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Moulding with Chocolate
By
The Chocolate
Den
Melting
Coating Chocolate
In the microwave oven
Melting chocolate in the microwave is clean, quick and easy. But be super
careful not to burn your chocolate. Rather be slow than sorry, is our motto
in this regard. Taking an extra couple of minutes to melt your chocolate
slowly means that you save yourself throwing out a bowl full of burnt
chocolate lumps.
Take 500g of coating chocolate and break it up into smallish pieces. Place
these pieces into a glass bowl in the microwave. Set the microwave on high
for thirty seconds and then take the chocolate out and stir it. Repeat this
process until the chocolate is melted - usually four times. Take note that
the hotter the melted chocolate, the thicker it will be. You will obviously
then not want to overheat it as it will become too difficult to work with.
White and caramel chocolate are more heat sensitive and will need less
melting time than the ordinary milk or dark chocolate.
If your chocolate cools down while you are working with it and begins to
set, simply re-melt it in the microwave, using the same method as before. If
only a small amount of chocolate remains in the bowl, re-melt it for only
ten seconds at a time until the chocolate is smooth and runny.
In a double boiler
Melting coating chocolate in a double boiler is simple, efficient and has
the advantages of remaining melted for longer periods.
Although we always recommend a proper double boiler, people often use a
makeshift one from a pot and a glass bowl. This does work, although not as
efficiently as a double boiler. It loses heat too quickly and allows steam
to escape into the air and so into the chocolate - thus ruining your
chocolate. These structures are not as stable as properly fitted double
boilers and may tip over allowing water to seep into your chocolate.
If you are to take your chocolate moulding seriously, rather ensure that you
have the real thing.
Boil your water in a kettle and the transfer it to the bottom half of your
double boiler. Take 500g of coating chocolate, broken up into smallish
pieces, and put it into the top half of your double boiler that is neatly
fitted into the bottom half with the boiled water. Stir the chocolate until
it has melted. The chocolate remains melted for a long time. When, however,
it does cool down, simply boil more water in the kettle and replace the old
water.
As with chocolate melted in the microwave, remember that white and caramel
chocolate are more sensitive and need less heat to melt. If your chocolate
becomes very thick and too difficult to work with, you are probably
overheating it. Take it off the hot water and stir it until it cools down
and thins out.
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Moulding a PLAIN SOLID chocolate
Plain solid chocolates are chocolates which are not coloured, not flavoured
and not filled. Although this type of chocolate may not sound very exciting,
it is very useful and is probably the most commonly made chocolate of all.
Melt your chocolate in the microwave oven or double boiler taking care not
to burn it. Once the chocolate is melted, spoon it into your plastic mould
with a long handled teaspoon. Do not overfill the mould as it is difficult
to tidy an over-run chocolate once it has set. The chocolate has lots of its
own fats and so it is not necessary to grease your moulds. Greasing or
spraying the mould will give your chocolates a dull greasy finish. Once you
have filled each chocolate in your mould, gently lift the mould and tap it
on the table so that the individual chocolates run smooth on top and all air
bubbles are released. Now place your mould on a flat surface in the freezer
and allow it some minutes to set.
When the individual chocolates have separated from the sides of the mould
and feel cold to the touch, they are then set. Remove the mould from the
freezer and, over a clean surface, gently tap your chocolates out.
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