How to Make Homemade Chocolate

Healthier Alternatives and Fun to Make 

In a world filled with tempting treats, homemade chocolate shines as a healthier and delightful alternative for children. Crafting your own chocolate not only allows for creativity and fun, but it also comes with a range of benefits that make it a superior choice compared to shop-bought options.

Let's dive into the world of homemade chocolate and discover why it's a great activity as well as the ultimate treat for your little ones!

eco rascals's homemade chocolate recipe is unfortunately NOT fail proof! But if you follow it carefully and stay focused during the production, it should yield delicious homemade chocolates.

Table of Contents:

1. Ingredients 
2. Variations
3. Storage
4. Recipe
5. Expert Tips 

Ingredients 

To make plain milk chocolate, you will need just just 4 ingredients which includes coconut oil, milk powder, icing sugar and cocoa powder. 

Coconut oil is the main binding agent used in homemade chocolate. It holds the chocolate together and is slower to melt than other binding agents. Alternatives to coconut oil would be regular butter which can yield a better texture but will make the chocolate slightly looser. A neutral oil or olive oil can be used as well but olive oil will alter the taste considerably and a neutral oil is less nutritional.  

The best alternative would be cocoa butter but this is very expensive and not easily accessible. If you were often making homemade chocolate, this is definitely something you could buy from a specialist store and keep handy, but it probably isn't convenient to purchase or cost effective as a fun activity with the kids. 

Traditionally store bought chocolates are made using cocoa butter which is not at our reach. The next alternate is using coconut oil. I have tried making chocolate using coconut oil too but the flavor was too strong so sticking with this butter version itself.

Variations

The beauty of homemade chocolate is that when you've got your plain chocolate ingredients to your liking, you can experiment with so many tasty variations at home. 

We made our own chocolate orange and nutty chocolate bar in this video but other variations include: 

Fresh Mint 
Sea Salt 
Chilli Flakes
Raisins
Honeycomb 

Storage

Unlike shop bought chocolate which might have agents in them to prevent melting, homemade chocolate is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can keep your homemade chocolate for up to one week in the fridge - but I challenge you to keep it that long with little fingers around!

Recipe

Homemade Chocolate

Let's make this delicious melt in the mouth chocolate together.

Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings
6

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup milk powder
• 1 cup icing/powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup coconut oil 
• 1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)

Variations

• 5 chopped almonds
• 5 chopped pistachios
• Dried orange segments

Instructions

1. Measure the milk powder, cocoa powder and icing sugar and mix well into a bow.

2. Sieve the combined ingredients into another bowl and discard the remains. 

3. Bring water to the boil in a sauce pan 

4. Place a bowl over the boiling water without letting the bowl base touch the water. 

5. Add your coconut oil or replacement to the bowl.

6. Slowly add in your sieved ingredients and whisk to combine to make a smooth mixture without any lumps

7. Add vanilla essence at this point if you wish and mix well

8. Remove the chocolate from the heat and immediately pour it into your chocolate moulds

9. Set the chocolate in the fridge for 6 hours 

10. Remove the chocolate from the moulds and leave in the fridge until you wish to consume. 

11. Homemade chocolate are ready to enjoy in your choice of eco rascals snack pot of plate.

Making chocolate with children

Doing any kitchen based activity with children is a great way to get them involved, spend time with them and ignite their imagination.

Making your own chocolate will give the children the opportunity to be hands-on and learn skills such as cooking hygiene, measuring ingredients, how to bring water to the boil, and whisking mixtures.

Unleashing your child's creativity and letting them experiment with customisation and variations is a really fun way to speak about flavour and trying out which ingredients will enhance the chocolate.

Homemade chocolate is a healthier, tastier, and more nutritious alternative to store-bought varieties. By controlling the ingredients, reducing sugar content, and customizing the recipe to meet dietary needs, you can create a delightful treat that your children will love while ensuring their well-being. So, why not embark on a chocolate-making adventure with your little ones and enjoy the benefits of homemade chocolate together? It's a journey that will nurture their taste buds and create lifelong memories.