To not understand the point of homemade chocolate making?

[cleofatra]

Please, please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't it just melting pre-made chocolate and popping it into fancy moulds?

Agreed.

and adding stuff. I think the best part is being friends with someone who has that hobby.

You can make homemade chocolate without melting chocolate though. It’s quite good if you need to avoid certain ingredients or just want to get creative.

How is it made?

There’s a good recipe on this thread which @vanillasugar links to.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/vegan/3025638-Missing-chocolate?pg=1&order= Whoops

I LOVE making chocolates

It’s easy (I just can’t bake, any time I try I need to coordinate it with someone who needs foundations laying) and it appeals to my creative side. And my stomach.

Next project is to try mini lemon flavoured meringue pieces covered in dark chocolate.....

You've missed most of the procedure if you think that's all there is to it

Yes, you can just make pretty shapes, but the variety of additions make it more fun.

And then there is the whole other world of chocolate truffles... which I make, semi commercially, every other Christmas. If you ever wondered why Hotel Chocolat or Thorntons ever make a profit you need to make your own.

I only take about 20 orders, make 6 different truffles and 2 or 3 flavoured 'thins', and make a huge profit. And most people say I should charge more!

It is fun to do with kids or friends and you'll probably have most of the kit you need in your cupboards anyway!

Oh! I forgot... I am also dabbling in hot chocolate mixes - chocolate shavings with all sorts of flavour additions. Just add to hot milk

I love chocolate, there is always a point to yummy chocolate. Remember all the different things you can add it

I love chocolate too.... but all these 'additions'? What are they?

YANBU, OP. It’s the food equivalent of people thinking they’re being “creative” or “crafting” when they stick pre-printed cardboard together on their terrible greetings cards.

You could say similar about most hobbies, and there's a lot more to it than just melting chocolate and putting it in moulds! Tempering chocolate is very tricky and dabbling with flavours and textures is a big part, as is truffle making, the different sorts of mounds, using transfers etc.

I’ve made chocolate at home a few times, it isn’t just melting and reforming chocolate. I use cocoa butter, raw cacao powder, vanilla powder, maple syrup. It’s bloody lovely, I wish I could be bothered to do it more often.

YABU Everything that involves eating or drinking chocolate is worthwhile with the exception of some East German coffee chocolate I am still traumatised by 28 years later 😉

Depends how you make it - I make it from the raw ingredients if I am making fancy gifts. I sometimes make lactose free chocolate with coconut milk. Even if I am just effectively remoulding it I like to temper it to improve the crack and the sheen.

What are the additions? Anything that crosses your mind! Stuff in your food cupboards; food based versions of paint, fabric, etc; texturing, the snap, the sheen... moulds really are the last thing you need to think of!

My current hot chocolate is a 70% cocoa solid, melted with raw and roasted coriander seed and candied orange peel, then shredded. It tastes citrusy with nutty undertones. I'm playing with the cocoa solids, it might respond well to less rather than more

Sounds quite appealing now!