Deep Dark Chocolate (3 page)

If you’re tempted to buy more than an immediate supply of dark chocolate, remember that chocolate does not improve with age. If you must freeze it, store the unopened chocolate packages tightly in freezer bags, which will keep for several months. When you pull out a frozen package, keep it fully wrapped in the refrigerator for several hours (but not much longer, as condensation may occur), depending on its thickness. Next, leave it out, fully wrapped, at room temperature for another several hours. Then it will be ready to use and enjoy.

Cocoa powder, too, should be kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, away from your spices. More fragile than solid chocolate, its flavors begin to fade after six months.

Chopping Chocolate

Chopping chocolate in small, uniform pieces is one of the best ways to ensure a quick melt and a great dessert. When a recipe calls for chopped chocolate, I aim for ¼-to ½-inch chunks (the smaller the pieces, the sooner the chocolate will melt). A recipe may call for finely chopped chocolate because you need to use a small amount of hot liquid to melt the chocolate, and you want the chocolate to melt before the liquid cools.

To chop a thick chocolate slab, use a sharp chef’s knife or cleaver. Beginning at a corner, bear down on the knife with both hands to break off a small chunk. Repeat on the other end, and so forth. Then chop the small chunks into the desired size. For easy cleanup, cover the counter
with a sheet of parchment paper and place a cutting board on top. The paper acts as both a landing spot for wayward chocolate flecks and a funnel to transport the runaways to their proper place. (I have a cutting board I use only for baking. No onion, garlic, or aromatic savories allowed.) I prefer to hand-chop chocolate, though I know many bakers who like to use a food processor, especially when they need a large amount of finely chopped chocolate.

Measuring Dark Chocolate

measuring solid chocolate

In recipes using solid chocolate, the measurement should be given by weight (ounces to pounds) not by volume (teaspoons to cups). Example: 16 ounces (1 pound) premium dark chocolate. So, for accuracy, it’s helpful to have a kitchen scale. If you don’t, you’ll need to rely on the chocolate’s packaging. Example: The label on bars of Scharffen Berger dark chocolate lists the net weight as 3 oz (ounces) or 85 g (grams).

measuring cocoa powder

To measure cocoa powder accurately, first stir the cocoa (or tip it back and forth), then spoon the loose cocoa into the cup until it is piled high. Use the straight side of a metal spatula or knife to level off any excess. Do not use the measuring cup as a scoop, and do not tap or press the cocoa into the cup.

Melting Dark Chocolate

Straightforward as it may seem, melting chocolate can be tricky. Here are three tried-and-true tips to remember, followed by three different techniques:

Never Be In A Hurry. Slower Is Always Better When Chocolate Is Involved.

Keep Chocolate Dry. Otherwise, It Can Seize And Turn Lumpy, Grainy, And Thick (See Seize The Day,
Not
The Chocolate, below).

Chocolate Scorches Easily, Causing It To Develop A Grainy Texture And A Burnt Taste. While Dark Chocolate Can Withstand Higher Temperatures Than Milk Or White Chocolates, It’s Important To Remember That You’re
Melting
The Chocolate, Not Cooking It.

Water Bath

My Favorite, Foolproof Way To Melt Chocolate Is An Oft-Repeated Refrain In This Book. Many Recipes Start The Same Way: “Place The Chocolate In A Medium Heatproof Bowl And Set In A Wide Pan Or Skillet Of Hot Water. Set Aside For 5 Minutes, Stirring 4–Or 5 Times, And Let Melt Completely. Stir Until Smooth.”

I Learned This Method Of Melting From Reading The Books Of Alice Medrich, A Leading Authority On Chocolate. While She Does It On The Stove Top, I Do It On The Kitchen Counter And Use Just-Off-The-Boil Water From My Kettle. Then I Continue To Gather The Other Ingredients Needed For The Recipe. Voila! By The Time I’M Ready To Start, The Chocolate Is Ready To Use. It’s Never Too Hot, Never Too Cold, But Always Perfect.

Microwave

Place Evenly Chopped Chocolate In A Clean, Dry Microwave-able Bowl. Heat, Uncovered, At 50 Percent Power, Starting With 30-Second Intervals, Making Sure To Stir Between Intervals—Remember, Chocolate Retains Its Shape And Can Trick You Into Thinking It’s Not Melted. If Necessary, After The Initial Time, Switch To 10-To 15-Second Intervals To Prevent Scorching. When Only A Few Lumps Of Chocolate Are Visible, Remove The Bowl From The Microwave And Stir. Enough Heat Will Remain To Complete The Job.

