Storage and cooking tips
Storage
Buy chocolate at a store with a high turnover. Chocolate should be wrapped well and stored at room temperature in a dry, cool place. Sometimes chocolate develops a white or grey sheen.A grey colour is a "fat bloom," indicating that, due to warm temperatures, cocoa butter has risen to the surface. A white sheen is a "sugar bloom," caused by condensation of water on the chocolate's surface. Neither type of bloom impairs the chocolate for cooking; but both can make the texture grainy for eating.
Cooking with chocolate
Chocolate melts at a very low temperature -- remember it melts in your mouth. To prevent scorching, melt chopped chocolate over indirect heat. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl over another bowl partially filled with hot, not boiling, water. In a double boiler, the water below the chocolate should be simmering but not boiling. Or microwave on medium, and stir often. Remove pan or bowl from heat before chocolate is completely melted, and then stir until completely smooth.
As it melts, chocolate can "seize" or tighten if even a drop of liquid falls into it. If this happens, stir in a few drops of vegetable oil to smooth it out again. Don't use butter or margarine because they contain liquid. When melting chocolate with other ingredients -- butter, cream or milk -- it's a matter of proportions. As long as there is 1 tbsp (15 mL) or more of liquid to each 2 oz (60 g) of chocolate, you shouldn't have a problem.
Buy chocolate at a store with a high turnover. Chocolate should be wrapped well and stored at room temperature in a dry, cool place. Sometimes chocolate develops a white or grey sheen.A grey colour is a "fat bloom," indicating that, due to warm temperatures, cocoa butter has risen to the surface. A white sheen is a "sugar bloom," caused by condensation of water on the chocolate's surface. Neither type of bloom impairs the chocolate for cooking; but both can make the texture grainy for eating.
Cooking with chocolate
Chocolate melts at a very low temperature -- remember it melts in your mouth. To prevent scorching, melt chopped chocolate over indirect heat. Place chopped chocolate in a bowl over another bowl partially filled with hot, not boiling, water. In a double boiler, the water below the chocolate should be simmering but not boiling. Or microwave on medium, and stir often. Remove pan or bowl from heat before chocolate is completely melted, and then stir until completely smooth.
As it melts, chocolate can "seize" or tighten if even a drop of liquid falls into it. If this happens, stir in a few drops of vegetable oil to smooth it out again. Don't use butter or margarine because they contain liquid. When melting chocolate with other ingredients -- butter, cream or milk -- it's a matter of proportions. As long as there is 1 tbsp (15 mL) or more of liquid to each 2 oz (60 g) of chocolate, you shouldn't have a problem.
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