| This is quite likely the dream project of | | | | placing another over top and using a hammer |
| many children, as well as a few of their | | | | will work, but possibly too well. A more |
| mothers! But be warned, making chocolate is | | | | restrained and easy to control way of |
| a finicky business, and you won't be turning | | | | breaking them into pieces is with a mortar |
| out huge bars of Toblerone. In fact, it | | | | and pestle. Once you have pieces, put them |
| might be a good idea to purchase some | | | | in a clean pepper or other mill and grind |
| inexpensive molds for small, flat decorative | | | | them. Be careful though, because as the bits |
| chocolate shapes like flowers, animals, and | | | | get smaller, they tend to liquefy. Grind |
| birds. These aren't too hard to find, and | | | | just to the point where you can put them back |
| are usually available around Easter and | | | | in a dish and use the mortar and pestle again |
| Valentine's.The chocolate you make will be | | | | for the final mashing.By now you have a mush. |
| pure chocolate, not the chocolates you get in | | | | Heat the dish in a pan of water, and then |
| a gift box. That takes even more time and | | | | grind a little more in the mortar. It should |
| patience than either Mom or the kids may | | | | have reached a fairly smooth consistency |
| have. Start your project with raw cocoa | | | | after this stage. Now you can add a drop of |
| beans, which can be found through many online | | | | mint flavoring, and your sugar. A rule of |
| sites.Beans need to be roasted by spreading | | | | thumb is 1/2 cup sugar per pound of cocoa |
| them in a single layer on a pan, and leaving | | | | beans processed, but you may want to start |
| them in the oven for approximately 30 minutes | | | | out with less, in order to see how sweet it |
| at 400F degrees. Allow them to cool, and | | | | gets. Pour into molds, and you have pure |
| then peel off the husks, which is a really | | | | chocolate!Visit for instructions on how to |
| fiddly job.Next, you'll want to break them | | | | make just about anything you can think of. |
| up. Spreading them out on a tea towel, | | | | |