It's our favorite day of the year, National Chocolate Day!!
I am thinking today, how about chocolate dipped chocolate? I know it sounds crazy, but I know a few of my fans that would go for itA:) OK, I have another idea. How about I provide the recipe for the chocolate dip today, and you tell me what you dipped? Please send pictures! I mean the possibilities are endless!
Millions of dessert recipes start right here, with these simple instructions for perfectly tempered dark chocolate.
If you do not have a tempering machine, this recipe for hand tempered dark chocolate is the perfect dip, coating, or base for a near-infinite number of desserts. Authors Susie Norris and Susan Heeger note that you should, "Choose high-quality dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 60 percent or higher. The higher the percentage, the darker the appearance and the stronger the chocolate’s taste will be."
Time Needed: 20 Minutes
Ingredients:
3 cups ice
3 cups chopped high-quality dark chocolate
Directions:
1. Put the ice in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Reserve a handful of the chopped chocolate, and melt the rest gently in a stainless-steel bowl set over simmering water until it reaches 115 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove the bowl from the heat. Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a dry cloth to prevent water from splashing onto the work surface.
3. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate into the melted chocolate and stir. Cool the chocolate by placing over the bowl of ice for a few seconds at a time, removing it, stirring until smooth, and repeating until the temperature drops to 82 degrees F.
4. Heat the chocolate again by placing the chocolate bowl back over the simmering water for 30 seconds to 1 minute at a time. Once its temperature rises to 90 degrees F, the chocolate is ready to use in candy bar production.
Keep Your Temper!
It’s important to keep tempered chocolate at 90 degrees F. But as we begin to dip our candy bars in a bowl of tempered chocolate, the chocolate cools. When this happens, set the bowl of chocolate over a pan of hot water for about 30 seconds at a time, until it returns to the 90 degrees F mark. And be careful not to overheat your chocolate because all the stable crystals will melt and you will have to start over. It shouldn’t rise above 91 degrees F!
NOW, TELL US WHAT YOU WOULD DIP OIN YOUR TEMPERED CHOCOLATE?
Courtesy of: http://www.grandparents.com/food-and-leisure/dessert-recipes/tempered-dark-chocolate-recipe
