Cooking hacks: How to rescue seized chocolate without even batting an eyelid

(images: Katelyn Allegra)

We’ve all done it. You’re melting chocolate for a recipe and all of a sudden that giant bowl of satiny smooth Instagram-worthy chocolate becomes a grainy, oily mess. Congratulations, you’ve just seized your chocolate!

There are two things that could’ve gone wrong: 

1. You’ve overheated or burnt your chocolate. Chocolate is highly sensitive to heat and shouldn’t exceed 45 degrees Celsius – which is quite easy to do if you’re melting it over a bain-marie or in the microwave!

So, how do I fix burnt chocolate? 

First, taste it. If it tastes burnt, you’ll have to bin it and start again. If it tastes good, then transfer it to a clean, cool bowl and stir in some new chopped chocolate to cool it down. If the chocolate is still thick, add a few drops of coconut or vegetable oil. If this still doesn’t help, then you can use it in recipes that ask for melted chocolate or chopped chocolate (allow it to set first, then chop it up).

2. The second thing that could’ve gone wrong is water. Chocolate is made up of mostly fat, so when a small amount of water is added, it messes with the emulsification and turns it grainy.  Chances are some of the steam from the bain- marie ended up in your chocolate.

So, how do I rescue it? 

We’ve heard the saying chocolate and water are not friends, right? Or that’s at least what you’ve been told! Wrong. They can, in fact, be friends but it’s an all or nothing kind of friendship. Just a drop of water and your silky smooth chocolate will turn into a grainy, oily mess. A lot of water, though, can return your grainy mess into a silky smooth chocolate.  Put the kettle on and add a few drops of hot water at a time, while stirring, until the chocolate turns shiny. You won’t be able to use this for dipping but you can set it and chop it and add it to brownies, cookies or use it in a recipe that calls for melted chocolate and – most importantly of all – your Instagram shot is saved!

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