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3 Methods For Perfectly Melted Chocolate
Melting chocolate for baking is an exacting task, if not done perfectly you can end up with a burned or grainy mess and ruin whatever you are baking. Below are 3 methods for melting chocolate, each can be successful in it’s own way and you need only pick a method that works for you and get cooking!
In The Oven
Chocolate can be melted in the oven quite easily but you will need to be very diligent about watching it. It’s easy to get caught up in your other baking chores and not realize that you have overheated it until it is too late. To melt chocolate in the oven, heat the oven to 110 degrees. Chop the chocolate and place in a dish inside the oven. Keep the door open and check regularly. It will take about an hour to melt thoroughly.
Double Boiler Method
This tried and true method uses two pots or a special double boiler pot. The bottom pot has about an inch of water in it and the top pot is a bit smaller and rests on the bottom pot. The water should be heated to just below a simmer. Chop the chocolate and put it in the top pot. The chocolate should be stirred until melted and you must be very careful not to get any water mixed in with the chocolate as this will make it grainy.
Microwave
Using the microwave to melt chocolate can be the fastest but also the most disastrous method as a couple of seconds of overheating can ruin the chocolate. Chop the chocolate and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on 50% for 1 to 4 minutes - the amount of time needed will depend on the amount of chocolate you are melting so you will have to watch the chocolate the whole time. When you see that it is turning shiny and before it is fully melted, remove it from the oven and stir until it melts fully.
About the author:
Lee Dobbins is editor of www.online-gourmet-foods.com where you can learn more about gourmet food and find out more about gourmet chocolate.
Source: Article Directory
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Cookware What You Need And What You Don’t !
Cookware is always a rather contentious subject. I have seen chefs turn up to even the simplest of cooking jobs carrying more than it would take to maintain your average oil tanker (though maybe this is not the best use for your cookware), when all that was really needed was a knife and something to sharpen it with. So what are the real ”cookware essentials”, the things that you really can’t do without? Well surprisingly you actually need only a very small amount of things to get you going. Probably considerably less than you have already. All the cookware you actually need is a good knife, a means of sharpening it, a chopping board and a couple of pans.You may prefer a bit more cookware but you can cook with just that.
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M&M Meat Shops(NC)—This hectic holiday season, instead of trying to cook everything from scratch, relax and make merry with the help of frozen holiday favourites! With over 350 locations in Canada, M&M Meat Shops is your one stop shop for holiday entertaining with an incredible selection of hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, finger foods and prepared meals – all ready to heat and serve or thaw and serve. In-store Product Consultants make shopping decisions easy by sharing delicious party suggestions that deliver great taste with minimal effort. Their tips include:1. Keep yo...
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