There are really people who turn to eating chocolate, crave more of it increasingly, and call their habit a chocolate addiction. There have been studies that explain why chocolate is addictive. Some point to an excess of serotonin after consuming sweet and fatty treats (like chocolates). Serotonins aid in intestinal movement; a surfeit of the hormone also means improved appetites, dispositions, and tempers.

Scientists allay fears that consuming chocolates in excess will lead to addiction. The habit-forming effect of chocolate is mainly due to the chemicals, nutrients and taste of chocolate and the body’s reaction to them.

Repeated visits to the store to buy chocolates may become too expensive in the long run. Why not support your chocolate “habit” right at home by making your own chocolate candy? Buy white or dark chocolate bars in bulk from the manufacturers so you could have a continuous supply every time you make these sweet treats. The other equipment are easy enough and ubiquitous mainstays in the kitchen: a double boiler, mixing bowl, candy molding trays, and rubber spatula or wooden spoon.

How to prepare:

1. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate, stirring the mixture time and again so it doesn’t get scorched.

2. When the chocolate is melted, remove the mixture from the double boiler and pour onto candy moldings. To minimize air bubbles, lightly tap mold to release them.

3. Allow it to dry at room temperatures or in the chiller. You may want to design your own fruit-filled chocolate candy by coating your favorite fruit in the melted chocoalte.

This process is easy but if chocolate is not properly tempered, it will appear streaky and dull. Tempering circulates chocolate crystals equally, or else there will appear cocoa butter crystals that will look whitish-gray blemishes on the surface.

To hasten tempering without the hassle, an investment in a chocolate tempering machine will do the trick. For one, the machine comes equipped with a chip that controls the chocolate’s temperature, which is a crucial aspect of chocolate tempering. The fatty acids in chocolate crystallize at six different temperatures, and only at a particular temperature does the desirable crystal structure proliferate. These crystals, known as Type Vs, will lead to lustrous, rich and crisp chocolate candy.

For another, tempering machines will assure you of the same fine quality of chocolate products every time you make them, something that’s essential if you’re thinking of trading chocolates for big bucks.