Melting Chocolate

First off , I have to start with a personal confession. I hope that you won't hold this against me , its something that I can't help and don't like to discuss , but the thing is , I really don't like chocolate .

OK, it's out in public now and I must say that it is a relief to no longer hold onto my abnormal secret alone.

Luckily , Chef Chahna has taught me some of her chocolate skills, and my twins are very happy to taste all of my trials and give their blunt feedback . So please don't worry , this post , and the later post on tempering chocolate , will still be top notch , and of course they come with tips and advice from a Chocolate Pro.

Melting Chocolate .

This technique is used for all of your bakes and icings. It is relatively easy and has room for error , because the chocolate will then be mixed and incorporated into another product , so apearance doesn't matter, as long as it is not burnt.

One tip I learnt recently is that both milk and white chocolate have a lower melting point than dark chocolate which makes them easier to burn , so just bear this in mind when you are in choc melting mode .

Two methods work equally well as long as you keep an eye on the bowl edges to prevent the chocolate from burning.

Method 1 :

1. Break a bar of chocolate into a heat proof bowl , such as pyrex .

   Add a few cm of water to a saucepan , ( make sure that the bowl you are using for your chocolate will fit into the saucepan without actually touching the bottom of it . )

2. Bring the water in the pan to a gentle simmer and try to keep it at that level .

3. Place the bowl of chocolate over the water in the saucepan , and re-check that its not touching the bottom of the pan.

This method , if done correctly , allows gentle and even melting of the chocolate from the heat of the steam , though remember to keep an eye on the water to keep it just simmering and not boiling too vigorously and also watch the chocolate along the sides of the bowl to avoid burning . You can stir the chocolate as it melts with a metal or wooden spoon .

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/6ddfbe_441708c564ec48e7ac64b2f66b6d2c7d/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Method 2:

This one is for those of you who have a decent microwave . There is a higher risk of burning the chocolate, but if you are really vigilant and onto it , it is easily avoided .

1. Break the chocolate bar into small pieces and place in a microwave proof bowl .

2. Heat the chocolate on medium or regular power for bursts of 30 seconds .

3. Stir the chocolate after each 30 seconds and then heat again for another 30 seconds until fully melted , ( usually after only 90 seconds or slightly longer , depending on the amount of chocolate you require . )

   The beauty of this method is that you end up with only one bowl to wash . This is a bonus for all of us that don't have an amenable kitchen husband or child skivvy to do our dishes .

Whichever method you use , let your melted chocolate cool for 5 minutes , especially if you are adding it to a cream mixture . Though try to use it before it starts to harden up and thicken , mixing in a little cream will help reduce the chances of that happening .

Otherwise try and set everything up for your totally delicious chocolate creation before you start the melting process , then you will be ready to go when the chocolate is fully melted and eager to be in incorporated into your recipe .

I think that this post is probably one that many of you will excel at . So forget my weird taste buds and just enjoy practicing your new skill .

Have fun , but dont get carried away with taste testing your creamy , melted chocolate , it is important to save some for the recipe . xxx