posted by Carol on Nov 18
Different types of chocolate should be used for different purposes and not all are good for cooking.
Couverture
This is a top of the range type of chocolate. It is very pure with a high percentage of cocoa butter giving it an excellent flavour. It is usually used for handmade chocolates and decoration. Normally it is tempered before use.
Plain Chocolate (Semi Sweet)
This is the best chocolate to use in desserts, cakes, etc but you must check the percentage of cocoa solids which vary in plain chocolate from 30% to 70%. The higher the percentage, the better the flavour.
Milk Chocolate
This popular chocolate is quite low in cocoa solids, only containing about 20%, and it is sweeter than plain chocolate. Generally, it should not be used for cooking.
White Chocolate
This chocolate gets its flavour from cocoa butter because it contains no cocoa solids. If you use it in cooking or for decorating, you must melt it very carefully.
Chocolate Chips
Normally used mixed in cakes, either big ones or individual ones. They can also be used as decoration.
Cocoa
This is an easy and economical product to use for giving a chocolate flavour to your cooking. It is made from cocoa mass after the cocoa butter has been removed.
Drinking Chocolate
This is much sweeter than cocoa and is generally not as good to use for cooking. It makes a lovely comforting drink, though, on a cold miserable day!
Other Chocolate Products
Chocolate cake covering: this usually has quite a poor chocolate flavouring and you can make a better covering using ‘real’ chocolate or cocoa.
posted by Carol on Nov 18
The golden rule for melting chocolate is don’t rush. The traditional way to do it is in a pan over a bowl of simmering water as described above for tempering.
The easy way to do it, with no danger of it boiling and spoiling, is in the microwave. For about 4ozs (or 100gm) of chocolate, leave in the microwave on full power for about one minute. Take it out and stir it well but not vigorously. If it isn’t quite melted, put it back for maybe 20 or 30 seconds, then stir again.
Even with a larger amount of chocolate, I would only leave it in the microwave initially for about one or one and a half minutes before stirring.
If you do burn the chocolate (the phone rings, your baby cries and you leave it on the simmering pan), you may be able to save it by stirring in vegetable fat like Trex or butter. The best thing is not to burn it, though.
posted by Carol on Nov 18
Tempering couverture chocolate gives it a glossy finish and a hard crisp consistency. If it is not tempered before use it will be poor streaky colour and it may develop a bloom on the surface, making it look unappetising.
To temper chocolate:
1. Break the couverture in small pieces into a bowl
2. Stand the bowl over simmering, NOT boiling, water and stir the chocolate - do no beat it - until it is melted.
3. Take the bowl away from the heat and stand in cold water whilst continuing to stir.
4. Return the bowl to the pan of simmering water and heat until it reaches a temperature of 88 deg F or 31 deg C then remove it from the pan.
5. Test a spoonful of chocolate by spreading it on a cool surface covered with greaseproof paper or on a marble slab. It should set within 5 minutes. If it does not set, repeat steps 3 and 4, testing the chocolate again at the end of the process.
6. While you are using the chocolate, keep it at a steady 88 deg F or 31 deg C.
posted by Carol on Nov 18
