Wow i am on a roll lately! opening 2 threads in 2 days. I am hoping we can make use of this thread to post small cooking queries. Many a time I refrain from posting because I feel my doubts are too basic to deserve a thread. So here goes my first query. I have been making my own chocolate for 2 years now. here is the recipe, though, over the course of time, I am not understanding the use of a double boiler here. 1C coconut oil (or cocoa butter) 1C cocoa powder 1/2C honey 1tsp vanilla extract (or what ever extract my hand first touches in the fridge) Almonds or raisins what ever i have on hand In a double boiler, melt the oil. Remove from heat and add cocoa powder, vanilla extract. Then bring it back to the same consistency as honey. then add honey and when its all fully incorporated, pour into a mould/ tray and let it harden. If I have to bring back the coconut oil back to honey consistency, why cannot I just blend everything using a hand blender and call it a day? I mean, if the purpose of melting the oil to to incorporate cocoa powder, a hand blender would serve the purpose no? what am I missing here? why are all the chocolate recipe calling to melt the oil only to bring it back to honey consistency?
The reason might be that the cocoa powder will incorporate more readily into the warmed oil, similar to making hot chocolate. Most of the coconut oil I see here is solid or semi-solid anyway similar to cocoa butter. Your recipe sounds delish, btw.
Thank you MalStrom. That's what I figured as well. I am guessing the hand blender will perfectly take care of it and ditch the double boiler. Let me try today. if using Sweetened cocoa powder by the way, honey needs to be reduced.
