Healthy Chocolate Handling Basics: How To Store and Handle Chocolate
Posted in Handling and Storing Chocolate on December 9th, 2009 by sarita – Comments Off
Like much of baking, working with chocolate is not without its mysteries. Have you ever noticed that when you have refrigerated chocolate, it develops a white colored exterior? What about when the flavor of chocolate changes once melted?
Temperature and humidity are key when storing chocolate and maintaining its freshness. Keep your chocolate stored between 50 and 70 degrees F. This consistency of temperature is essential.
Make sure packages of chocolate are tightly sealed so that neither air nor light can penetrate the chocolate.
If you’re melting chocolate, do so using a double boiler. It’s a gentler way of heating than a typical stovetop pan or microwave. This raises the temperature and changes chocolate’s texture more gradually to help avoid scorching and keep its smooth, glossy appearance. It also helps it to maintain its natural flavors.
