How to Make Chocolates

Did you ever wonder that? In brief, they're made from bitter cacao beans and folded into chocolate bars. If you were a large chocolate company you'd need tons of them. Here's a guide to the production process.

First of all you have to harvest the cacao beans. Large companies either buy them from growers or they buy the farm and then harvest the beans. They place them into an oven at between 250 to 325 degrees F. for 5 to 35 minutes. You gradually lower the temperature and stop roasting when they start to crack. Their two reasons for the time variance.

The first is to prevent the beans from burning. The second is that the cooking time of cacao beans varies  according to bean type.

Companies produce chocolates in huge quantities and therefore, the beans are stored in drums and rotated over gas grills. Once they're roasted, they must be cracked into small bits, or 'nibs', removing those that can't be cracked.

Next is grinding them into a cacao liqueur. You need a machine to liquefy this while separating the remaining husks that weren't culled after roasting.

Then you conch and refine the chocolate so that you're able to give it a distinct taste. This is what makes the different tastes of product between the large chocolate producers.

First melt the chocolate and cocoa butter in an oven at around 120 degrees F. Then mix non fat dry milk powder, sugar, lecithin and a vanilla pod for about one hour. The mixture is then poured into a grinder with some heat, keeping the chocolate a liquid. Refine for at least 10 hours but no more than 36 hours.

When ready, temper the chocolate so it looks shiny and soft enough to easily melt in your hand.

We're almost finished. Mold the chocolate into your desired shape. Produce in large quantities by using molds. Pour in and after cooling, package it for delivery.

Some companies sell these in blocks so people can buy them, melt it and mold it to their own desired shapes.

Making chocolate is easy. You just have to have the equipment and all of the ingredients. Volume doesn't really matter because the principle is the same whether producing a huge batch or a small one. If you're really serious about making chocolate from scratch, try to find a class and sign up.

So what if you don't want to go to all that work and chocolate simply disappears too quickly anyway? There is another option to sort of satisfy you. How about a Chocolate Fudge scented jar candle? This candle fills your home with the scent of creamy milk chocolate, creating a satisfying ambiance and leaving your mouth watering. Plus, it comes with a jewelry surprise inside!

Meditation: A Stress Management Key

Have you ever seen a person break down in depression, or become incapable of thinking clearly during times of great need or experiencing problems in their life? These people let stress run their lives and it's not a pretty sight. The only way to free yourself from stress is making sure you don't let it rule you.

The Mind

Our mind is the first to be affected by stress. The harmony of our thoughts can be disrupted if worries and problems take over our consciousness and control our thinking. Quarrels and fights and financial worries can have devastating affects on our mind. The first thing that should be done when that happens is relax.

Easing your mind is a good way to control stress but it's not an easy thing to do. It takes concentration and willpower. There are ways to help your mind to relax. Aromatherapy is one such tool you can use. Having the scent of lavender or jasmine drifting through the air can put you in  a meditative state as long as you concentrate, and help you relax almost immediately. Scented candles are excellent for this as are incense or oils.

Meditation

If you're under stress, it's almost impossible to find a solution to the problem at hand. Learn to focus your energy to let your mind relax. You can DO this through meditation.

Meditation allows you to focus your mind on one thing while the other things drift away. There are meditation classes that will guide you through steps on how to make your mind relax and meditate and stay there during stressful times. This allows you to focus on a single thought, like finding a solution to your problem without the worries and anxiety getting in the way.

The Steps

Step one is to look for a peaceful setting. Stress management starts with serenity and solitude, so pick a location that is quiet and peaceful so you can start meditating. Pick a room in your house that is conducive to meditating, or if there is too much activity in the home, find a quiet outdoor location.

Once there, focus your mind on specific parts of your body. Begin with your toes and work your way up and throughout the rest of your body. Close your eyes to keep visual distractions out of your mind and concentrate on each area, telling it to relax. Once you're completely relaxed, focus on a solution to whatever problem you have. You may experience a slight heaviness when you've relaxed. This is normal for beginners, but you'll soon get over this.

Focus on a question, such as a solution, with your mind. You may find that thoughts appear and disappear. Make a note of these and try not to focus on them too much, or the purpose will be defeated. It's like watching a movie, let the scene pass.

The next time you have a problem that stresses you out, meditate, ease your mind, and come up with a logical solution.