There is nothing more pleasant than melting chocolate. Chocolate has been around for hundreds of years, as a treat, a medication, and a revitalizing beverage.
There are numerous forms that melting chocolate can be purchased in. It is important that you use the correct type for cooking so your recipes turn out precisely the way you want. There is melting chocolate for dipping and melting chocolate for molds. You can purchase ordinary chocolate and melt it for recipes however sometimes this does not work as well as baking chocolate.
You can even buy melting chocolate for cake pops and melting chocolate chips. Where will you start? Perhaps the ideal place to begin is learning how to melt chocolate correctly.
Techniques For Perfectly Melted Chocolate
If you wish chocolate to taste perfect, here are some suggestions you must follow.
First, ensure all the chocolate is chop up in equally or near equal size pieces. Also make sure to have the proper equipment. A hot-water bath, microwave, or double boiler works well. Never ever try to melt chocolate using a whole bar, this does not work well and will result in disaster.
Avoid contact with water because this will cause the chocolate to become spastic. Chocolate is delicate and any alternation in its consistency regarding mixing chocolate with water may cause it to melt un-uniformly.
Melt all chocolate slowly and over extremely low heat. Be sure to mix it continuously. Chocolate must be mixed gradually and constantly.
Work out any lumps delicately.
Use a rubber spatula and lightly press any lumps on the sides.
Stir the chocolate consistently.
If using a microwave, use a low setting to avoid burning the chocolate, and use quick intervals mixing the chocolate in between each interval. Move the bowl at each interval. Use one minute for each one ounce of chocolate, or three minutes for every four to eight ounces of chocolate.
If you are using a double boiler, you will have to place chocolate in the top of a bowl and allow it melt on the indirect heat. Use a bowl that can fit over the top of the sauce pan. The pan will need to have hot water from the tap enough to provide heat but not so much that the bottom of the chocolate bowl will touch the water. Stir the chocolate constantly till it is smooth and melted.
Often there will be a recipe which asks that chocolate is stirred and mixed with some other things including milk, cream, water or another liquids. This may let the chocolate to be dissolved faster and more conveniently, and prevent it from overheating. However it also changes the consistency of the chocolate. If blending the chocolate with something else it is important to use at least an one to two ratio of other liquids. It will avoid dry particles of chocolate from binding to ingredients, creating a lumpy texture. Sometimes even more liquid might be needed for every two ounces of chocolate partly because of the thick ratio of chocolate.
Chocolate also has a tendency to seize up specially when cold liquid are put into it. Thus, it is necessary not to add any cool liquids to chocolate until it has a chance to cool-down. Allow for chocolate to cool down before immersing in cool liquids. If chocolate has been beat, allow for air bubbles to dissipate before including anything else to it.
Chocolate Recipes That Will Impress
There are lots of fantastic chocolate recipes that incorporate melting or dipping of chocolate. Some of the more common chocolate recipes consist of chocolate and fruit. Nothing is more satisfying than bananas or strawberries dipped with melted chocolate. There are many fruits however that taste just as fulfilling, these include raspberries.