It isn’t a wonder why most people crave for chocolates and give in to this addiction. Some would attest to the fact that chocolates elevate their moods and take away their blues.
Fact: gorging on chocolates leads to the release of a hormone called serotonin that facilitates intestinal functions. The unused serotonin is the key to improved moods: it’s used by the brain to positively influence dispositions and tempers, leading to a cheery outlook and increased active energy.
Mull over this: scientists say that taking in chocolate in excess does not indicate addiction. The compulsion to eat chocolates is just a bodily response to the sensory stimulation caused by the aroma, chemicals and nutrients found in chocolate.
If you’re suddenly finding it a tedium to visit the store often to refurbish your chocolate supply at home, consider making your own chocolate candy. All you need is dark or white chocolate which you can buy in bulk from the chocolate manufacturers as well as such commonplace kitchen paraphernalia as a double boiler, a mixing bowl, a candy molding tray, a wooden spoon, and some fruits (optional).
To kick-start your chocolate candy making venture, melt the chocolate in the double boiler, stirring it occasionally so as not to burn the chocolate. When the mixture has totally melted, remove from heat and pour onto the candy molding tray to shape and dry. If you want your own fruit-filled chocolate candy, pop the fruit into the mold while the chocolate is still in its liquid state. Take care to tap out any air bubbles. You may also choose to chill your chocolate candy in the freezer for a while.
Although by appearances, it’s an easy process, there is also chocolate tempering to take into account if you want fine quality chocolates…or at least a chocolate candy that’s not crumbly when bitten into or that doesn’t have any white streaks in them.
A properly tempered chocolate went through the melting to molding stages strictly adhering to specific chocolate temperatures. Chocolates are not naturally lustrous or creamy; tempering gives these qualities to it. And tempering involves the tedious work of maintaining temperatures throughout the time you’re working on your chocolates.
To make your chocolate tempering process simple and straightforward, you may want to have a chocolate tempering machine do the manual labor of maintaining and correcting temperatures for you. With these microprocessor-controlled gadgets, you can actually craft consistent-quality and perfect chocolate candies like the master chocolatiers. Surely, you may even progress beyond creating chocolate candies for personal use to selling them for profit!
