The Secret to Super-Easy to Make Chocolates and Candies
Impress Your Family and Friends with your new candy-making talents!
[Mold Fondant to Dip] [Dip Fondant Shapes] [Use Leftover Chocolate]
How to Melt Chocolate the Easy Way
Using your Stove to Melt Chocolate (or see Microwave Instructions)
Chocolate coatings are available in wafers of all colors. To prepare chocolate coatings for dipping candy centers, follow these easy steps:
- Heat water to a boil in the bottom of a double boiler (without chocolate near stove).
- Remove water from heat; place top of double boiler with chopped block chocolate or wafers in it over hot water.
- Stir occasionally, until chocolate is melted (about 3-5 minutes).
- Remove chocolate from hot water and allow coating to cool for 10-20 minutes; or place chocolate over cold water and stir until it thickens slightly.
- Replace hot water with warm water to bottom of double boiler.
- When chocolate has thickened slightly, place it over warm water and it will be ready to dip. If chocolate is too thick to dip centers, warm water slightly. If chocolate is too thick, replace water with cooler water. Lukewarm water should keep chocolate the right temperature for dipping.
- Keep chocolate stirred while dipping.
How to Use your Microwave to Melt Chocolate
Average melting time (on high - 100%) for chunks of chocolate to melt are:
1 ounce = 1 minute
2 ounces = 1.5 minutes
3 ounces = 2 minutes
4 ounces = 3.5 minutes
For a larger quantity, watch carefully and stir every 30 seconds to make sure you don’t overcook your chocolate.
These times, however, depend on the power of your microwave, the size of container used to melt the chocolate and the type of chocolate you’re melting as well as the size of pieces (the smaller the pieces, the quicker the chocolate will melt). Don’t forget to stir your chocolate to avoid overcooking; also, chocolate may not look like it’s melted until you stir it. As soon as the chocolate looks shiny, it should be ready to use. Remove the batch from your microwave and stir for about 30 seconds to a minute.
The best container to use is a glass measuring cup. Make sure it’s not too large for the amount of chocolate you’re melting or it won’t heat evenly; and never cover the container while microwaving as moisture may form under the cover, drip into the chocolate and ruin your batch.
Never add water to chocolate to thin it for dipping. Use shortening instead, stirring it into the melted chocolate, and heat for an extra 30 seconds. One to 1-1/2 tablespoons of shortening to a cup of melted chocolate should be enough to thin it for dipping.
[Mold Fondant to Dip] [Dip Fondant Shapes] [Use Leftover Chocolate]
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