How do I make a 60% dark chocolate bar using my own sweetener?

by Suzy
(Scottsdale, AZ)

Chocolate making is confusing to say the least! I would like to make my own dark chocolate bars and truffles and since I am diabetic I would like to use my own sweeteners - agave syrup, xylitol, etc.

All I can seem to find to purchase is the 100% dark unsweetened bars and that's too strong but I don't know how to get to a less percent darkness starting with that bar. When they say 60% cocoa, for example, I'm not sure what the other 40% is.

I had fabulous low carb chocolates at Harrod's in London on a trip, and haven't found any that good in the stores here. So I would love to experiment.

So my question is what form of unsweetened chocolate do you start with to make an approximate 50-60% cocoa dark chocolate bar and how do you go about making it?

Thanks,

Suzy Sturm

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Jul 07, 2011

Amber Lyn Chocolates... Yum
by: Chocoholic

I've purchased the white baking chocolate and made chocolate covered pop corn... wow... delicious.

I know it's off topic but I just had to comment. It is easier just to buy some sugar free baking chocolate as opposed to making your own.

May 04, 2011

Here's what I think
by: Anonymous

www.amberlynchocolatestore.com.com sells a pound of ready to add your sweetener to chocolate.

I've failed miserably several times trying to make a chocolate candy at home with baker's chocolate, etc, and it's too much fuss for too little reward.

I suspect we could figure out how to melt asher's chocolate, add our own preferred sweetener, nuts, whatever, then form into a desirable shape.

Here's a link to three different chocolates http://www.amberlynchocolatestore.com/Bulk-No-Sugar-Added-White-Chocolate-p/blkwhite.htm

Haven't tried it yet, but after endless searching, and reading through this thread, it's my best guess.

-HB

Aug 05, 2008

Chocolate Maker
by: Kathy Moskal

Please check out my chocolates. Visit www.veregoods.com. I started this company because I wanted to make a premium, delicious, healthful TOTALLY NATURAL (no sugar alcohols, Splenda, etc. ) for a diabetic friend.

I started with the bean... I have a whole line most of which are diabetic friendly. They are all 75% cacao..and I am coming out with a 70%. You must have at least 70% cacao to get all the heart healthy benefits of chocolate. I like to say VERE is not sweet / but not bitter.

We've been written about in a wonderful diabetes web site called "Diabetes Mine" She rarely endorses anything..but gave us raves.

Aug 05, 2008

60% chocolate bars
by: Anonymous

Suzy, I have been trying to make a milk chocolate bar without sugar. Many tries and little success.

I can temper the unsweetened chocolate and add Splenda, and it's good for me but not what I would share.

I have been thinking that sugar free bars that are not real dark need commercial stuff to cook. I'm hoping to see some fresh ideas to try from your question. Good luck!

Aug 05, 2008

Making Chocolate Candy Bars
by: Angie

Hi Suzy,

I'm jealous! Those low carb chocolates from Harrod's sound quite intriguing. I wouldn't mind tasting them myself. :-)

I'll have to own up to the fact that I don't know the answer to your question. If you look at the ingredients in chocolate bars, you'll see that they generally have a combination of these ingredients...

***cocoa powder or liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, condensed milk or milk solids, soy lecithin, vanilla

A general rule in making chocolates is to not allow moisture to get into the chocolate. It makes the chocolate seize up. I know you can add flavored oils to chocolate without a problem, but perhaps you can experiment with adding some additional ingredients to your melted dark chocolate to "lighten the taste" of it and lower the percentage.

When it comes to the truffles, that shouldn't be a problem. Look at some of the yummy truffle recipes here on the site and make your substitutions accordingly.

If you come up with a perfect solution, please post it back using the comment form. I know there are other visitors who will want to know the answer and solution.

We might even get lucky and someone else who does know the answer will ride in to the rescue.

Happy experimenting!

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