Have you ever melted chocolate for a recipe and instead of perfectly smooth, glossy melted chocolate ended up with a solid, stiff mass or chocolate with an unmistakable grainy texture?
Here are a few of the basics when it comes to cooking with chocolate.
Melting chocolate
There are several different ways to melt chocolate but if you want perfect results every time there are a few basic rules which need to be observed:
- Water and chocolate don’t mix well – make sure any equipment you’re using (pans or bowls) are perfectly dry as any stray drops of water will cause the chocolate to thicken and stiffen. For the same reason do not cover chocolate whilst melting or once melted.
- Don’t rush the melting process – the temptation might be to turn up the heat but rushing the process will ruin the flavour and texture of the chocolate
- For a really smooth result it’s best to either grate or chop the chocolate before melting.
One of the best and easiest ways of melting chocolate is to melt it either in a bain marie or in a bowl over a pan of hot water.
Make sure the bowl fits securely over the pan so no water or steam can escape. Water in the saucepan should never touch the bottom of the bowl. Place the chocolate in the bowl. Allow the water in the saucepan to come to the boil and place the bowl on top. Turn off the heat and leave to stand until the chocolate has melted.
Alternatively, a microwave is very useful for melting chocolate, particularly small quantities of chocolate. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a glass bowl. Microwave uncovered stopping every 15 seconds to mix the chocolate to make sure you get a smooth consistency. Take care not to burn the chocolate though. Once burnt it cannot be used.
Chocolate should only be melted over a direct heat when combined with other ingredients, such as butter, sugar or milk or similar ingredients, often when making sweets or sauces. Always use a very gentle heat and stir continuously. As soon as the chocolate has melted remove it from the heat to prevent the chocolate over-cooking and becoming grainy.
Follow the recipe!
It might sound daft but it’s always important to use the type of chocolate specified in the recipe.
There are lots of different types of chocolate and ways of using chocolate in baking. Cocoa powder is ideal for providing a concentrated chocolate flavour in cakes, biscuits and icing. Block chocolate is used for making richer cakes and creating chocolate mousses, tarts, cheesecakes, etc.
Avoid substituting milk chocolate where a recipe specifies dark or plain chocolate (sometimes referred to in recipes as semi-sweet and bittersweet chocolate) – milk chocolate has very different properties to dark chocolate and you could end up ruining the recipe.
Learn more about the different types of chocolate.