When chocolate melts properly, it's a beautiful, smooth, and shiny mixture to behold. There are instances, however, where creamy luxurious chocolate can become a dry, clumpy nightmare. For instance, when chocolate comes into contact with even the smallest amount of water, it seizes. Similarly, if chocolate is overheated, it will become thick and lumpy.
There are ways to avoid this, so if you encounter problems with seized or overheated chocolate, all is not lost. The chocolate can sometimes be saved, and if it can't, then it can be used for something else.
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Why Chocolate Seizes
Depending upon the type of chocolate, its ingredients can include a combination of cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, lecithin, and vanilla. When chocolate is melted, it creates a smooth, buttery consistency. However, when melted chocolate comes into contact with water, it instantaneously seizes up, becoming gritty and grainy. The water and sugar bind to create a syrup to which solid particles attach and transform the chocolate into a grainy mess.
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Preventing Seizing
To prevent chocolate from seizing, eliminate any chance of the chocolate coming into contact with water. Always ensure the bowls and utensils used are completely dry. Use metal spoons instead of wooden spoons since wood might retain moisture, which transfers to the chocolate.
If using a double boiler to melt chocolate, be sure the water level is a safe distance from the bottom of the insert containing the chocolate. The water should be hot but not boiling since this might cause the water to splash and accidentally end up in the chocolate. Alternatively, turn the heat off before placing the chocolate on top. Finally, never cover warm chocolate, as the condensation formed under the lid might drip into the bowl.
For microwaving, be sure to use a low-power setting with short bursts of time while stirring often.
Fixing Seized Chocolate
This may seem counterintuitive, but the way to fix seized chocolate is to add 1 teaspoon of boiling water at a time, then mix vigorously until it becomes smooth once again. This is ideal when planning to use the chocolate for a drizzle or a sauce since the chocolate will be somewhat diluted.
If using chocolate for baking, another solution is to stir in solid vegetable shortening at the ratio of 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.
Overheating Chocolate
Overheated chocolate will lose the silky sheen of melted chocolate and become thick and muddy since it's very sensitive to high temperatures. Different chocolates require different maximum temperatures to melt properly. Dark chocolate should never be heated above 120 F, while milk and white chocolate should never be heated above 110 F. It's quite easy to exceed these temperatures, especially in the microwave, so checking often with an instant-read thermometer is critical.
Saving Overheated Chocolate
Like seized chocolate, overheated chocolate can be rescued. First, cool the chocolate, as it's harder to fix chocolate kept at a high temperature for a long time. Remove the bowl containing the chocolate from the heat source, transfer it to a dry, cool bowl, and toss in a handful of solid chocolate chunks while stirring constantly. The solid chocolate will quickly lower the temperature of the melted chocolate.
If the chocolate remains thick or lumpy, try straining it through a sieve. If this doesn’t solve the problem, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil or melted vegetable shortening while stirring constantly. You can also try adding some freshly melted chocolate with a few drops of soy lecithin (an emulsifier available at health food stores) or use a handheld immersion blender to emulsify the chocolate. If these tricks don't work, the chocolatecan still make you happy. Save it to make hot chocolate, for baking, for grating as a garnish, or mix it with nut butter to create a delicious chocolate spread.
