I was making chocolate buttercream a few days ago and after using up all of my unsweetened baking chocolate, it just wasn't chocolate-y enough. I didn't have any more of the dark baking chocolate and I knew that if I added any sweet, eating chocolate that it would sort of "get lost" and not do much. I don't like adding just cocoa powder--I think it makes the icing gritty. So..........in desperation, I read the back of the Hershey's Cocoa Powder can!

On the back of the can at the bottom: 1 TBSP of butter or shortening and 3 level TBSP of Cocoa Powder= 1 oz. square of baking chocolate.

I put the shortening in the top of a double boiler, melted it and mixed in the cocoa powder. It worked beautifully. It brought out the flavor of the chocolate and left no grit at all. I let it cool down a bit and then with the buttercream mixing on low, streamed it into the mix. I won't be using dry cocoa powder for buttercream again!

I always have cocoa on hand, but not necessarily baking chocolate, so this is nice to know in a "pinch".

HTH
Rae

thanks for the tip!