Any chocolate makers?

[carolg]

I love chocolate. Wonder if anyone makes raw chocolates to share recipe with. Here someone sells and wouldn't want to give away her trade secrets, but anyone here willing to share "how to make chocolate." She uses these cute little candy figures to make them into designs. So delish too. Thanks.

carolg

[raweater]

I'm not sure I understand the question, but you can make raw chocolate simply with cacao powder, cacao butter, agave, and vanilla/salt (optional).

[carolg]

Raweater,

Thanks you answered my question. I see you are close to your weight goal. I would love to help you and give you some pounds if that was possible. Ate tons of peaches today. Have many to pick still. Such a problem of course but they are delish. Tomorrow Turbo Kickboxing early in the AM. Can't wait.

Off to bed. Just enjoyed floor stomach and leg exercises little while ago. Super quiet here and you could hear a pin drop even when husband is not sleeping. He doesn't talk much so not many distractions come forth. He's tuned to TV. He chooses not to learn how to type so the computer is not going to be any competition to having another person fight for shared time. It's a choice.

carolg

[Inca_faerie]

Hi carolg, to make chocolate I use raw cacao, raw cane sugar/xylitol mix, vanilla, soy lecithin and I sub virgin coconut oil for cacao butter for it's health benefits and I prefer the coconuty taste. If you use coconut oil you have to keep your chocolate in the fridge for it to stay firm..happy chocolate making!:)

[Eva]

I take some cacao butter, shave it down so it's in teeny pieces, put it in the dehydrator in a pot on 115 until it seems like it's been forever. Then I take a look to see if it's melted. It's always almost there.

When it's melted, I eyeball an equal amount of cacao powder or carob (or a mix) and add it, then squirt some agave and put a pinch of sea salt.

Then I add the liquid to these funny rubber ice trays I got from IKEA and freeze for at least half an hour. They come out in the shapes of triangle or puzzle pieces, and I keep them in the fridge.

This always SO good! Like super duper expensive fancy yummy chocolatier chocolate. Even when I use the carob or half carob, this works fine. BUT I like to add a bunch of cinnamon or ginger powder when I use the carob. It seems to go better with the carob flavor and take the edge off.

[MiahTay]

Carol - I have found many interesting chocolate recipes here. I'm sure you will find something to your liking ...

http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/03/this-blogs-recipe-index.html

Blessings,
Heather

[raweater]

Hi carolg, to make chocolate I use raw cacao, raw cane sugar/xylitol mix, vanilla, soy lecithin and I sub virgin coconut oil for cacao butter for it's health benefits and I prefer the coconuty taste. If you use coconut oil you have to keep your chocolate in the fridge for it to stay firm..happy chocolate making!:)

Raw cane sugar is not raw at all, it is boiled at very high temperatures and like any cooked sugar is more dangerous than smoking. Xylitol is also quite unhealthy and causes several health problems.

Why not use a healthy raw sweetener like agave or honey?

I don't quite understand when someone makes a "raw" recipe but adds one cooked ingredient that makes the whole recipe as bad as smoking healthwise, unless you thought "raw" cane sugar really is raw (the terms raw and natural are not regulated like organic and can be used on anything at all even when completely false).

[Inca_faerie]

Raw cane sugar is not raw at all, it is boiled at very high temperatures and like any cooked sugar is more dangerous than smoking. Xylitol is also quite unhealthy and causes several health problems.

Why not use a healthy raw sweetener like agave or honey?

I don't quite understand when someone makes a "raw" recipe but adds one cooked ingredient that makes the whole recipe as bad as smoking healthwise, unless you thought "raw" cane sugar really is raw (the terms raw and natural are not regulated like organic and can be used on anything at all even when completely false).

raweater, I completely disagree SO much. Xylitol is quite safe (your own body produces up to 15 grams a day) it also improves your body's glutathione manufacturing process and I would prefer to use cane sugar ANY day over agave, which is a predominantly fructose sweetener (about 90%) fructose. As bad as smoking?? lololol!!!:D you just made me squirt almond milk out my nose...ow. More like "antioxidant packed with minimal (if any) glycation effects". I suppose I could sub my cane sugar with some honey, that would give it an interesting flavor...manuka honey chocolate(with xylitol of course;)), now that sounds good! Actually I think I'm going to drop the cane sugar altogether and switch to honey which has clear health benefit's.:)

[rayofsunshine]

mmm... I getting hungry for chocolate. Thanks for sharing the great recipes.

[carolg]

Thanks all. I sure have lots of variety to fool my husband with. Wow, so apreciative to you all.

carolg

[raweater]

raweater, I completely disagree SO much. Xylitol is quite safe (your own body produces up to 15 grams a day) it also improves your body's glutathione manufacturing process and I would prefer to use cane sugar ANY day over agave, which is a predominantly fructose sweetener (about 90%) fructose. As bad as smoking?? lololol!!!:D you just made me squirt almond milk out my nose...ow. More like "antioxidant packed with minimal (if any) glycation effects". I suppose I could sub my cane sugar with some honey, that would give it an interesting flavor...manuka honey chocolate(with xylitol of course;)), now that sounds good! Actually I think I'm going to drop the cane sugar altogether and switch to honey which has clear health benefit's.:)

I just saw this. If you read up on xylitol you will see it causes diarrhea for some people. I haven't heard of the body making xylitol but if it does there's a hige difference between a substance made by your body and one made by an industrial plant.

