Soggy chocolate - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2021, 10:37:36 am
content: That time of year again and I will be providing fridge cakes to the inlaws once again. However, last year I got a bit carried away with the decoration (essentially a layer of chocolate on top) and had complaints, via my mole, that the chocolate was too thick or wouldn't break easily enough. Having stocked up on supplies, I note that the milk chocolate I have earmarked is reasonably soft to the feel whereas the dark chocolate is very different and feels more like a sheet of plastic (and doesn't melt in your hand whereas the milk chocolate does).The main problem, I think, is that the chocolate layer needs to be a minimum thickness just to cover the hills and valleys of the underlying cake (it is a rough mix of biscuits, raisins, nuts, etc). I thought about putting on a chocolate spread layer to even it out, but then the top chocolate would come adrift from the base when cutting.So, finally cutting to the chase, can I make the plasticy chocolate softer without changing its taste too much? I presume I can just add a little cream when I melt it, but then wouldn't that make it milk chocolate?

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2021, 04:38:30 am
content: The problem is Chocolate isn't always Chocolate.Even if you leave White 'Chocolate' out of the discussion there is way more Dark coloured Chocolate tasting Confectionery Blocks out there than real Chocolate. You will find very little use commercially for anything but Dark chocolate as a base ingredient which is then tweaked to suit by Cream, Booze or other carefully selected additives. It is the additives and fixatives in fake chocolate that make it a gamble or minefield if you stray from Dark so best you don't try unless you like to experiment.Adding Dark Cholate to Cream to form a Ganache is not making Milk Chocolate either. You will need an improvised double boiler unless you own one (stainless bowl in a pot of off simmer water works 'ok') and don't dump the cold cream into the chocolate unless you like lumpsWatch a few of these results for some ideashttps://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chocolate+ganacheedit edityeah I cant spell and my spell checker likes Wine more than Chocolate

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2021, 05:06:27 am
content: It's "ganache", and you don't need a double boiler. Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave at 50%, then stir in hot cream, butter, sour cream, or a mixture. Refrigerate until it's the right texture for spreading.Or if you just want a softer layer of pure chocolate, melt it and add a small amount of vegetable oil. (This is also how you make chocolate chips for ice cream. Pour out the thinned chocolate in a cookie sheet, put in freezer until solid, then dice up with a knife or pizza cutter.)

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2021, 10:31:18 am
content: QuoteThat sounds like it, thanks. I think we will need many practice runs first, though. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.