Dealing with chocolate

For many years I would refuse to bake anything that involved melting chocolate. I found I always burnt it or stuff it up in some way. Until I learnt a couple of tricks.

1. Use a double boiler.

put a metal bowl (or another pot) over a pot half filled with water over the stove. I don't recommend using the microwave as settings and strengths varies between machines, you lack control, and its another appliance. (I have the first world problem of kitchen appliance proliferation - I digress).

2. Make sure the water is not boiling.

The stove should be on medium to medium low. The water should be at most little bubbles rising to the top. (picture to come). 

3. Put the top bowl/pot when the water is ready.

Otherwise you may find it reaches boiling and oh oh, too late - you've burn the chocolate.

4. Keep watching it.

A watched pot never boils - so the saying goes. So watch it! Stir occasionally.Watching gives you the control. You can turn up/down the heat. Take the pot away from the heat all together. 

5. Use other ingredients to melt it for you

If you hate double boiling - I don't blame you. So another simple trick, if your recipes asks to heat cream and/or milk or melt butter. Do that first, then off the stove, add chopped up chocolate. Stir and keep stirring til the chocolate melts. And it will melt, just be patient and stir. The boiling point of cream/milk/butter is a lower than water - so its a pretty safe bet that you won't burn your chocolate when you add it. But make sure its OFF THE HEAT!

If you have other tips/advice to dealing with chocolate in the kitchen, comment below - I'd love to hear them!

Categories: Chocolate