Add nibs to blender (see notes) on low to medium speed until blender spins without contact with the nibs.

Stop blender and scrape/loosen cacao that is stuck to the sides and bottom of your mixer. I accomplish this with a combination of spatula and the handle end of a wooden spoon, carefully dislodging any stuck, melded cacao nibs.

Place container back on base and repeat this process until you have a thick cacao paste.

Throwing in a few of your cocoa butter pucks can “lubricate” this process and make it go a bit smoother. Cacao nibs already have fat in them (cocoa butter) but the extra addition of some cocoa butter will speed the process up.

On low heat, add cocoa butter to a sauce pan until golden yellow and melted. It’s good to have it melted and ready to receive your cacao liquor immediately as the liquor will solidify fast.

Once the thick paste is formed, put blender on a medium speed and attentively watch: this is when the paste will begin to liquify. This liquid is the brown gold of chocolate, but it is dark and bitter. Blend until liquid is flowing well in blender.

With spatula, add your chocolate liquor to the melted cocoa butter. You may need to use wooden spoon again to dislodge any stubborn solidified chunks that may have stuck to your blender. All in good time.

Stirring on low heat, add the vanilla, a pinch of sea salt, and fold in the maple syrup until mixture is thoroughly blended. Be sure not to heat too much!

You may now choose to add the mixture to moulds and have your chocolate all set! Or, you can level up and learn to temper your chocolate.

Clip on a candy thermometer to your pan, and check chocolate mix frequently until temperature falls within 118-122°F while continually folding mixture.

When temperature range is hit, put pan on a bed of ice in a bowl larger than the pan or that allows the pan to settle firmly on the ice. Continue folding mixture until temperature drops to 85-90°F.

Place pan back on the burner on low and continue stirring until temperature is once again at 118-122°F.

Take pan off heat and spoon chocolate into moulds until it reaches the top of each mould space.

If you are adding in dried fruit, nuts, etc, you can spoon half in, add your extras, then top off with chocolate.

Let cool slowly (do NOT place in the fridge) but make sure you fill moulds before chocolate solidifies. Also you could reheat as needed.

When chocolate is solidified, carefully remove from moulds and enjoy your masterfully crafted raw chocolate (in moderation mind you).