chocolate?? HELP!?

Question

how do you melt chocolate so that it os ready to be set into a shape?? i need oven temperatures aswell plz!

Answer 1

1. Melting in a Microwave (recommended):
Put 1 lb. of chocolate in a bowl. Microwave on half power for 1 minute, then stir [it will not be all melted at this point]. Do it again. Repeat the process until the chocolate is mixed well. When ready to use it will pour from a spoon like syrup. Remember don't overcook your chocolate.

2. Melting in a Double Boiler:
Put 1 lb. of chocolate in a bowl/pan & set in the outer pan that has the water in it. Heat on the LOW position (do not bring water to a boil), and stir as it starts to melt. This will take around 15 minutes, so you need to be patient.

3. Cool the chocolate:
Put the filled mold into the freezer (on a flat surface). Small candies or bite size items will be ready to remove in about 5 minutes; standard larger pieces in about 10. Leaving it in the freezer longer than necessary is no problem at all (better too long than not enough!). If you must, you can use the refrigerator instead of the freezer. However, using a freezer "quick cools" the chocolate and has the advantages of making it easier to remove the chocolate from the mold (see step 5 below) and gives a better, shiny surface finish. Also, if you cool in a refrigerator it will take about 3 times longer to cool sufficiently.

HOW do you TEMPER choc????
1. Using a Double Boiler

A. Melt the chocolate to 100-110° F
B. Allow the coating to cool to:
1. 83-84° F if Milk Chocolate
2. 85-86° F if Dark Chocolate
3. 87-88° F if Rainbow Coating
C. Hold the coating at this temperature until it starts to thicken
1. Thicker coating means more "seed" crystals
2, Thinner coating means there are less "seed" crystals
D. Allow the coating to warm to:
1. 86-87° F if Milk Chocolate
2. 89-90° F if Dark Chocolate
3. 90-92° F if Rainbow Coating
E. Hold the above temperature.


2. Hand Dipping
A. Melt some coating by either:
1. Placing some coating in a sauce pan in a warm oven
a. Do not heat above 130° F
b. Stir occasionally while melting
2. Or placing some coating in a double-boiler
a. Use low heat
b. Stir coating while it melts
c. Do not allow water or water vapor to come into contact with the coating
B. Cool the melted coating to about 92° F
C. Pour about 1/2 lb. of the melted coating onto a cool surface
D. Mix and fold the coating with the hand until it become fairly thick
E. Add about 2 lbs. of the melted coating to the thickened coating
F. Mix the two together very thoroughly
1. Add more of the 92° coating if it is still too thick
2. Add less 92° coating for more advanced temper
G. Coat the centers
1. Cover the center with tempered coating
2. Shake the excess coating off the center
3. Place coated center on a tray, foil, or waxed paper
4. Trace a design on the top using a finger


3. Shaved Coating Method
A. Melt some coating as in Part 2, a.
B. Cool the melted coating to about 92°
C. Using a knife or a spatula, slice some coating from a block of coating that is in good temper
1. Make a slice as thin as possible
2. The ratio of shavings should be I part shavings to 9 parts melted coating
D. Stir the shavings into the melted coating until the shavings are completely melted and thoroughly mixed into the coating
E. Adjust the temperature of the coating to the appropriate temperature (as listed in Part 1, e.)
1. Use room temperature air to cool the coating
2. Heat the coating very gradually if it is too cold F. The coating can now be used for either enrobing or molding


4. The 80/20 Method of Tempering
(NOTE: this method will work with both chocolate and compound coatings that have a melt point of approximately 92° F. It will automatically adjust the coating to the proper final temperature.
A. Melt some coating as described in 2, a.
B. Cool the coating until it is 93-95°F
C. Pour 20% of the coating into a separate sauce pan
D. Stir the coating in the pan containing the 20% until it starts to become pasty
E. Return to 20% to the pan containing the 80% of the coating F. Mix the two together thoroughly
G. The coating should now be in temper


5. Important Temperatures
A. Work area 75-85° F
B. Molds 78-82° F
C. Candy Centers 70-75°F
D. Cooling Area 65-70° F (initial cooling)
Cooling Area 45-50° F (main cooling)
Cooling Area 65-70° F (final phase)


6. Useful Tools
A. A thermometer - preferably a metal thermometer that can be calibrated
B. A wood handled spatula with a rubber blade
C. Metal sauce pans

Answer 2

Milk Chocolate

Answer 3

ok, first take a small saucepan and put some water in it - not a lot - just about an inch deep or something.

Then put it on the heat and place a glass bowl on the top of the saucepan so that it's resting above the water.

Then put in the chocolate (break it in to small pieces) with about 25g of butter (just to help it melt quicker and make it more smooth and glossy) in the bowl and as the water boils the glass bowl gets hotter, melting the chocolate.

Keep stirring until you get a smooth, runny mixture. Then put it in the mould and allow it to set!
Good luck!
xxx

Answer 4

Two choices, the microwave or the use of a double boiler on the stove top. The double boiler keeps the chocolate from scorching. The microwave is the easiest. Just do 20 to 30 second intervals until it is fully melted.

Answer 5

As people have been saying, a bain marie is the way to go. Bowl floating in boiling water, essentially. The bain marie spreads the heat around the chocolate so you don't end up with burnt or lumpy chocolate. Rumour has it that dark chocolate is also easier to melt, but I've never tried it because i probably wouldn't eat it afterwards.

Answer 6

Get a pot and put a couple cups of water in it. Put that over high heat until it begins to boil. Turn heat to medium. Put chocolate in another pan or bowl that will sit just inside the hot water, but not let the water into that bowl. The hot water will melt the chocolate.

Answer 7

To melt chocolate, I put my chocolate squares in a small pan, then put that over a larger pan of boiling water. It takes a while, but the chocolate will melt without burning.

Answer 8

its easy just boil some water in a kettle, break the chocolate up into a small bowl,now put the small bowl in a large saucepan and gentle pour the boiling water in the saucepan . this heats up the bowl and melts the chocolate. if it needs more heat just turn the hob on low to reheat the water.(be careful the water doesn't get in the bowl with the chocolate) and be patient don't try to hurry it

Answer 9

Melt your chocolate over a pan of hot water. If you try to melt it in the microwave it will burn/fudge on you! (Remember chocolate melts at 29c,..... less than your body temperature!)
Without being too techinal, it depends on what you are making as to whether your chocolate needs to be tempered...but as you do not say what you are doing exactly I am unable to assist you any further.....Use a good quality chocolate though.....check out the cocoa mass in it.......preferably use dark couverture with a high cocoa mass in it, of above 55% and if using a milk chocolate it needs to be no less than 34% cocoa solids.

Answer 10

The best chocolate for molds is available in the craft section at Walmart. It has melting directions of the package. It rarely bubbles or burns. It sets quick and tastes good. They also have ideas on them for flavoring the chocolate.