Melting Chocolate

Nicoalbee

For our wedding favors I was thinking of mkaing chocolate champagne bottle and goblets to go with our wine theme. I think we're going to use this mold.

http://www.customchocolateshop.com/9012231.html

My question is does anyone know where I could buy a good tasting chocolate to melt, or an easy way to melt chocolate. This same company has chocolate for sale but it's kind of pricey and since I don't know how much to buy I don't know if I want to order onine.

TIA!

frogurt814

Hobby Lobby sells 1 pound bags of chocolate for about $3 a bag.  You could also just buy chocolate chips and melt those down. 

NOLAbridealmost

Any chocolate bar or kisses would do.  Just choose something that you like.  The trick to melting chocolate is to either do it in the microwave or in a double boiler (basically where you boil water in a large pot and then melt the chocolate in a metal bowl (or smaller pan) with the bottom resting in the water).  Don't melt the chocolate over direct heat because it is very easily burned and then it will taste gross no matter what quality chocolate you use. 

frogurt814

I find using chocolate chips or the chocolate wafers at Hobby Lobby to be much easier to melt down than bark chocolate or Hershey kisses because they are smaller so they melt faster.

I melt my chocolate over direct heat all the time.  I put a pan on the stove on low, and stir.  I've never burned my choc that way, but it's really up to you how you want to do it. 

kaesha

Ugh, I find microwaves even worse. If yours is like many, it'll have a hot spot. It's way easier to burn chocolate in a microwave.

Beyond simply melting the chocolate, make sure you temper it. That means you have to raise and lower the melted chocolate to certain temperatures. Tempered chocolate won't melt as easily and gives chocolate its characteristc snap. Really, it is the best thing to do if you're pouring it into moulds.

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/tempering-chocolate

jessicapatrick2011

As someone who works with chocolate for their work, I can say that the microwave is a viable method. If you use the microwave as opposed to a double boiler, don't microwave for long periods, 30 seconds at first and work your way down until it's melted. 

Unless you temper it, the chances of getting it to come out of the molds are pretty low. Tempering takes practice and can be frustrating. Also, the Martha Stewart instructions are pretty good, but if, while cooling the chocolate, the solid chocolate you've added to the melted melts completely, you need to add more solid chocolate to the bowl so there is always solid in the bowl until it's the correct temperature. Just a heads up.

RoyalSpoiledOne

I always have good luck with the bags from Hobby Lobby.

katyj25

I am a huge cook and baker. Use baking chocolate. Do not use regular chocolate chips or they will seize up on you. I have had this happen many times. I find that the Godiva chocolate works really well. It has a great taste and is very creamy. I would recommend going with that. You should be able to get them at any grocery store.

jerseydevil

I used to work in a chocolate shop. Definitely temper your chocolate or else it won't dry right or be the right consistency. Use whatever solid chocolate you like. I usually break up solid bars of my favorite chocolate because I just don't care for the taste of the melting chocolate sold at craft stores, but it's all personal preference.

It is very easy to burn chocolate in the microwave, so I'd recommend using a double boiler. If you insist on melting it in the microwave, do so for very short periods of time and if there is any choclate that is unmelted, take a few seconds to mix it together. The heat from the bowl and already melted chocolate is usually enough to melt those.

KristyIan11

I have made it a crazy habit to make tons of chocolates around Christmas time and my favorite is the merckens chocolate wafers. We put water in an electric skillet turned to low temperature and then put the chocolate an a bowl in that to warm. That way you can keep it at a constant temperature and fill molds as you go.

As far as the amount of chocolate that you need, the mold should say how much chocolate the cavity needs which should give you an estimate of what you need if you know how many you are making. Have fun making them!

casies683

The only thing I would add is that we add a tiny bit of Crisco to our chocolate when we make chocolate covered pretzels. I think it helps with dipping something in chocolate, so I'm not sure if you should or not, but something to try.