Customize the flavor of your homemade dark chocolates. I like to experiment and make different chocolate flavors. If you want to make flavored chocolate pour 1/2 cup of the melted chocolate mixture into a small bowl and then add the flavor of your choice. Make sure you taste as you go. You can always add more.

Extracts & Spices

• I have tried: Mint Extract, English Toffee Extract, and Kahlua.

  • You need to be careful when adding extracts to chocolate as it can cause the chocolate to seize. It is best to wait until the chocolate mixture has cooled a little and add the extract very slowly and mix really quickly.

• Instant Coffee: 1/2 tsp - 1 TBSP depending on your preference.

  • I added 1 tsp. Add while cacao butter and unsweetened baking chocolate are still melting in order to make dissolving the Instant Coffee easier.

• Chili Powder: 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp

  • I added 1 tsp as Penguin likes spicy and these had a serious kick.

• Smoked Paprika: 1/2 tsp

  • I added 1/2 tsp Penzeys Spanish Style Smoked Paprika.

• Reduced Red Wine Dessert Sauce

  • I made a reduced red wine dessert sauce using Cabernet Sauvignon and Pure Monkfruit 30% Extract but the sauce didn’t reduce as well as I would have liked and it was a little bitter.

  • The reduced red wine dessert sauce needs to be made with sugar or erythritol and next time I would use a Zinfandel.

Add-Ins

• Fill candy molds with the chocolate mixture but leave a little room to add:

  • Dried Cherries.

    • I tried chopped frozen cherries but frozen cherries have too much moisture so they do not work well.

  • Dried Cranberry, Sunflower Seeds, and Pepitas Seeds.

    • I used the Salad Topper from Costco.

  • Fresh Lemon Zest.

    • I used the zest from one lemon for the 16 chocolates.