Milk Chocolate

1. Heat a saucepan of water until it simmers. Meanwhile, mix the cocoa powder and butter into a thick paste.
2. Immerse the cocoa mixture in the heated water and bring back to simmering. Then remove the heated cocoa mixture and transfer to a bowl.
3. Combine the two sugars and salt. Mix together in a bowl or food processor until smooth.
4. Add the combined sugar and salt to the cocoa mixture. Pour in milk slowly while stirring thoroughly to remove any lumps.
5. Pour the mixture into shaped moulds or other containers, then refrigerate for at least six hours or until the chocolate hardens.

Equipment: saucepan, measuring cups, bowls, chocolate moulds.

Customising your chocolate

You can make lots of little tweaks to this basic recipe to create chocolate of your desired consistency and flavour. For a firmer finish, pour the chocolate in thinner layers, use less water, or use cocoa butter in place of dairy butter. Thicker layers produce a softer, fudge-like consistency. If you want to include touches like raisins, nuts and coconut, these should be added to the finished mixture just before pouring.

Chocolate can be healthy

Of course, not all chocolate is made equal. Dark chocolate, made with cocoa butter and high concentrations of cocoa, can be quite beneficial for your health if eaten in moderation. However, the variety we know as 'milk chocolate' isn't that healthy at all, as it contains low cocoa levels and lots of sugar. So it's important to note that in order for a chocolate to be deemed healthy or not, it'll depend entirely on how it's made and the ingredients it has in it. That's why making it yourself is such a good idea — you have absolute control on what goes into your very own choccy bar!

Say bye-bye to highly-processed chocolate from the shops! There's a better way to satisfy your sweet cravings, and that's by making your own chocolate from scratch. Remember that the higher cocoa powder ratio, the healthiest — and that using maple or agave syrup as sweetener is also healthier than using sugar. Happy eating!

Custom chocolate creations in Coolangatta

Whether you're a certified chocoholic or shopping for the chocolate lover who has everything, visit Gelato Messina at The Strand Coolangatta for mouth-watering ice creams and creative cakes.

Check out more recipes on The Strand Coolangatta blog. Or, come dine with us at The Strand! Use our interactive dining guide here to see which cafe or restaurant will best suit your occasion. Need help finding us? Refer to our centre info page here, or contact us on 07 5506 5300.