How To Make Chocolate (Dark or Milk)
A simple guide on how to make chocolate with cocoa powder in just 10 minutes: Make plain, flavored, or topped vegan milk chocolate or dark chocolate with just 3 base ingredients!
Servings 1 bar (100 g)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz (40 g) cacao butter (see notes)
- 3-4 Tbsp (20 g) cocoa powder (I used Dutch processed)
- 1 1/2-2 Tbsp (35 g) pure maple syrup room temperature, not cold (see notes)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- You can watch the short video for visual instructions.
- First, melt the cacao butter (finely chop it if it's in big pieces) over a double boiler, stirring/whisking often. Once melted, remove it from the heat.To prepare a double boiler, add a couple of inches of water to a small-medium saucepan and top it with a heat-proof bowl, ensuring the water doesn’t come in contact with the bowl, then bring the water to a gentle simmer over medium to medium-low heat.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract (if using) and whisk until lump-free.
- Pour the homemade chocolate mixture into the silicone mold of your choice (using a silicone spatula helps to get it all out of the bowl) and leave it to set for several hours in the fridge or 20-30 minutes in the freezer.
- When ready, release the homemade chocolate bar from the mold and enjoy!
Notes
- Cacao Butter: Using food-grade cacao butter gives homemade chocolate that smooth, luxurious mouthfeel you get with high-quality chocolate. You can also use coconut oil as an alternative, but keep in mind the chocolate will be softer and more prone to melting.
- Sweetener: Agave syrup (or honey if you're not vegan) will also work.
- Optional add-ins: Add a few spoons of nuts/seeds, puffed quinoa/rice, or raisins/dried fruit to your homemade chocolate.
- For keto chocolate: You could try using powdered Erythritol. Avoid adding any keto syrups (water-based) as they will cause the chocolate to seize.
- Prefer milk chocolate? Add 2 Tbsp of coconut milk powder (or soy milk powder) to the mixture.
- You can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 weeks or in the freezer for 3-4 months. I don’t recommend storing untempered chocolate at room temperature, as it melts easily.
Nutrition Facts
How To Make Chocolate (Dark or Milk)
Serving Size
2 pieces (9 g)
Amount per Serving
Calories
44
% Daily Value*
Fat
3.6
g
6
%
Saturated Fat
2.2
g
11
%
Sodium
0.8
mg
0
%
Carbohydrates
2.7
g
1
%
Sugar
2
g
2
%
Protein
0.4
g
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.