How can I reduce the richness of my homemade chocolates?

Question

Context: I've recently gotten into making homemade chocolates. So far I've just been melting the stuff in a microwave according to directions and putting it into molds along with whatever filling I feel like. While I think the results taste perfectly fine, I've been getting the complaint that they are "too rich" (whatever that means). Before I go and do experiments that might result in chocolate that I won't even eat, I thought I would ask here...

Question: Is there something I can mix into melted chocolate to reduce the richness like water or milk, and will I have to expect it to interfere with it hardening in my molds? Am I just going to have to get less-rich chocolate to mix into or replace the chocolate I'm currently using (Wilton's light cocoa candy melts), and if so, what kind should I choose?

Answer 1

What you are using is not chocolate in the strict sense, it is a highly engineered product made to be easy to use by the home cook and taste similar to chocolate. I would advise against adding anything - this kind of product has been balanced by armies of food technologists to behave just like it does. If you start changing it by adding stuff, you will probably start getting trouble using it (e.g. it could curdle, or start sticking onto the molds, etc.) or the final texture will be weird, or both.

If you want to keep the ease of making your molded chocolates, you can just switch brands of mold-intended chocolate product, until you have found something that the eaters enjoy. Alternatively, you can get into standard chocolaterie, where you have limitless options. It will however require the committment to learn how to do it properly, to invest in tools and ingredients, and to find out which recipes you and your giftees like. If you can imagine developing a pasion for that, go for it! Or if you are unsure, try a simple tempering once or twice and see if you feel drawn to getting it right and delving deeper. If not, the premade products you are using are your better option, even though they cannot be personally tailored to people's tastes.

Answer 2

Keep doing it the way you are if you are enjoying it. Use a little heavy whipping cream, or some butter or almond butter or add fruit flavor or something. Richness comes from too much cocoa packed into one bite, so anything to spread it out and keep it delicious.