Deep Dark Chocolate Read Free Page B

tried-and-true tips to remember, followed by three different techniques:
Never Be In A Hurry. Slower Is Always Better When Chocolate Is Involved.
Keep Chocolate Dry. Otherwise, It Can Seize And Turn Lumpy, Grainy, And Thick (See Seize The Day, Not The Chocolate, below).
Chocolate Scorches Easily, Causing It To Develop A Grainy Texture And A Burnt Taste. While Dark Chocolate Can Withstand Higher Temperatures Than Milk Or White Chocolates, It’s Important To Remember That You’re Melting The Chocolate, Not Cooking It.
    Water Bath
    My Favorite, Foolproof Way To Melt Chocolate Is An Oft-Repeated Refrain In This Book. Many Recipes Start The Same Way: “Place The Chocolate In A Medium Heatproof Bowl And Set In A Wide Pan Or Skillet Of Hot Water. Set Aside For 5 Minutes, Stirring 4–Or 5 Times, And Let Melt Completely. Stir Until Smooth.”
    I Learned This Method Of Melting From Reading The Books Of Alice Medrich, A Leading Authority On Chocolate. While She Does It On The Stove Top, I Do It On The Kitchen Counter And Use Just-Off-The-Boil Water From My Kettle. Then I Continue To Gather The Other Ingredients Needed For The Recipe. Voila! By The Time I’M Ready To Start, The Chocolate Is Ready To Use. It’s Never Too Hot, Never Too Cold, But Always Perfect.
    Microwave
    Place Evenly Chopped Chocolate In A Clean, Dry Microwave-able Bowl. Heat, Uncovered, At 50 Percent Power, Starting With 30-Second Intervals, Making Sure To Stir Between Intervals—Remember, Chocolate Retains Its Shape And Can Trick You Into Thinking It’s Not Melted. If Necessary, After The Initial Time, Switch To 10-To 15-Second Intervals To Prevent Scorching. When Only A Few Lumps Of Chocolate Are Visible, Remove The Bowl From The Microwave And Stir. Enough Heat Will Remain To Complete The Job.
    Double Boiler
    A Double Boiler Is A Specialized Set Of Two Fitted Saucepans. The Larger, Bottom Saucepan Is Partially Filled With Water And Brought To A Simmer. The Smaller, Upper Saucepan Nests Inside And Uses This Indirect Heat To Melt Chocolate And To Cook Delicate Custards And Sauces. You Can Improvise With A HeatProof Bowl Set Over A Saucepan, Making Sure There Is No Gap Around The Rim For Steam To Escape And Cause The Chocolate To Seize. Contrary To Popular Opinion, If The Water Touches The Bottom Of The Bowl Containing The Chocolate, It Will Not Ruin The Chocolate (Steam Is Hotter Than Boiling Water). After Heating The Water To A Simmer, I Turn Off The Stove And Let The Hot Water Melt The Chopped Chocolate, Stirring Occasionally To Hasten The Process. Remember, When Removing The Bowl, To Watch Out For Very Hot Steam.
    Melting Chocolate With Liquid
    At One Time Or Another, We All Discover That If You Try To Melt Chocolate With A Small Amount Of Liquid (Or Butter), It’s Likely To Seize, Or Become Thick And Sludgy—See Seize The Day, Not The Chocolate (Below). That’s Because There Is Not Enough Liquid To Moisten All The Dry Particles Within The Chocolate. Since Dark Chocolate Contains More Dry Particles Than Milk Chocolate Or White Chocolate, It Requires More Water Or Liquid In Order To Melt Into A Smooth Mixture. The Rule Of Thumb Is 1 Tablespoon Of Liquid Per Ounce Of Chocolate.
    When A Recipe Calls For You To Melt Chocolate With A Liquid, Make Sure That The Liquid Is At Room Temperature Or Warmer.
    Seize The Day, Not The Chocolate
    Be A Stickler About Using Dry Utensils When Working With Chocolate. It Responds Noticeably To Small Amounts Of Moisture By Transforming From A Smooth Texture To A Lumpy, Grainy Mass. Even The Smallest Drop From A Wet Spoon Has This Effect. For The Same Reason, You Should Never Put A Lid On A Pan Of Melting Chocolate, Or Condensation May Wreak Ruin.
    If The Unfortunate Does Occur, Before You Toss The Chocolate Out, Try Whisking In 1 Teaspoon Of Vegetable Oil For Each Ounce Of Chocolate. Often The Chocolate Will Smooth Itself Out, And The Added Oil Won’t Alter Your Recipe. (Don’t Try This With Butter, Since It Contains Water.)