It's easier thank you think to make chocolate bars at home: Video tutorial

You don’t need to be Willy Wonka or own a chocolate factory to make your own candy bars.

It might sound intimidating, but chocolate bars are actually simple to make. Plus, doing it yourself gives you the freedom to add your favorite toppings and flavor combinations so they’re exactly how you like them. It can also be fun to get your kids involved and let their confectionery creativity flow.

The final result can be shared with loved ones as a tasty treat — or kept in your secret sweets hiding spot for you, and only you, to enjoy.

Watch this video to learn how to make homemade chocolate bars.

Homemade chocolate bars

To make chocolate bars at home, start by choosing your favorite type of chocolate or mix a few of your favorites. You can easily find white, milk and dark chocolate bark in the baking aisle at your local grocery store.

Roughly chop the chocolate bark into small pieces and melt it. You can do this in the microwave using a microwave-safe measuring cup, heating for 20 seconds at a time and stirring in between until it’s smooth.

Line a pan with parchment paper, pour in the melted chocolate and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle on your favorite toppings and flavors, then let it sit until it’s firm.

You can add delicious toppings like:

• Nuts, like peanuts, pistachios or pecans. 
• Peppermint. 
• Crispy rice cereal. 
• Marshmallows.
• Pretzels.
• Dried fruit.
• Cinnamon.
• Sea salt. 
• Fruit preserves.
• Chocolate chips. 
• Peanut butter.
• Caramel.

If you want to kick it up a notch, turn the standard chocolate bar into something more layered, like a peanut butter caramel bar.

Once the chocolate is firm, add a layer of peanut butter. For added texture, consider using a crunchy spread or mixing in peanuts or pretzels.

Tip: Microwave the peanut butter slightly to make it easier to spread.

Next, melt the caramels and pour them over the peanut butter layer. Once everything is firm, cut the chocolate bars into your desired shape. You can enjoy them as is, dunk them in melted chocolate or drizzle some on top. Let them firm up before indulging.

Store any chocolates that don’t get eaten right away in an airtight container.

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Clean chocolate stains 

Chocolate is delicious, but it can also be messy. The good news is that chocolate stains are fixable. As with most stains, the sooner you act to remove it, the more likely it’ll come out without leaving a permanent mark.

To remove chocolate from fabric or clothes: 

1. Gently scrape off any solidified bits.
2. Rinse the fabric under cold water. 
3. Treat the spot with either dish soap or laundry detergent. Gently rub it in with a cleaning toothbrush or small scrub brush.
4. Let it sit for 30 minutes before running it through the laundry.

If the chocolate is set in, soak the area in a mix of distilled white vinegar and water for 30 minutes before washing.

Other popular methods include freezing the stain with an ice cube or placing the item in the freezer and scraping off the hardened chocolate, dabbing the spot with lemon juice, or blotting it with club soda.