But what if you don't have a thermometer? Don't despair! Chocolate perfection is still within reach. I often use a cheater's method to temper my chocolate when I'm planning to use it for dipping. Follow along, and then get inspired to dip. All chocolate is not created equal. The ideal chocolate for melting and dipping is called "couverture" chocolate. Find it here and here. Couverture chocolate has a higher ratio of cocoa butter to cocoa, which helps it melt more smoothly.
If you can't find couverture, use the best quality chocolate that you can find. Higher quality chocolate will taste the best. Also, make sure you're using enough chocolate! If you use a very small amount say, less than two cups , it will go cool too quickly and you'll have to keep starting over. Tempering chocolate the "cheater's way" requires a gentle hand and lots of care.
Begin by bringing a pot of water to a simmer. Once it simmers, turn off the heat. Place two-thirds of your chocolate into a heat-proof bowl, and place it over the pot of water most of the bowl should touch the water. Don't touch or stir the chocolate.
Let it sit until it's more than halfway melted. Once it's melted enough, stir it very gently to help it finish melting. When the chocolate is fully melted, remove the bowl from the pot of water. Add the remaining one-third of the chocolate and stir gently until melted.
Very important: Do not let any water get into the chocolate. This will cause the chocolate to seize up. Seized chocolate is not pretty. Once your chocolate is melted, you can start dipping. This is the fun part: Think about foods you like, and dip them! Delicate cookies, fruits like strawberries and dried figs, and candies like nougat or halvah work beautifully.
To keep your chocolate at the proper consistency while you work, you can hold it over the pan of still-warm water from the first step. Just make sure the water isn't simmering anymore, and pour out some of the water so there is some air space between the chocolate bowl and the water.
If you're planning to give your confections as a gift, consider something pretty, eye-catching, and easy to wrap up: crimson-hued cherries on the stem, airy meringue puffs , homemade peppermint-streaked marshmallows. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet to catch any drips. Let your sweets rest on the parchment to cool. If you want to coat something in chocolate entirely like a truffle or a marshmallow , use some nifty chocolate dipping tools; the long handles and delicate tines let you swirl your food in the melted chocolate, creating a polished finished look.
Debb Marie shares her methods here. Cheesecake: Because reasons. Cake: Because obviously. Check out these chocolate-dipped cake bites from Make It Naked! Churros: Sometimes I weep great tears of sorrow when I think of people that have never had a real churro. Like, not those bready, dry, straight things they sell at fairs and amusement parks.
THOSE are churros. Dipped in the traditional mayan chocolate dip. Lawd have mercy I need to take a break from this post.
Covering a high protein nut such as an almond, in high quality dark chocolate can be really beneficial as an after workout snack or even as a quick midday pick-me-up. Plus they are just super tasty. Dried fruit: Dried fruit dipped in chocolate is my favorite thing ever I think.
Dried fruit with no added sugars dipped in dark chocolate is tasty and does a body good when enjoyed in moderation like most things. Potato chips: Yum… the saltiness of a potato chip contrasted with the smooth sweet flavor of milk chocolate…perfection.
Dip all the things! She filled Valentine boxes with dipped goodies such as bacon-shaped hearts, nuts and more! Just get the chocolate in your mouth! TheGunnySack lays it all out for us to follow! Banana Bread Truffles: Do you just want to fall to your knees and outstretch your hands for one? Us too. How to dip with chocolate Make sure the "goodies" that you want to dip are free of moisture or crumbs that could mess up your chocolate. Drop the goodie into the bowl of tempered chocolate.
This is much easier than trying to use the fork to put it in. Quickly turn and retrieve the goodie using either your fingers or a fork. If you are using your fingers , give the goodie a little shake, letting the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Then roll and push the goodie off your fingers and onto parchment paper or a silpat mat. If using a fork , quickly retrieve the goodies and then tap the fork with the goodie three or four times against the surface of the chocolate mass; the physical properties of liquid to liquid will pull even more chocolate off the top and sides of the goodie.
Then tap the handle of the fork on the side of the bowl to shake off the chocolate clinging to the bottom of the fork. Place the chocolate covered goodie gently on parchment paper or Silpat mat using a quick jerk movement with the fork to release it from the bottom of the coated goodie. Remember that during your dipping, the chocolate will want to solidify on the goodie as well as on your fork or fingers, so work quickly.
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