Cocoa From The Bean Scratch?

[spicenator3000]

I am FED up with chocolate bars and cocoa treats (being I am a woman needing chocolate at times of the month...uh hem) that always seem to make me swell up/indegestion/gassy/you name it sick!

SO, I have decided to seek out any suggestions, recepies, advice from those who know how to cook or know of someone who can cook great of any cocoa bars/treats from scratch...and I mean the cocoa bean.

I can buy the cocoa beans at a local co-op and wash them, making sure there is no croscontamination involved. I am severaly sensitive and can't buy ingredients like normal people, but then again who here can. I can't have any milk products what so ever. This recepie may turn out to be just cocoa beans and raw vanilla bean blended with water in my blender, but I'll do anything with in a healthy reason to obtain my objective!

Has anyone tried this before? Anyone with experience or recepies that are okay with my list of needs above send it on over.

Thanks!

[tarnalberry]

the chocolate making process (from beans) involves roasting and conching - something I've not seen done in small kitchens... you might want to find a local chocolatier and see if he/she is willing to help give you any one-on-one guidance.

[Juliebove]

Have you tried the Enjoy Life chocolate? It's dairy and soy free.

[purple]

I am a chocolate lover too

You could try a magnesium supplement to curb your chocolate craving.

What about the extremely...extra dark...plain...chocolate...does it bother you?

[tarnalberry]

I'm assuming that you've tried high quality chocolates? you can get gluten free chocolate, dairy free chocolate, and soy free chocolate (and chocolate that's a combination of all of the above). pure cocoa power, even, is generally fine and can be used to make hot chocolate, brownies, chocolate pies, or a number of other things.

but I'm assuming from the post that you've tried all of these options?

[gwen.8278]

My bf has tried the soy free and gluten free option and tough he says they don't taste as good as the one he used to eat earlier he still is fine that way and can overcome this chocolate cravings with that!

It have actually tasted them and think they are pretty good - plus I don't have to hide and eat chocolate so that he doesn't see it and becomes jealous.

[Nancym]

I just heard one of the guys behind Schaffenberger (sp?) talk about how they started. Basically he said you can make your own cocoa from chocolate nibs and a coffee grinder, that's about how they got started.

Here's a link to that interview: Open Original Shared Link

Google "make your own chocolate" lots of stuff out there