By Suprita Mitter
November 12, 2024
Cooking with chocolate requires special care to preserve its rich flavour and smooth texture. Quality matters, and handling it at the right temperature is essential to prevent graininess or loss of flavour. The results reward the patience, delivering decadent, flawless chocolate dishes.
Use high-quality chocolate with a high cocoa content for a richer flavour.
Melt the chocolate slowly on low heat using a double boiler or in the microwave in short intervals to prevent burning.
Even a drop of water can cause chocolate to seize (become grainy). Make sure utensils and surfaces are completely dry.
Keep chocolate warm and liquid by gently reheating as needed but avoid overheating to maintain texture and flavour.
Chocolate pairs well with many flavours like vanilla, cinnamon, orange, and coffee. Add subtle seasonings to enhance flavour.
To keep chocolate from sinking in cakes, dust chocolate chips with flour before mixing them into the batter.
Store chocolate in a cool, dry place and avoid the fridge to prevent fat separation.