Make your own chocolates for your significant other on Valentine's Day

Chocolate is a divine gift from ancient times.

Before being widely known in Europe, chocolate was considered a food reserved for the nobility and was dubbed “Food of the Gods”. Originating from Mexico and South America, the nobility in some places such as Arabia used chocolate as a sexual aid because it contains many compounds that help increase excitement and physiology.

Not only on modern Valentine's Day do people give each other eye-catching chocolates, but for a long time, chocolate has been a gift on important occasions. This trend originated from some areas where the Aztecs lived and gradually became a special tradition. People here believed that chocolate had a close connection with the gods and only the nobility could enjoy this "divine" food.

Chocolate used to be a sacred and expensive "divine food", which was almost unattainable for common people in ancient times, only the noble class was allowed to look at it, and gradually became a popular, common, and ordinary food. It seems that this sweet-tasting path has also brought chocolate closer to everyone, and at the same time, the confectionery industry and the help of marketing campaigns have turned chocolate into a familiar gift on holidays, especially Valentine's Day. It is believed that there are two main reasons for couples to give each other chocolate, one is the excitement they bring that will help strengthen the couple's relationship, the other is the spiritual meanings such as love, warmth and trust for each other. Nowadays, it seems that giving chocolate has more spiritual meaning and they have gradually become a symbol of Valentine's Day every year.

Make chocolate for your other half

In the early days of chocolate, they were consumed entirely in the form of drinks. No one had any intention of turning them into hard candy bars like today. And the sweet path of chocolate officially began when Joseph Storrs Fry dressed them in a new coat in 1795. The Dutch scientist invented the method of separating beans with a steam engine and applied it to cocoa beans, turning this "divine" drink into beautiful square chocolate bars.

We often give chocolate to our loved ones in the form of packaged candy, but very few people give each other the drinkable version of chocolate. However, no matter what form they come in, their meaning is very special. Join Travellive to make two special chocolate gifts for your other half.

Chocolate ball

You need:

240g dark chocolate bars

75g Small Marshmallows

100g Chocolate powder

52g White Chocolate

180ml unsweetened fresh milk

Round silicone mold

Heat a pot of water until it boils, put all the dark chocolate in a glass bowl with a diameter equal to the pot, then place the bowl on the pot of hot water and stir well to melt the chocolate gradually. When you see the chocolate has just melted, lower the heat and stir continuously until the chocolate is completely melted. Turn off the stove, pour a thin layer of warm chocolate onto a round silicone mold and wait for it to cool completely.

You remove each piece of chocolate in the round mold, it will be in the shape of a half ball. Now, you scoop a portion of chocolate dough into the half ball, then put in a few pieces of marshmallow. Next, you prepare a pan. You heat it up and hold the other half ball upside down in the pan, the chocolate that touches the pan surface will melt. Now you quickly stick this half empty ball on the ball with the filling. Then you do it again and again until you run out of balls.

Quickly put the chocolate in the refrigerator to let them set. Set the timer for about 1 hour, then return to the pot of water, bring it back to a boil, take another bowl and melt the white chocolate. This white chocolate is for decoration. Pour it into a piping bag, cut off the tip of the bag and draw the letters, numbers, and shapes you want on each ball. Note that the white chocolate must be warm enough to draw on the ball.

You can also sprinkle things on the ball while the white chocolate is still slightly melted and not yet fully set. This could be sprinkles, candy crumbs, or even gold flakes.

When you want to eat, you heat fresh milk to 70 degrees Celsius and pour it into a cup and drop the chocolate balls in, they will "explode" and your kitchen will be fragrant. This gift can be kept for 7-8 days in the refrigerator and at room temperature below 24 degrees Celsius.

Chocolate covered strawberries

You need:

280g strawberries

320g dark chocolate

175g white chocolate

Rice flakes, crushed candy crumbs, roasted sliced ​​almonds, coconut rice, desiccated coconut, crushed nut crumbs.

Just like the chocolate balls, you need to melt dark and white chocolate. Wash the strawberries, remove the stems, and let them dry. Use a pair of tongs to dip the whole strawberry into the bowl of melted dark chocolate, lift it up, shake it gently to remove the excess chocolate, and quickly place it on a rack lined with parchment paper. Dip the whole strawberry in chocolate if you want to preserve it longer, the half-dipped strawberry version will not last long and needs to be refrigerated.

Now, let the strawberries rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, then return to melt the white chocolate. This chocolate is often used to draw on the strawberries for decoration. While the white chocolate is still warm, quickly sprinkle the strawberries with crushed nuts or almonds as you like and wait for it to cool. Store this “gift” in the refrigerator and use it within 3-5 days.

Hopefully with the two interesting and unique chocolate gifts above, couples will have the opportunity to show off their cooking skills and have the opportunity to give each other homemade gifts full of love.

Phuong Thao is the Editor of Travellive Magazine. She is passionate about traveling and loves to capture moments with her camera in every land she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are her favorite writing topics.

Ha Chu