Showing posts with label Bain-marie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bain-marie. Show all posts
Making Chocolate Starts by Melting It
Melting is not the same thing as tempering so never confuse the two. However, melting is part of the tempering process which can be done using a microwave or a hot water bath.
The nice thing about using a microwave to melt chocolate is that you get the results you want fast with little or no effort at all and mess. Naturally, before you put the chocolate in the microwave, you should put this in a microwave safe container that remains cool or only slightly warm after several minutes.
The ideal setting on the microwave should be at least 50% low power. This prevents scorching or burning. How long should you put these in on the microwave depends on how much you will be using. A good basis will be 1 minute for every ounce of chocolate so put this first on a weighing scale.
If by accident you overheated the chocolate, don’t panic. Pour this into a cool bowl and add chunks of unmelted chocolate and stir continuously.
If you prefer to use a double boiler, start by filling the sauce pan with hot water from the tap and then put the chocolate over into another bowl. Since the water is just warming up in the bottom, you should only put 1/3 of the chocolate and let it melt first before putting the rest in.
You must stir the bowl frequently so all the chocolate has melted. When this is done, this is the time you pour this into the mold.
Whichever you decide to choose, remember these tips.
• First, chop the chocolates into small pieces because it melts quicker.
• Never let chocolate get into contact with water because it will make the block of chocolate unworkable.
• When melting the chocolate, do this in low heat or temperature so you prevent it from overheating.
• To prevent bubbles, stir the chocolate frequently using a rubber spatula but only when the outer edges begin to melt.
• You have to remember that chocolate retains it shape when melted so again, you have to stir it constantly so there won’t be any problems getting some using a spoon and then pouring this into the mold.
You can also melt chocolate with other liquids aside from water. You can use cream, milk, cream and wine. But most people use water because it is faster and more convenient. But if you were to try other liquids, make sure that you use at least 1 tablespoon of liquid for very 2 ounces of water. This will prevent the chocolate from binding together and becoming lumpy. But if you are using dark chocolate, you may have to add more than 1 tablespoon per ounce.
Melting the chocolate is key in making your final product when you pour this into a mold. It does not matter whether you choose to use a microwave or a double boiler because you will be doing the same thing in the end which is to freeze it and then pack it up to give it as a gift or serve it as part of your dessert.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vQ2_V7M6lXNX5anRK2CO8si6q0ONKd8MUcF-srbziMftKdpxu_bMAIMef4ASd6CY3JZsCLqz8dSrbjI6SNkAEBRaZPSPm_JV75O4vRbbPd8qAh1OdYNoOzeo-WEvboAcYrVsAzyJLbEng8d_cecxIz=s0-d)
Making Chocolate Using Molds
Molds are usually made of plastic and these can be purchased from craft stores. Most of these cost about a dollar up so if you want to make these in different shapes and sizes, you have to buy a bunch.
Now that you have your mold, you should also buy the raw chocolate which is also available from the craft store. This is available in different flavors and colors so you can mix them up later on.
There are two ways to melt chocolate. The first is to cut the chocolate block into small pieces and then put this in a microwave safe bowl before sticking it in the oven. Since it is quite hard to see if all the chocolate has finally melted, we now come to the second option which is to melt it using a double boiler.
A double boiler consists of two pans. The first one has water while a smaller one is placed on top which is where the chocolate will be placed. You then stir the chocolate until melts. Once everything is now in liquid form, you then get your mold and pour the chocolate.
You should tap the bottom to take out air bubbles out of the chocolate otherwise there will be holes later on when they come out of the freezer. If you decide to put in candy sprinkles or marshmallows with your chocolate, it is best to pour them into the boiler.
After ten minutes or so, the chocolate mold inside the freezer is ready to be taken out. A good indicator is to check the bottom of the mold and see if the chocolate is still holding on to the mold.
If it is ready, then it is time to flip it over and tap it gently so it can land on a soft surface like a napkin to prevent it from breaking. Another method is to carefully pour water on the mold. But if it is not, then you should put the mold back into the freezer.
The nice thing about working with chocolate is that if is should crack or break, you can recycle it which prevents wastage. If you make a mistake when you are painting it, don’t touch it and wait until it freezes so it is easy to remove and you can start over.
When it is ready, you can serve this as part of your dessert but if you are giving this away as a gift, make sure you find a nice box because it should look presentable to whoever will be receiving it.
Surely the molds you used to make chocolate will be used in the future. To maintain it, you must never wash this with soap as this removes its slickness. You should also carefully dry it after washing because it could cause spots to appear making it also difficult for the chocolate to be released from the mold.
But if your chocolate mold is sticky, perhaps you should coat it first lightly with some vegetable oil before you pour in the melted chocolate.
Making chocolate using molds is fun. You may not get it perfect the first time but as time goes by, you are sure to get better at it.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_t5V1YYO7Q2ZHqZpYTFNuudx_lCMXGgHvYPjYhBzfgnq7kkZCg7V2luJjg0acgj9VoSgKOvjc3-_b56d9bILp_pOiiF-3zXZ_mywGTFbt-lzZm_7A6iPawjKtzypFwo61wsqUJnDJToD6MxX9Cfdn50=s0-d)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
