I like to make my own chocolate bars using Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate
Squares, sweetener (Splenda, equal etc) and a rectangular mold.

I melt the chocolate in the microwave at about 60% power until its
almost melted, then stir until its fully melted. I add 1 sweetener pkg
per square of chocolate, mix and pour it into the mold. I freeze it for
20m and then it's ready.

I have two questions:

1) The chocolate melts in my hands. Why is this? The unprepared
chocolate squares do not melt in my hands, I've even tried rubbing them
(the unprepared ones) on my fingers and they leave absolutely no marks.
But after I make the above mixture, I just have to touch a piece and I
get chocolate marks on my fingers and hands.

What can I do differently do make it more "stable(??)" at room
temperature, like regular chocolate bars? Do I have to add something,
or prepare it differently?

2) I've tried adding a tiny amount of artificial vanilla extract and it
turns my silky, shiny, smooth melted chocolate into a clump. Will real
vanilla extract do the same thing? Is there some other way to add
artificial vanilla?

Thanks,
Jim

Hi,

I saw a programme on a UK Food TV channel about this recently.
Strange as it may seem, chocolate solids have a crystalline
structure which need a certain amount of heat energy to break
down and melt. When you melt, stir and let them cool in an
uncontrolled way you finish-up with a jumbled structure that has
a lower melting point. To put things right you need to temper the
chocolate by heating and then cooling it in a controlled manner
so that the former structure is put back in place.

Have a look at this site -

http://www.baking911.com/chocolate_temper.htm


Cheers - Joe