Recent studies suggest that people who consume foods with high contents of fat (e.g. chocolates) will cause the body to release a deluge of serotonins, a hormone that primary directs the activity in our intestines. When there’s a glut of serotonins, the brain utilizes these to control our appetites, dispositions, and rages. One positive manifestation is that this will boost moods as evidenced by an improved sense of well being. There are even those who rely on chocolate to boost a grumpy day.

Ponder on this, scientists guarantees that excessive chocolate consumption does not indicate addiction. The positive perspectives you get after a chocolate binge is just the body’s answer to the sensory stimulation evoked by the taste and aroma of chocolates.

Once you know how, you may now choose to make your own chocolate candy at home instead of going to the store to maintain your chocolate “addiction.” The ingredients are everyday grocery items (dark or white chocolates, and optionally, fruits/berries), and the equipment you’ll be needing are found right in your kitchen drawers (double boiler, mixing bowl, candy molds/baking sheets, and rubber spatula).

Here’s how to make chocolate candy: first, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, always stirring to prevent the chocolate getting scorched. When the mixture has totally liquefied, remove from the double boiler and pour out the mixture onto a baking sheet candy shapes to dry. If you want your own fruit-filled chocolate candy, put the fruit inside the mold and cover with the melted chocolate. You can also let the chocolate set into its mold in the chiller.

Even if the process appears easy, there is one thing to watch out for. If not properly tempered, your chocolate candies will have streaks in it and appear dull since chocolate isn’t by nature lustrous or creamy-textured. Tempering is a three-step process of melting, cooling and re-heating so that the crystals in cocoa butter achieve a uniform, Type V crystal structure. Please note however that tempering requires keeping your chocolates maintained in its correct temperatures at all times (dark, semi-sweet and milk chocolates have different tempering temperatures).

To facilitate your chocolate tempering, consider investing in a chocolate tempering machine to automate the process. Not only will you be able to create chocolate candies like a master chocolatier, you’ll also have time to progress beyond creating chocolate candies for personal use to selling them for a nice sum!