Melting chocolate is an essential part of making a few different treats. It can be turned into a sweet ganache to pour over your cakes. You can buy silicone molds to pour the chocolate in, and once it's hardened again, it can create fun decorations for your treats. You can also add other ingredients to the melted confection to turn it into a sweet dip for cookies, fruits, and marshmallows.
When you're melting chocolate, itshould not be heated above 133 degrees Fahrenheitor you run the risk of ruining the treat.If you do accidentally burn your chocolate, it might not be a total loss. All you'll need to do to salvage the scorched chocolate is add in a little bit of coconut oil.
When chocolate gets too hot, it can become thick, difficult to work with, and dull in appearance. Fortunately, coconut oil is the remedy to all three of those issues. The oil can thin out the texture of the melted chocolate, allowing for easier pouring and mixing. Plus, mixing some coconut oil into your chocolate could make it a little shinier once it hardens.
To start salvaging your burnt chocolate, remove it from the heat. Using a double boiler to melt down your chocolate is preferred over the microwave since you have more control over the melting process, but chocolate can still burn on the stovetop. As soon as your burnt chocolate is removed from the heat, add in a little bit of coconut oil and mix it quickly.
You'll want to add in only a small amount of the oil at a time — too much could create an unpleasant texture in the chocolate. Stir in a spoonful of coconut oil until it's blended with the chocolate, adding more as needed. The oil will help thin out the chocolate and make it easier to mix and pour.
As for the appearance of the chocolate, coconut oil can remedy that, too. While burnt chocolate can lose some of its sheen and look dull, adding in some oil can revive some of that shine by helping to bring some moisture back to the chocolate.
Coconut Oil Could Limit What The Melted Chocolate Is Used For
If you want your chocolate to solidify again after being melted down, like when you're making chocolate-dipped strawberries or chocolate candies, you may want to avoid the coconut oil. The oil has a low melting point of around 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and when mixed with chocolate, the sweets could easily change shape again if they're not stored in the fridge and served cold.
However, this lower melting point could actually be beneficial when it comes to making recipes that require a smoother texture from the melted chocolate. The softer chocolate and coconut oil mix could keep the confection soft and smooth, making it easy to create a dip for fruit slices, to drizzle over baked goods, or to mix into a ganache.
The next time you accidentally burn your chocolate while melting it down, just grab a little bit of coconut oil to mix in. While the oil could slightly limit what you use the chocolate for, it will salvage your sweet treats and prevent you from having to start the melting process all over again.
Coconut oil is the secret to achieving a super-shiny chocolate coating. It brings a little extra luster to melted chocolate, which, on its own, can become matte when dry. Not only does coconut oil make your chocolate coating shine, but it also helps the chocolate harden.
Adding a tablespoon of coconut oil or vegetable oil while microwaving helps the chocolate melt more smoothly and makes it the perfect consistency for dipping! The caveat here is that once cool, the chocolate won't set up quite as hard as it did to begin with due to the added fat content.
Yes, adding a little vegetable oil before melting chocolate will help prevent it from drying out. This only works for regular chocolate. Only use a little oil, as it will make the chocolate soft.
Proper “tempering”—heating and cooling chocolate to stabilize it for making candies and confections—gives chocolate a smooth and glossy finish, keeps it from easily melting on your fingers, and allows it to set up beautifully for dipped and chocolate-covered treats.
Tempering chocolate with coconut oil offers a convenient alternative to the traditional tempering process. Not only does it result in a glossy finish and satisfying snap, but it also adds a subtle hint of coconut flavor to the chocolate, taking it to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Vegetable oil is a neutral-tasting oil you can use to thin chocolate for drizzling or chocolate candy or to use as dipping chocolate. Stir vegetable shortening into melted chocolate.
Don't overheat: Overheating can cause chocolate to become thick and grainy. Chocolate melts at a relatively low temperature (around 32-45°C, depending on the type of chocolate). If using a microwave, it's better to stop when most, but not all, of the chocolate is melted.
You can use any oil that has no flavor or has a flavor compatible with chocolate and your ice cream. Canola or soybean work OK here, but the coconut oil sends the flavor over the top and makes it a tad crunchier. Add more oil for a thinner, crispier shell; add less for a thicker shell.
Top tips: Make sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water and that no water comes into contact with the melting chocolate. These may cause the chocolate to seize and become unusable. Don't let the water get too hot – the chocolate may burn and then split.
If chocolate is stored in a refrigerator, the humidity inside can lead to 'sugar bloom,' where sugar crystals rise to the surface, affecting the chocolate's smooth finish.
The melting point of chocolate falls between 86°F and 90°F. This is significantly lower than the average temperature of the human body, which is 98.6°F so the heat from your hand raises the temperature of the chocolate and causes it to melt.
Coconut oil is the secret to achieving a super-shiny chocolate coating. It brings a little extra luster to melted chocolate, which, on its own, can become matte when dry. Not only does coconut oil make your chocolate coating shine, but it also helps the chocolate harden.
You'll want to add in only a small amount of the oil at a time — too much could create an unpleasant texture in the chocolate. Stir in a spoonful of coconut oil until it's blended with the chocolate, adding more as needed. The oil will help thin out the chocolate and make it easier to mix and pour.
You don't need to store coconut oil in the fridge, even when your jar or tub has been opened. The rule of thumb for all edible oils is to store them in a cool, dark place to keep them fresh and retain any nutritional values.
Coconut oil, on the other hand, can actually change from a liquid to a solid (and then back again without causing any harm) pretty frequently because the melting point is 76 degrees F, which is fairly close to room temperature.
Without the coconut oil the ganache has a tendency to dry into a more matted finish rather than shiny. If you're okay with that, feel free to skip the coconut oil! As an alternative, you can absolutely use butter instead of coconut oil if you aren't dairy-free. Butter also gives the ganache that rich buttery flavor.
Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
