Kitchen Tip: Tempering Dipping Chocolate

Many different types of chocolate are available in the baking world, and all are good for particular uses. When dealing with quality dipping chocolate there are many choices as far as flavor and set of chocolate, but once decided the need for properly tempering chocolate before dipping centers is universal.

Solid chocolate must be melted down and then cooled to proper dipping temperatures, around 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Chocolate that is dipped with when too hot will tend to puddle and blossom – the process of getting little white spots all over as the cocoa butter rises to the surface, as well centers will tend to melt into the chocolate and contaminate it for further dipping. Chocolate that is too cold will make a thick gloopy layer over the centers and have a matte or blossomed surface.

Several methods come out on top for melting down chocolate for dipping. The most commonly used method is that of a double boiler, where a large glass or metal bowl is put over a pan of boiling water and the steam used to heat the bowl and melt the chocolate. This works fairly well, though is rife with dangers as even the slightest bit of steam getting into the chocolate can cause blossoming and degradation of chocolate quality. To fight this tendency many chocolatiers add shortening, butter or wax to their chocolate to stabilize the crystalline structure. I don’t suggest that you do this for dipping chocolates, for a frosting perhaps, but never your chocolates!

Some brave souls will also try to use the microwave as a tempering agent. This is doable but to be done right must be a very slow process. Too much heat at the wrong spot or time and small burnt or over dry patches will appear and the entire container of chocolate will be ruined. Slow and steady wins the race here.

My personal favorite when it comes to melting, however, is heat resistant glass and a warm oven. The oven only needs to be between 170-200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about as low as most ovens go. In this method a wooden spoon can be left in the bowl and stirred occasionally as the chocolate melts. The benefit of this method is keeping water well away from the final product, which leads to greater chocolate success.

Regardless of melting method once your chocolate is melted smooth it will be about 110 degrees Fahrenheit, much to hot to dip with. The chocolate should be allowed time to cool, stirring frequently to keep the cooler chocolate on the top melding with the warmer chocolate below. A dairy or low reading electric thermometer can be used to determine when the chocolate mixture has reached 85 degrees. An older method to determine this is to place a tiny dab of chocolate on your upper lip where the curves of the lip come together. The chocolate should feel COOL to the touch. After dipping your first center let it sit for two to three minutes. If a thick chocolate foot forms around the base of the center, the chocolate is still too hot and further dipping should be avoided until it cools.

If chocolate hardens or thickens too much as it cools then return to the oven and retemper. If there are too many contaminants from centers that have been dipped the chocolate will not return to a smooth state. At this point add blanched nuts to the chocolate and make peanut clusters! Raisins, craisins or other dried fruit can also be added to make chocolate fruit clusters.

Then there's spoon a plenty for taste testing!

~J

Kitchen Tip: Calibrating Your Candy Thermometer

When making candies it’s vital that you are able to tell just how hot the candy mixture is. This is particularly the case for cook top candies where you are required to bring a mixture to a certain stage before taking further action, such as whipping or adding nuts. To facilitate this accuracy there are many commercially available thermometers, which are wonderful kitchen tools. However, this is only the beginning. A tool is only as good as its usage and there is a key to using a candy thermometer correctly.

At sea level water boils at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 Fahrenheit. As you increase in altitude this number will decrease due to the changes in air pressure which changes boiling point. At all altitudes boiling temperature may be changed based on atmospheric conditions. Boiling point on a rainy day may be three or four degrees different than that on a sunny afternoon. Because of these variances it is very important that before making candy you take a moment to calibrate your thermometer. This is done by bringing a pot of water to boil and inserting the thermometer to see what temperature it boils at. If, for example, your water is boiling at 207 you would know to adjust all of your recipes down by 5 degrees as 212 – 207 = 5. This process doesn’t have to be done after each batch of candy, but should be done at least once a day if you are making candies over several days. Once when doing this we found an eight degree difference from one afternoon to the next! Eight degrees can be the difference between taffy and candy canes!

It may mean creating one more dish in the kitchen, but calibration should always be under gone and for home cooking it never hurts to double check your thermometer with a water test to verify that your candy is at the peak of perfection.

Peeling eggs with ease

There are several keys to boiling eggs in a way that they will peel easily:

1. Start with COLD water, put the eggs in and then move to the stove.

2. Add 1 tbsp vinegar and 1 tsp salt to a 18 egg count boil. This will help seal any cracks in the eggs and keep the water from being a mess as well as help with the peeling.

3. Cool egs thoroughly before peeling. This allows the air pockets to expand and separate the egg from the shell.

4. Older eggs are easier to peel, though too old and the flavor of the egg can be effected. If you buy farm fresh eggs you may wish to wait a couple of days before boiling.

5. Be careful NOT to over boil your eggs. This changes the texture of the protein as well as causing the yolk to turn green.

Quote

"It is difficult to know what counts in the world. Most of us count credits, honor, dollars. But at the bulging center of mid-life, I am beginning to see that the things that really matter take place not in the boardrooms, but in the kitchens of the world."

Gary Allen Sledge

Writer

Freezer Jam

Peaches are on and I've been making jam, so thought I'd share a quick jam recipe.

Basic Freezer Jam

3 3/4 c. pureed fruit (peaches, apricots, cherries, berries, plums, etc.)
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 c. UltraGel

Prepare food in blender, food processor, grinder or by crushing. Gradually add UltraGel, stirring constantly. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Package, seal, label and freeze for 6-12 months.

Ultra Gel provides the thickening power and helps with the preserving process. This makes this recipe one of the fastest I know for a good quality freezer jam.

~J

More Veggie Options

One of my favorite things, particularly this time of year is quick grilled veggies. These can be done as kabobs on a grill, in a foil packet on a grill, or broiled in the oven, your choice.

Grilled Veggies
Cut into large pieces:

Red onion
Bell pepper
Portabello Mushrooms
Cobbed corn
Fresh squash

Put in a ziploc bag and spice with Italian dressing, salt, pepper and a bit of cayenne pepper if you want the kick. Shake well and let sit in fridge for 10 minutes. Arrange on broiling tray, skewers or foil and cook through.

Summer Pig Slop - Or Milk Can Meal

Heh...I love this recipe. Traditionally it's made in a large metal milk can on a propane stove or over a fire, but I've adjusted it for those of us that have misplaced our milk cans. Instead I use a pasta cooker which consists of two pans that fit inside of each other, the inner pan a sieve. Any other steamer can be used as well.

Pig Slop

Layer the following in inner pan:

Chunks of polish sausage, no more than 2 inches long
Red onions - wedged
Baby Carrots - whole or cut lengthwise in half
Small New potatoes - I prefer these cut in half
Chunks of Cauliflower
Fresh string beans, snipped and pieced into 1 inch pieces

Add 2 cups of water and put on to steam for approximately 10 minutes.

Add to pot after 10 minutes:

Cabbage wedges
Corn on the cob cut into 1-2 inch pieces

Steam for another 10-15 minutes until all veggies are done through.

Serve up with salt, pepper and a touch of butter. Yuuuuummmy.