I highly suggest you read studies on cane sugar, it is in fact proven to be more dangerous than smoking, just 1 teaspoon a day DRAMATICALLY increases cancer and heart attack rates, this is also proven fact. Cane sugar is also cooked at extremely high temperatures (this includes all the ones labeled "raw") and no antioxidant survives these extremely high temperatures. It also has one of the highest glycemic indexes while agave is among the lowest.

I'm not sure where you get your information, was it from someone that sells cane sugar by any chance?

[juliebove]

I just saw this. If you read up on xylitol you will see it causes diarrhea for some people. I haven't heard of the body making xylitol but if it does there's a hige difference between a substance made by your body and one made by an industrial plant.

I highly suggest you read studies on cane sugar, it is in fact proven to be more dangerous than smoking, just 1 teaspoon a day DRAMATICALLY increases cancer and heart attack rates, this is also proven fact. Cane sugar is also cooked at extremely high temperatures (this includes all the ones labeled "raw") and no antioxidant survives these extremely high temperatures. It also has one of the highest glycemic indexes while agave is among the lowest.

I'm not sure where you get your information, was it from someone that sells cane sugar by any chance?

You are right. Any of the sugar alcohols (mostly ends with tol) are laxatives. Not for me!

[MaineMomof4]

How do you get raw chocolate out of plastic molds if you make them with coconut butter, agave, cacao powder and vanilla and put them in the freezer? I put them for 10 minutes and it seemed as though I wasn't going to be able to get them out in one nice piece. I have them in there for 10 more minutes maybe if they are more frozen that will work. I was following a recipe that was posted on here and this is my first attempt at making any chocolate. Thanks.

[Eva]

I think you're looking at my recipe -- I wait at least half an hour before removing them. They have to be solid. But the buttery texture of the cacao butter makes it so they will be able to slide right out.

Good luck! :)

[luna99]

I take some cacao butter, shave it down so it's in teeny pieces, put it in the dehydrator in a pot on 115 until it seems like it's been forever.

thanks for that! I think I'm going to be making some chocolate soon for the first time and I"ve seen pictures of the big blocks of raw cocao butter but wasn't sure how to work with it and melt it down! could you just put it in a double broiler on the stove on a low heat as well to melt it???

I'm excited to try working with chocolate!

[Eva]

Hey Luna, I've also experimented with having a large bowl of very hot water, then putting a pot of the cacao immersed in that, which actually did melt pretty quickly. I've also put it on the stove at the lowest heat.

Both of those methods do work, and more quickly.

They take more human time, however, and I don't know if the cacao is still truly raw.

What works best for me is to just stick it in the D and then forget about it. It takes less of my time actively doing something, and I know it's still raw. But, obviously what works for me might not necessarily be exactly what works for you. :)

[Eva]

Have fun, by the way!!! Of all of the experimenting in the kitchen I have done, this has always been the most fun. I have done all sorts of different things.

I am planning on posting some info on my website about it in about 2-4 weeks. I just have to plan to take a fair amount of time for it, because I want to make sure I'm thinking through how to put the information out there so it's really clear and easy for someone else to just jump right in. :) Ha -- maybe by that time you'll already be an expert! ;)

[luna99]

eva, thanks for the help and wow! I love your sites.. I just sort of glanced at them.... feels like you and I are long lost soul sisters.. I LOVE to travel!

one question about using the dehydrator for your raw chocolate.. about how long does it take for it to melt?

I will let you know how it goes... I will be trying this out mid february so wish me luck! I'm pretty excited to work with chocolate for the first time! I'd love to be a chocolate expert someday! :cool::p

[Eva]

Thanks so much!!! I didn't post www.uncooking101.com on my signature yet because I have too much work to do on it, but that's where I'll put the info. :)

As for the dehydration time -- it's like a couple hours. It really takes forever. That's why I just sort of stick it in there and go on to doing other things. I've never timed it. I did crank it up to 135 for the first hour once when I was in a pinch, and that made it go by really quickly.

Email me privately if you want to know where I get my cacao butter (that is pretty darn good and raw) for cheap. ;)

[adiebabe]

Raweater, you have your facts a little muddled...


I just saw this. If you read up on xylitol you will see it causes diarrhea for some people.

I've researched Xylitol for my own site; Any of the sugar alcohols can cause diarrhea...it doesn't mean everyone gets diarrhea and it doesn't mean it's dangerous. It is naturally occurring in some fruits and vegetables and it is found in human tissue. It has been in use all over the world extensively since WW2 and there has never to date, been any indication of toxicity in any manner.


... just 1 teaspoon a day DRAMATICALLY increases cancer and heart attack rates, this is also proven fact.


Sugar does not cause cancer. Sugar feeds cancer...as it feeds all cells. And it's refined, simple sugars that are more of an issue as they increase growth factor hormones (they are what cause the problems) just like milk with rBGH in it. At least with raw cane sugar some of the minerals and nutrients are left in it, it's not as bad as white, refined sugar. Though Succanat would be better in that line of glucose. It is unrefined.