Making your own chocolate may seem like a crazy idea, but everyone who has tried it has been amazed at the difference between homemade chocolate and store-bought. That’s because you control the ingredients and you don’t have to use any additives in your chocolate, which means fewer chemicals and hard-to-pronounce ingredients.
Making chocolate at home is rewarding in many ways. It’s a rewarding hobby that allows you to have total control over the creation of chocolate: from the flavor to the texture to the shape. Plus, it’s a very fun and creative process. With just a few ingredients and a little knowledge, you can make your own custom chocolate delights at home in no time.
If you like chocolate, you will enjoy this article because we share the 10 reasons why you should make chocolate at home.
Unlike many art forms, chocolate making involves as much creativity as it does science. There are two versions of making chocolate at home, one is the quick and easy method (which requires a little cheating) and the other is to truly make chocolate from scratch starting with the basic ingredients (cocoa nibs, cocoa butter, sugar, and milk powder). The simplest method of making homemade milk, dark and white chocolate starts with high-quality, store-bought chocolate while adding your favorite ingredients such as nuts, caramel, toffee, butterscotch, dried fruit, and cookie pieces to make it your own. This method still requires melting, tempering and molding the chocolate as part of the chocolate making process.
The more complex and challenging version is to make chocolate from scratch starting with cocoa beans (or roasted cocoa nibs, if you can find them), and processing them until you get your own chocolate bars. This method is rather complex and requires multiple pieces of equipment to complete the various processing steps. Of course, this method will be much easier (and with NO cheating required) once you have your CocoTerra chocolate maker which does it all from grinding, refining, conching, tempering and molding in just about 2 hours. Soon you will be able to make chocolate exactly the way you want it. We even have a CocoTerra app that will guide you through the chocolate-making process, from cocoa nibs to solid, ready-to-eat chocolate. Making chocolate from scratch will be much easier and quicker.
And now, here are the 10 reasons why you should consider making homemade chocolate.
1. Take pride in your creations
Imagine having delicious chocolates made entirely in your own kitchen at home. That would be amazing, wouldn’t it? For example, you can create a better version of your favorite peanut butter and chocolate combination. And best of all, you will be the inventor of this delicious creation.
2. Customize with your favorite ingredients
What we love about making homemade chocolate is that it allows you to customize each piece. There are so many variations you can make to create your own chocolate experience. The possibilities are endless in the world of homemade chocolate. It’s great because it’s your own creation and personal indulgence. We encourage you to feel free to use all the crazy ingredients out there, to be daring and to seek out local ingredients. From blue cheese and mushrooms to exotic fruits and wild berries, push the boundaries of sweet and savory to achieve unexpected flavor pairings.
3. Control the sugar
Making your own chocolate at home is a great way to make sure you have total control over the type and amount of sugar in your chocolate. You can now make low-carb, sugar-free chocolate bars by replacing sugar with low-calorie sugar substitutes (such as allulose and stevia). If you want to avoid refined, white sugar, you can use coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup to make a chocolate that meets your dietary restrictions! Any of these modifications will be a great alternative to store-bought chocolate.
4. Source ethical ingredients
Ethically sourced ingredients means that the chocolate has been grown, farmed, and produced with the planet in mind and the company has treated the cocoa growers and farmers fairly.
If you want to be sure that your chocolate is ethically sourced, here are some useful things you can look out for when you check the label.
What to look for:
- Who is the supplier (check their record)
- Single origin cacao that supports small farmers
- Fairtrade certified
- Rainforest Alliance/UTZ certified
- Certified organic ingredients
Knowing this, you will be able to make smart purchases of your ingredients!
5. Create memorable family experiences
Kids love to make their own snacks, and homemade chocolate is no exception. We encourage you to plan an afternoon to make homemade chocolate with your kids or loved ones. Or perhaps it could be a perfect birthday activity with little, chocolate-loving guests. And once the chocolates are ready, they make a great take-home gift (if you can keep them from eating it all!!).
6. Be Prepared with a constant stash of homemade chocolate
Preparing chocolate treats ahead of time to have at home is a great idea.
You can make and store your favorite homemade chocolates so they are always on hand. Having a batch (or two) of homemade chocolate means enjoying homemade chocolate bars on the go, savoring a piece of homemade chocolate after you’ve finished a satisfying meal, or even for whipping up a quick dessert.
If you’re looking for a way to make your snacking more exciting, or if you want to impress your friends and family with homemade desserts that will be better than store-bought, this is the only reason you need.
7. Create premium quality chocolate at home
By making homemade chocolate with premium ingredients, you will always have high-quality chocolate at home. Don’t try to satisfy your chocolate craving with low-quality, mass-produced chocolate, which tends to be heavy in sugar, milk substitutes and vanilla.
8. Give the perfect holidays gifts
Homemade chocolate bars or bonbons from scratch make for a fun homemade holiday gift! Chocolate is one of the most delicious holiday treats (Christmas, Hanukkah, Mother’s Day or any other holiday you choose to celebrate) and is everyone’s favorite. Not only are homemade chocolate bars delicious, but homemade gifts are always appreciated.
As always, flavors are subjective so do a little research and find out what flavor combinations your family and friends appreciate. Some people like spicy chocolate, others like salty, etc. Or, you can always get creative and do what inspires you.
9. Enjoy vegan friendly chocolate
It is clear that veganism is here to stay. Far from being a fad diet or a passing trend, consumers are driving strong demand for milk alternatives, meat substitutes, vegetarian options and plant-based versions of traditional recipes. Upgrade your homemade milk chocolate with vegan-friendly ingredients such as coconut milk, rice milk, almond milk and now oat milk to create delicious vegan chocolate. In this case, you will find that the alternatives to milk powder make chocolate that is just as delicious as your traditional non-vegan chocolate.
If you follow a plant-based lifestyle, it’s certainly a healthier option, but if you’re new to the game, there’s nothing wrong with giving your body that extra boost of vegan nutrients.
10 Turn it into side business
Maybe making homemade chocolates will become your new life passion. And earning money for what you love to do can become a reality. It can be a self-sustaining business or provide a side income. Many states have passed laws that allow for home-based food businesses, so check out what’s possible in your state. You can become a professional chocolate maker or chocolatier if that’s your passion.
Once you get your CocoTerra chocolate maker, you will experience a whole new level of freedom and customization in chocolate making. Without even realizing it, you will become the next great chocolate expert with CocoTerra.
You will master Bean-to-Bar and Single Origin knowledge, along with the details of flavor profiles and tasting notes. You can also select high-quality cocoa origins and ethically sourced ingredients that will match your values.
With these 10 reasons to make chocolate at home you should no longer sit idly by! You have enough to start making chocolate at home. It starts with passion.
