Chop both the POLKADOT SHROOM BARS roughly and place them in a clean, dry vessel. Place this vessel in a pan with water (filled about 1/3rd with water). Do not cover the vessel. Heat this on a very low flame. This is the ‘double boiling’ technique used for melting of the chocolate. Double boil the chocolate till it is of flowing consistency.
• Remove from heat and carefully take out the vessel from the water. Now the chocolate has to be cooled to room temperature. By room temperature we mean the temperature at which the chocolate would neither be cool nor hot. This process is known as ‘tempering’ of the chocolate. Add the essence and temper the chocolate. For this you need to stir the chocolate from left to right and right to left using a spatula. Tempering is not only the ideal way to cool chocolates but it also makes the chocolate richer. You could dip your finger to check and see if it has cooled.
• Now quickly pour the chocolate into the cavities of the moulds. For this it would be convenient to use a spoon. (You need to be a little fast because the melted chocolate will start to harden soon). Gently tap each mould 2-3 times to remove any air bubbles. Clean any excess chocolate around the moulds cavities
In the same manner vanilla, orange or coffee flavoured chocolate can also be made using those essences instead of the mint essence. It is best if chocolates are enjoyed at room temperature at about 18-20 deg. C. If someone is fond of dark, bitter chocolates add more of the dark compound for eg. you could take 125 or 150 gms. Dark chocolate and 100 gms. Milk chocolate in the above recipe, depending on how much bitter you want the chocolates to be.
Instead of these plain chocolates you can make them more rich and delicious by adding nuts of your choice. You could roast some nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.) and roughly chop them and add them after the tempering stage. Mix lightly with a spoon and pour them into moulds taking care to see that there are a few pieces of nuts in each spoonful that you pour into the moulds cavities.
Also Marie biscuits or wafer biscuits could be added into the chocolate after the tempering stage. Remove each biscuit gently and place them on butter paper a little away from each other and refrigerate for about 15 mins. Separate from paper and wrap each into chocolate paper. You get delicious biscuit chocolates. Chocolate making is all about experimenting as per your taste. If something new works out, it could be your very own discovery.
