Chocolate Going Grainy After It Cools
Sugar Work By FuturamaFanatic Updated 8 Feb 2007 , 3:38am by karensjustdessert
So I've got a party I'm hosting in a couple of months where I'm making chocolate favours for. I tested some out about a month ago to make sure I could handle making them (they're just melted chocolate chips poured into a mold with a stick in them, very simple). When I ate them after they cooled they were delicious. However, I just ate one last night, about a month after I made them, it was very grainy. But when I ate them after I just made them they were smooth. What happened? I'm no chocolate expert in anyway, but if I could get any help, it would be greatly appreciated.
How far in advance can I make them? Is one month to early? (I have about 150 to make and only 4 molds sooooo....)
Thanks!
Was the texture of the chocolate grainy all the way thru the piece or are you talking about how it looked on the outside?
I know that the outside looking what could ealisy be described as "grainy", or maybe "dusty" is from the chocolate "blooming". You can see this happened on the drizzle on the bottom layer of my coffee/tea cake in my photos. This has something to do with (if I remember correcly) either the temperature changing drastically or the chocolate not being tempered originally.
Someone else probably knows how to describe that better, but at least that will help you with a google search about it?
I'm going to watch thread to see if someone has a more precise answer too...
It sounds like you overheated it. Chocolate burns easily and turns gritty or powdery when it is overheated. Use a double boiler and just melt until nearly all the chips are melted, but a few still remain. Take it off the heat and stir till smooth. I also add about 1 Tablespoon to a 12 oz. package of chocolate chips.
It had a bit of blooming on it, but that was totally my fault, but it was more the texture as you eat it that I was concerned about. It felt......grainy, that's the only way I can describe it. It didn't have that grainy texture the first time I ate it. So I was just wondering what was going on.
It sounds like you overheated it. Chocolate burns easily and turns gritty or powdery when it is overheated. Use a double boiler and just melt until nearly all the chips are melted, but a few still remain. Take it off the heat and stir till smooth. I also add about 1 Tablespoon to a 12 oz. package of chocolate chips.
Sorry? 1 Tablespoon of what?
It sounds like you overheated it. Chocolate burns easily and turns gritty or powdery when it is overheated. Use a double boiler and just melt until nearly all the chips are melted, but a few still remain. Take it off the heat and stir till smooth. I also add about 1 Tablespoon to a 12 oz. package of chocolate chips.
Sorry? 1 Tablespoon of what?
Oops, sorry it's early here. 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil.
I did a report on chocolate in high school (best day ever!!). The coca butter in chocolate is a highly saturated fat that, unfortunatly, melts easily, even at a low temperature (around 75 degrees). When the cocoa butter sepperates from the cacao, it can sometimes leave the chocolate with a gritty texture. So I think the problem you had was just a result of the chocolates you made being stored at too high of a temperature, and the humidity where you live can also be a factor.
It really depends on what kind of chocolate you use. If you use the kind that needs to be tempered a bit, it is much less likely to become grainy. The Nestle Chocolatier bars that are sold in the baking section now are fantastic, if you don't have time to order bulk chocolate.
I do a lot of molded chocolate, and it really wouldn't take that long to do 150 pieces. (I say that now, while I'm not working on anything...ask me tomorrow when I'm doing truffles!)
It's just tedious...but get a good rhythm going to what you are doing.
After you make them, I'd recommend wrapping them TIGHTLY and freezing them.
PM me if you have any more questions...I just noticed the time and realized my brain is melting at this late hour.
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