BAKING CHOCOLATE

When looking to purchase baking chocolate, check the ingredients to make sure it lists only cocoa butter as a fat source. A bargain chocolate may offer a great price, but its flavor may be stretched with the addition of palm oil or coconut oil instead of natural cocoa butter.

How to Use Baking Chocolate: In general, it is not recommended to melt baking chocolate over direct heat. Chocolate can burn or scorch easily if not carefully monitored, so using a double boiler is encouraged to achieve better results. If you do melt chocolate over direct heat, keep the temperature to low or medium at most, stirring often. If you do not own a double boiler, you can easily make one by putting a metal mixing bowl or heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water. If you buy a large block of baking chocolate, make sure to break it up into smaller portions to ensure it melts quickly and evenly.

Be careful not to get water in the baking chocolate. Water can have an adverse effect on baking chocolate, making it become gritty and grainy, what professionals call “seizing.” If this should happen to you, add a small amount of solid vegetable shorting to help smooth out the chocolate sauce.

Storing Baking Chocolate: If you have a cool, temperate kitchen that doesn’t suffer from high humidity, your baking chocolate should be fine if well wrapped. Avoid storing it in cupboards near your stove, toaster ovens, and dishwasher, all of which can warm the area around them and cause unsightly blooms on the surface of the chocolate.