What makes chocolate harden after melting

Hi, is it easier or more difficult to work with a more premium couverture chocolate? Linda, if you are doing any work with chocolate, coverture is the way to go. It sounds like you are already using coverture chocolate. Thanks for the detailed info. I have made chocolate bonbons 6 times now. My bonbons come out of the molds, sometimes I need to tap a few times, but I always get them all out.

They come out looking beautifully shiny. My only problem is that after a while in room temperature the shell doesn't have that "snap".. It sort of sinks into the filling when you bite into it. Then again I hear many people do that and they get good results.

So I'm curious as to why the chocolate softens in room temp despite being shiny and holding shape? Perhaps the humidity is too high in my work environment? I've tried the "dip knife into chocolate" and it never sets in room temp, but when I stick it in thr fridge for 2 minutes it comes out just right I wish I knew how to fix this issue as it's the only thing keeping the bonbons from being perfect.

Hi there, Eva! We're so glad to hear that you've been enjoying making bonbons! It sounds like the humidity is just a bit too much and that's causing the chocolate to soften a touch faster than is ideal. Is there a cooler, less humid area you could store the finished chocolates? If you live in a really humid climate, maybe adding a food-safe silica packet to the container you're keeping the chocolates in will help prevent this from happening.

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Jenn Bakos. Kristin Teig. Liz Neily. Mary Lagier. Filed Under: Tips and Techniques. The Author. View all posts by Susan Reid. Comments Am I able to take a g Belgian milk chocolate bar, and just melt it very slowly to keep it in temper? Thanks Reply. Your email address will not be published. About text formats.

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Blog Recommended Posts. Whip up homemade marshmallows Easier than you think, and so worth it. Make a stunning holiday dessert Flourless Chocolate Cake gets all dressed up. You think you don't like fruitcake? These tasty bars will change your mind. Connect with us. Get in Touch Chat Email. However, when the melted chocolate comes into contact with water—even the smallest amount—the dry particles become moist and begin to stick together, quickly forming a gritty, rough paste.

This occurs because when the water joins with the sugar in the chocolate, a syrup is formed, which attracts the cocoa particles and makes for a grainy texture. The most important thing you can do to prevent chocolate from seizing is to eliminate any chance of the chocolate coming into contact with water.

Always make sure the bowls and utensils you are using are perfectly dry and avoid using wooden spoons or boards , as they might retain moisture and impart this moisture to your chocolate. If you are using a double boiler to melt your chocolate, keep the water hot but not boiling, or turn off the heat before the bowl of chocolate is placed on top.

Boiling water might splash above the rim of the saucepan and cause droplets to fall into the chocolate. In addition, boiling water gives off a great deal of steam, and steam can cause the chocolate to seize.

Be sure to wipe the bottom of the bowl the chocolate is melting in to remove water and condensation. Finally, never cover warm chocolate with a lid, as the heat of the chocolate might form condensation on the inside of the bowl, which will cause the chocolate to seize. This may seem counterintuitive, but the way to fix chocolate that has seized is to add more liquid to it. Adding the right amount of water or other liquid will dissolve the sugar and cocoa in the clumps and make it a fluid consistency again.

Using 1 teaspoon of boiling water at a time, add to the seized chocolate and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth.

This is ideal when you plan on using the chocolate for a drizzle or a sauce , but not if you are incorporating it into a baking recipe since the chocolate will be diluted. If you are using the chocolate for baking projects, there is another solution.

Stir solid vegetable shortening into the chocolate, using 1 tablespoon for every 6 ounces of chocolate. Mix gently and evenly until the chocolate has loosened and the shortening is incorporated. You can now use this chocolate for brownies, cakes, cookies, or other recipes that call for melted chocolate. Chocolate is very sensitive to high temperatures and different chocolates require different maximum temperatures in order to melt properly.

Dark chocolate should never be heated above F, while milk and white chocolates should never be heated to above F. It is quite easy to exceed these temperatures if using a double boiler with boiling water, or if microwaving on full power.

The added liquid must be warm and not hot. There are several ingredients that you can use to get rid of the lumps and grains in the chocolate. You can use canola oil, shortening, warm cream or milk, or even warm melted butter. Take note that these ingredients should never be added cold. You can guess the temperature or you can use this digital thermometer. Add a teaspoon of your preferred ingredient for every 6 oz. You have recovered it but it should be incorporated with other ingredients to make something else such as chocolate sauce or frosting.

Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Yes, add me to your newsletter list. Skip to content This post may contain affiliate links. About The Author. Wife, mom, daughter, friend, amateur gardener, coffee guzzler, shower singer, hiker extraordinaire and life-long learner from British Columbia, Canada. This blog is where I hope to be able to grow from an aspiring meal maker to an outstanding culinary creator.