You’ve likely seen or heard the quote, “Life happens; chocolate helps.” While it may be just a catchy saying someone created for a shirt or mug, there is truth in that statement. Not only is chocolate delicious, but it can help with many of life’s difficulties.
Chocolate is good therapy for many problems. Going through a breakup? Chocolate. Bombed a test? Chocolate. Period got you down? Chocolate. Hard day at work? Chocolate. Your dog chewed your favorite shoes? Chocolate.
Chocolate has a way of making things better, if even just for a moment. Do you know what else chocolate makes better? Baked goods. From decadent chocolate cake to gooey gourmet chocolate chip cookies, eclairs, and more, chocolate is a staple in the baking world.
But baking with chocolate can come with its share of challenges. Chocolate is delicate and temperamental and must be treated as such. A minor error could wreak havoc on your otherwise perfect dish. Even experienced bakers have moments of frustration with this delicate ingredient.
To save yourself the heartache and irritation of a failed dessert, follow these 11 tips:
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1. Quality Matters
When baking with chocolate, quality is of the utmost importance. We all like to save money, but if you want a dish with award-winning flavor, you have to splurge a little, especially when it comes to chocolate.
When choosing chocolate, look for one with limited ingredients, such as cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, and sometimes milk. Steer clear of chocolate with a long list of ingredients.
Your senses will come in handy when choosing fine chocolate. Superior chocolate will have a strong smell and a smooth sheen. When breaking off a piece, you should hear a nice snap. Quality chocolate should also be velvety-smooth in texture.
2. Use The Right Type Of Chocolate
Believing that all types of chocolate are interchangeable is a rookie mistake. Not all types of chocolate will work for all recipes. For example, chocolate chips are not ideal for melting, as they have added stabilizers.
Chocolate chips keep their shape during cooking, making them perfect for cookies or banana bread. If you need to melt chocolate, you’ll want to opt for a bar instead.
White chocolate is smooth and creamy, but it does not contain any cocoa solids. Therefore, white chocolate is not the right fit when you want a dessert with a rich chocolate flavor.
Additionally, consider the cocoa percentage. If a recipe calls for a chocolate bar with a specific percentage of cocoa, it is a good idea to stick to that. Otherwise, your treat may end up too bitter or too sweet.
3. Water Is Not Your Friend
When melting chocolate, steer clear of water. Water is not your friend here! Even the smallest drops of water can adversely affect the outcome of your chocolate.
To avoid any unnecessary chocolate catastrophe, be sure your bowls and utensils are fully dry before coming into contact with the chocolate. If using a double boiler, don’t set the heat high enough to boil the water and create steam.
4. Use Fat When Melting
Chocolate melts best when combined with a little bit of butter or oil. This small amount of fat will make the chocolate smoother and easier to work with. Opt for butter or oil with a neutral flavor so it won’t overpower the chocolate.
5. Chop Your Chocolate
Before melting chocolate for your recipe, chop it into small pieces. Taking the time for this extra step will help your chocolate melt evenly and smoothly. This technique can also help prevent overheating or burning.
6. Use Heat With Caution
Speaking of burning, when it comes to melting chocolate, you must use heat cautiously. As mentioned before, chocolate is delicate. To prevent burning or overheating, you can’t rush the melting process.
Many professionals use a double boiler method to melt chocolate. This is an effective method of slowly heating chocolate above hot (never boiling) water. But some people like the ease of using a microwave.
If you choose to melt your chocolate in a microwave, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, adjust the power level to between 30-50%. Next, you’ll want to pause the microwave frequently to check on and stir the chocolate.
Overheating can dramatically change the texture of your chocolate. And burned chocolate is gross. So, be patient, watchful, and careful when melting chocolate.
7. Don’t Be Afraid Of Salt
Most recipes that include chocolate also call for a tiny amount of salt. You may wonder why salt is an ingredient in a sweet dessert, but it has a purpose. And, no, it won’t make your dessert taste salty.
In fact, adding a small amount of salt will enhance the taste and smell of the chocolate and amplify the overall flavor of your dessert.
8. Dust Your Pans With Cocoa Powder
There’s nothing more frustrating than working hard on a chocolate cake or brownies to have a portion of it stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Dusting the pan with flour or powdered sugar is a standard method to help combat this. This may be ok for light-colored baked goods, but the white dust leaves an unsightly residue on chocolate confections.
To avoid this, consider dusting your pan with cocoa powder instead. No more white residue, plus the light cocoa dust will enhance the overall flavor of your dish.
9. Prep Cocoa Powder for Baking
Many novice bakers naively use cocoa powder straight out of the container. Meanwhile, more experienced bakers know there are a couple of things you need to do to prepare the cocoa powder for baking.
First, you must sift the cocoa powder. Most people are aware that flour needs sifting before use. However, did you know that all dry ingredients benefit from sifting? Cocoa powder is no exception.
Sifting cocoa powder removes any lumps, making it easier to get an accurate measurement. Sifting also incorporates air into the powder, which makes it lighter and easier to mix.
The other preparation needed for cocoa powder is a process called blooming. Blooming is a method of adding hot liquid to your cocoa powder. As the powder dissolves into the liquid, the flavor is amplified.
When blooming, only use the liquid already called for in the recipe. This could be milk, water, melted butter, or oil. Once the powder fully dissolves, let the bloomed cocoa cool completely before adding it to your other ingredients.
10. Taste Test
This next tip may be the tastiest one yet. It’s called the taste test. Before using any chocolate in your recipe, you should give it a taste. Flavor profiles between different chocolates can vary greatly. You want to be sure you have the right flavor for your dish.
11. Store Your Chocolate Properly
You should not store chocolate just any old way. Chocolate does not like very hot or very cold temperatures. These extremes can negatively affect the taste, texture, and quality.
Store chocolate in an airtight container and place it in a dark, dry, cool area like your pantry. Chocolate that is stored properly can last up to two years.
The next time you want to bake with chocolate, remember these 11 tips. Before you know it, you’ll be baking like a professional. Elegant chocolate truffle cakes, decadent chocolate macaroons, and more will be a breeze to undertake.