The story of chocolate, as far back as we know it, begins with the discovery of America. Until 1492, the Old World knew nothing at all about the delicious and stimulating flavor that was to become the favorite of millions.

The Court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella got its first look at the principal ingredient of chocolate when Columbus returned in triumph from America and laid before the Spanish throne a treasure trove of many strange and wonderful things. Click here

 
 
Growing the Cocoa Bean  |   Varieties of Cacao  |   Crop for Shipment  |   How to Make Cocoa Powder
Bean to Chocolate  |   What is Conching?  |   Automation Does the Job  |   A Sanitary Atmosphere
Eating Chocolates  |   Growing Chocolates  |   Chocolates just for kids

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATES



3 lb Icing Sugar
1 cn Eagle Brand sweetened
1 x Evaporated Milk
1 x Butter or Margarine
1 x Parafin Wax (Parawax)
1 x Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate
1 x Food Coloring
1 x Artifical Food Flavors


The above ingredients are approximate quantities only!!! For every cup of icing sugar you use, mix in approximately 1 teaspoon of softened butter or margarine. Then slowly mix in enough of the evaporated milk to make the mixture of a consistency such that you can form a ball with it. (Mixing with the hands is the easiest way).

Next seperate the mixture into as many parts (3 or 4) as you want different flavored chocolates. Then slowly knead in the desired flavoring and food color you want in each different part. Now mold the resultant mixture into the desired shapes and sizes you want your chocolates to be.

Now melt in a double boiler (or microwave) two parts semi-sweet chocolate to one part parawax. Remove from heat. Immediately, using a tooth pick, pick up each shape created above and dip it into the chocolate mixture to coat them. Then put them on a piece of wax paper until the chocolate coating is set. As the chocolate mixture cools and thickens, reheat it and continue. If you run out of chocolate mixture, simply add more chocolate and parawax in the proportions listed above.

Note: Suggested flavors and colors:
- Maple flavor with no coloring
- Mint flavor with green coloring
- Lemon flavor with yellow coloring
- Orange flavor with orange coloring
- Almond Flavoring with red coloring (small amount to create pink)


Variations: - With the Maple flavoring, you can bury a piece of pecan or walnut inside the candy before dipping it into the chocolate
- With the almond flavoring, bury a marachino cherry inside the candy before dipping it in the chocolate. Add a drop of cherry juice with it to prevent the cherry being too dry.
- Use the same recipe to make Easter eggs, bunnies etc. Ex. For Easter eggs, make a center part of one color and flavor and wrap it in another color and flavor before dipping.

Note: Parawax must be used with the chocolate to create a consistency that will stick to your candy and not your fingers when set. It is not harmful and is used commercially.