Double Boiler

A Double Boiler Is A Specialized Set Of Two Fitted Saucepans. The Larger, Bottom Saucepan Is Partially Filled With Water And Brought To A Simmer. The Smaller, Upper Saucepan Nests Inside And Uses This Indirect Heat To Melt Chocolate And To Cook Delicate Custards And Sauces. You Can Improvise With A HeatProof Bowl Set Over A Saucepan, Making Sure There Is No Gap Around The Rim For Steam To Escape And Cause The Chocolate To Seize. Contrary To Popular Opinion, If The Water Touches The Bottom Of The Bowl Containing The Chocolate, It Will Not Ruin The Chocolate (Steam Is Hotter Than Boiling Water). After Heating The Water To A Simmer, I Turn Off The Stove And Let The Hot Water Melt The Chopped Chocolate, Stirring Occasionally To Hasten The Process. Remember, When Removing The Bowl, To Watch Out For Very Hot Steam.

Melting Chocolate With Liquid

At One Time Or Another, We All Discover That If You Try To Melt Chocolate With A Small Amount Of Liquid (Or Butter), It’s Likely To Seize, Or Become Thick And Sludgy—See Seize The Day,
Not
The Chocolate (Below). That’s Because There Is Not Enough Liquid To Moisten All The Dry Particles Within The Chocolate. Since Dark Chocolate Contains More Dry Particles Than Milk Chocolate Or White Chocolate, It Requires More Water Or Liquid In Order To Melt Into A Smooth Mixture. The Rule Of Thumb Is 1 Tablespoon Of Liquid Per Ounce Of Chocolate.

When A Recipe Calls For You To Melt Chocolate With A Liquid, Make Sure That The Liquid Is At Room Temperature Or Warmer.

Seize The Day,
Not
The Chocolate

Be A Stickler About Using Dry Utensils When Working With Chocolate. It Responds Noticeably To Small Amounts Of Moisture By Transforming From A Smooth Texture To A Lumpy, Grainy Mass. Even The Smallest Drop From A Wet Spoon Has This Effect. For The Same Reason, You Should Never Put A Lid On A Pan Of Melting Chocolate, Or Condensation May Wreak Ruin.

If The Unfortunate Does Occur, Before You Toss The Chocolate Out, Try Whisking In 1 Teaspoon Of Vegetable Oil For Each Ounce Of Chocolate. Often The Chocolate Will Smooth Itself Out, And The Added Oil Won’t Alter Your Recipe. (Don’t Try This With Butter, Since It Contains Water.) Or, Do What I Sometimes Do: Whisk In Enough Hot Cream To Turn A Disaster Into A Delicious Ice-Cream Sundae Sauce.

Tempering Chocolate

When You Buy A Bar Of Chocolate, It Has Been Tempered By The Manufacturer So That It Has A Glossy Sheen And An Even Texture. It Is Brittle And Snaps When It’s Broken. Once You Melt Chocolate And Cool It Without Tempering, The Surface Will Become Dull Or Mottled Within A Short Time. There’s No Need To Temper Chocolate Used In A Batter Or Frosting, But If You’re Dipping A Cookie Or Molding A Piece Of Candy, You Want A Coating That Dries Hard And Glossy And Will Last A Week Or More At Room Temperature.

The Process Of Tempering Requires Practice And Depends On A Series Of Precise Heating And Cooling Steps. The Recipes In
Deep Dark Chocolate
Do Not Require You To Master This Technique. Certainly, You Will Find Dipped Cookies And Other
Dipped Delights In This Book, But Each Recipe lets You Know That These Sweets Are Best Enjoyed Within 3 Days And Should Be Stored At Room Temperature. (Since The Dipping Chocolate Is Not Tempered, The Coating Will Have A Smooth, Non-Glossy Surface. After Several Days, It Will Begin To Mottle.)
Steps For Success When Baking Or Cooking With Chocolate

Following A Recipe Can Be Simple And Straightforward, Yet It Is Important To Follow Certain Steps. Easy As They May Seem, They Are Crucial For Success. The Following Pages Describe Each Step And Offer Helpful Tips So That Your Time In The Kitchen Is A Pleasure And You’Ll Have No Sad Surprises.

