intimidated. Even if your first few look strange, they’ll still taste good and you can just eat any mistakes.Christine McAvoy

Salted Caramels in Milk & Dark Chocolate Ingredients

If you prefer milk over dark, or vice-versa, you can double up on the chocolate coating as well, but the two together do look more impressive.

• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 3/4 cup corn syrup
• 3/4 cup butter, cut into chunks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Approximately 300 g good quality chocolate (dark, milk, etc.)
• Sea salt (flakes)

Mint & Rose Chocolate Ingredients

The base for these balls uses the exact same technique for both flavours. You just add the mint extract, rose water—or whatever other flavour you’d like—after the base is mixed then coat later.

• Approximately 225 g good quality chocolate bars
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, optional
• 1/2 tsp rose water
• 1/2 tsp mint extract

For the coating

• Approximately 150 g good quality milk chocolate
• Approximately 150 g good quality white chocolate
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil (times 2)
• Toppings: Edible rose petals, sprinkles, cocoa powder, etc., optional

Required tool: Candy thermometer

Salted Caramels in Milk & Dark Chocolate InstructionsChristine McAvoy

1. Line either an 11 X 7 or 9 X 9-inch pan then spray lightly with cooking oil.
2. In a large pot with high sides, stir together the sugar, 1 cup of the whipping cream, corn syrup and the butter. Bring this to a boil over medium heat.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, warm the other cup of the cream on low heat.
4. When the caramel mixture is boiling, very slowly add the heated cream to the pot, then stir constantly as the mixture thickens and darkens.
5. Measure with the candy thermometer until the caramel reaches a temperature of around 245 F, then stir in the vanilla.
6. Pour the mixture onto the prepared pan, and spread evenly. Cool completely.
7. To shape the caramels, harden in the fridge for 30 minutes, then remove from the parchment-lined pan.
8. Cut them in both square and rectangle sizes, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
9. To coat in chocolate, chop the desired chocolate into very fine bits, then melt in a double boiler over water, or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave (in slow increments) until softened and completely melted.
10. Drop the caramels into the chocolate, coating completely, and remove with a fork, draining any extra, and place on the baking sheet.
11. Immediately sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
12. Allow to fully cool and set, storing in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Mint Chocolates & Rose Chocolates Instructions

1. Bring the butter to room temperature.
2. Finely chop the 225 g of chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl.
3. In a pot or in the microwave, heat the cream until it is simmering and then pour over the chocolate in the bowl. Add in the butter and then stir until chocolate and butter have fully melted and everything is incorporated.
4. Grab two flat containers to help quicken the cooling process.
5. Pour half the mixture into one of the containers and add the rose water, mixing thoroughly.*
6. Add the mint extract (a little goes a long way), into the second half and pour it into the second flat container.
7. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
8. When ready to shape, get a baking sheet and line it with parchment paper.
9. Using a small scoop (and gloves to make shaping easier), shape one-inch balls of each flavour, being sure to keep them separate so you know which is which (you can write it on the parchment). Place back in fridge until ready to coat.
10. To make coating in chocolate easier, freeze the balls for 30 minutes before covering them in chocolate.
11. Follow this process for both flavours, using milk or dark chocolate for the mint, and white chocolate for the rose:
12. Chop the desired chocolate into very fine bits, then melt in a double boiler over water, or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave (in slow increments) until softened and completely melted.
13. Drop the truffle, lightly, into the chocolate, coating completely and remove with a fork, draining any extra. Place back on the baking sheet.
14. Allow to fully cool and set, storing in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

NOTES

• *If you want to make only one flavour, you can skip the steps of separating and make it all in one. And if you prefer a cocoa powder coating, or nuts, etc. to a chocolate one, you can roll the truffles in that after they are shaped.
• For the rose, sprinkle on the edible rose petals (if using immediately) after coating in white chocolate.
• I used leftover white chocolate, tinted green with food colouring to drizzle over the mint – this is optional.