When melting chocolate, keep the heat low and the bowl dry
Dear Lynne: What’s the deal with melting chocolate and adding liquid to it? One time all’s OK; the next time the chocolate clumps, won’t melt and I end up with it in the garbage. Should I change chocolate?
Jess
Dear Jess: Don’t change chocolate. Instead, learn the tricks for handling this tricky ingredient. Here’s what you need to know:
First, chocolate needs to be melted at low temperatures, or it burns. Use an instant-reading thermometer to be sure white or milk chocolate doesn’t heat over 110 degrees or to be sure semisweet or bittersweet does not go over 120.
Second, a drop of liquid will have the chocolate clump and harden, where the right amount of liquid will blend in like silk.
So when melting chocolate, do it in a perfectly dry container in the microwave at medium, starting with 2 minutes. Or melt it in a bowl set over a pot of barely bubbling water. Be sure the bowl is not touching the water, and no steam gets near the chocolate.
Safely add liquid to melting chocolate by remembering that you must stir in a minimum of 1 tablespoon liquid (or butter) for every 2 ounces of chocolate.
Dear Lynne: Do you have a Halloween cookie that is not a spice cookie or an oatmeal cookie? Seems we’re always baking the same things for the school party. Thank you.
Two Moms
Dear Two Moms: Fall brings out the spice and oatmeal urges, but, instead, how about coconut-orange?
This recipe is a riff on a sugar cookie from baking expert Dorie Greenspan. Make it with a standing mixer or with a hand mixer because blending the butter and sugar until it’s fluffy makes for a better cookie. Have the butter at room temperature.
Scripps Howard News Service