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Tips on how to handle and choose chocolates
Choosing chocolates
- There are many brands and types of chocoolates out there to choose from. The
thing to do when we choose the chocolates is to first check the quality of a chocolate,
which is to first look for
a glossy outer surface and a chocolaty aroma.
Smell the chocolate as it has a tendency to pick up odors of other foods if it
is not wrapped and stored properly.
Also,
the chocolate should break with a snap and should not crumple, bent or splinter.
It should also melt on your tongue
without any feelings of waxiness or graininess. The best way is still to buy
small amounts of each type of chocolate to find your favourite and quality base
on the above ways.
Keeping chocolate
- Chocolates should be kept in a cool, dryy place. Preferably at a temperature
of around 15°C and 21°C. You may want to refrigerate
chocolate if the room temperature is higher than that. However, before you
refrigerate the chocolate, you should wrap it up in foil and
seal it in a plastic bag to protect the chocolate from absorbing the odors from
the other
foods around it. When bringing chocolate to room temperature, leave it wrapped
so moisture doesn't condense on the chocolate.
If stored properly, dark chocolate and cocoa will last for years. White and milk chocolate may be stored for only about 10 months because they contain milk solids. When chocolate is not stored properly, grayish-white streaks might appear on the surface of the chocolate.
Melting chocolate with direct heat
- Chocolate should be place in a heavy sauucepan over very low flame, and the
chocolate should be constantly stirred until melted
to some extent. Then, immediately
remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir till chocolate
is smooth and completely melted.
Melting chocolate with a double boiler
- Pour water in the bottom pan so that thee water is half an inch below the upper
pan of a double boiler and place the chocolate in the upper pan. Then
heat the double boiler over low heat and keep stirring the chocolate till it is
melted. The water at the bottom pan of the double boiler should not be boiling.
Melting chocolate with a microwave
- Put one cup of chocolate pieces in a bowwl safe for use in the microwave. Do
not cover the bowl when using the microwave. On the microwave to high, either for
one and a half to two
minutes, or till the chocolate is soft enough to stir smoothly. Stir after every minute during
the heating.
The chocolate would hold its shape even after it starts to melt, but stirring it
would allow you
to see how much it has melted. It will also help the chocolate to heat and melt
evenly.