"W" > wrote in message
...
> I would like to make my own sugar free chocolate from cocoa powder. I
don't
> want any milk due to lactose intolerance. I don't want any flour, and I
> definitely don't want any sugar. I will use Stevia and Erythritol (a
sugar
> alcohol that metabolizes in a way that is almost zero calories) as the
> sweeteners. Are there any good recipes out there for this?
>
> I have found some decent chocolates online that match the above general
list
> of ingredients, but they are extremely expensive. I'm looking to lower
> cost and also learn about chocolate making.

For anyone who cares about the original question, I ended up going with the
following:

1) I melted Ghirardelli Premium Baking Chocolate in a double boiler. This
chocolate is unsweetened 100% cacao. They already did the messy and
difficult steps like mixing in the butter. There is no flour, no
lactose/milk, and no sweeteners artificial or not.

2) I add erythritol and stevia, and I'm still experimenting with the best
combinations.

3) Stir and pour into chocolate mold.

If you like dark chocolate, it's quite yummy, and it causes no indigestion
from lactose and no rise in blood sugar.

As someone else correctly pointed out, the erythritol crystalizes. The
commercial chocolates I have purchased that are nearly identical to the
formula above -such as Lucienne's Sugar Free 83% Dark Chocolate - do NOT
have this crystalized erythritol. So apparently there is some way to mix
in the sugar without having it crystalize.

I was able to mix the erythritol into coconut oil and bring it to about 180
degrees F and this melted it completely. Unfortunately, when you melt in
the chocolate, it crystalizes again. I also note that the data sheets for
erythritol indicate a melting temperature of 120 degrees. I was not able
to duplicate that result at all. It would be great if true and would
simplify the task of avoiding crystalizing.

Does anyone have an insight on how to properly melt erythritol without
having it crystalize when cooled with other ingredients?

--
W