Homemade chocolates make a nice gift within a homemade origami box. Differently shaped silicone ice-cube trays are perfect to use if you have them. Apparently a thermy makes the melting and mixing stage a breeze.
- 140 – 150g cacao (not cocoa) powder
- 280 – 300g cacao butter
- 100 – 130g honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup
- 1 – 1.5 tsp salt
- food-grade essential oils. Make sure these are not just for aromatic, topical use. I like orange, vanilla and peppermint.
- optional spices, like cardamom or cinnamon
- optional other ingredients like nuts and desiccated coconut
Method:
- Cacao butter will melt much faster and more evenly if it is chopped up first. Use a food processor or thermy for this. Then melt it. Apparently it the heat shouldn\’t exceed 60C (if using a thermy). I don\’t have a thermy so I put my shavings into a pyrex bowl and sit this on the side of a pot of boiling water (submerged) on the stove.
- Once it\’s melted, add all ingredients (except the heavier ones like nuts and coconut flakes) together and taste-test. Don\’t let it stand for too long without stirring because the salt tends to collect on the bottom. (Your last chocolates will be much saltier than your first ones.)
- Spoon or pour the mixture into silicone moulds and then add your nuts or coconut flakes to these individually.
- Place in the fridge (or freezer) for about half an hour.