Read Over The Recipe Before You Begin.

Have All The Ingredients In Place, And Make Sure They Are At Room Temperature.

Preheat The Oven, And Use An Oven Thermometer.

Choose The Proper Measuring Tools, Baking Sheets, Pots, And Pans.

Have Baking Sheets, Pots, And Pans At Room Temperature.

Trust Your Eyes And Instincts, Jot Down Notes For The Next Time, And Don’t Watch The Clock.

Read Over The Entire Recipe Before You Begin.

So, you’ve glanced at the ingredients, but did you read the instructions
all the way through
? Make it a habit before you get started. That way, you understand the sequence, the techniques, and the timing. Many recipes have recipes within them—a cake’s chocolate frosting, a tart’s ganache filling, a sundae’s fudgy sauce. It’s important that these parts come together in the right order.

If you’re like me and can’t wait to get started, you often overlook the amount of an ingredient called for in the first paragraph of the directions, such as the sugar used for creaming with the butter, which is only half the amount called for in the ingredients list. It turns out
the other half is added along with the egg whites, way down in paragraph four—whoops! I’ve tipped you off by adding the word “divided” to any ingredient used in parts.

Have All The Ingredients In Place, And Make Sure They Are At Room Temperature.

Take a cue from professional bakers and cooks, who live by the French phrase
miseen place
, or “put into place.” This is the excellent habit of setting out all the tools and measuring out all the ingredients before you get started.

As you read over each recipe, make sure you are using the ingredients called for and that they are at
room temperature
. Substitutions, especially when it comes to chocolate, will alter the results. Other examples? Using skim milk instead of whole milk affects tenderness, and margarine does not taste or act like butter. I’ve added “at room temperature” to items in the ingredients list that are likely to be chilled. Still, it is important to remember that all ingredients, unless otherwise noted, should be between 65° and 70°F.

Following is a rundown of the most elemental baking ingredients, with tips on their use and the best way to store ingredients as well as to bring them to room temperature.

butter

I use unsalted butter for baking because it has a sweeter, more delicate taste. (Salted butters, labeled “sweet cream,” contain about
¹
/4 teaspoon of salt per stick, which can make some recipes too salty.) Store butter in the refrigerator for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Since butter absorbs flavors and aromas, especially if it’s unsalted, be sure it is well sealed.

At room temperature, a stick of butter gives slightly when pressed but still holds its shape. In a hurry? Cut chilled butter into small pieces and leave it out at room temperature for about 15 minutes. If it’s frozen, use a grater. Using the microwave is too risky: the butter melts in the middle before softening around the edges.

flour

Pillsbury and Gold Medal all-purpose unbleached flours were used in testing these recipes. Different types of flour as well as different brands have subtle differences in flavor and texture, but overall the differences are minimal. Cake flour, also known as
soft-wheat
or
Southern flour
, creates tender, fine-crumb cakes, cookies, and biscuits. When called for in this book, I used Pillsbury’s Softasilk cake flour.

To measure flour accurately, first stir the flour (or tip it back and forth), then spoon the loose flour into the cup until it is piled high. Use the straight side of a metal spatula or knife to level off excess flour. Do not use the measuring cup as a scoop, and do not tap or press the flour into the cup. For best results and flavor, purchase flour in the amount you are likely to use within 6 months and store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

sugar

Granulated sugar is most commonly used in baking. Superfine sugar, also called baker’s sugar, is occasionally used in a recipe or as a topping when a more delicate texture is desired. It is available in most supermarket baking sections. To make your own, you can use a processor or blender to process granulated sugar in small batches for about 30 seconds.

Powdered or confectioners’ sugar is commonly used for dusting baked cookies and cakes and for making frostings. This extremely fine-grained, powdery sugar is also made from granulated sugar, mixed with small amounts of cornstarch to keep it from clumping.

Brown sugars (light or dark), which are granulated sugars enhanced with molasses, are measured by packing them firmly into the measuring cup. The recipes in this book were tested with C&H pure cane sugar (granulated, golden, brown, dark brown, powdered, and baker’s).

salt

Salt brightens any recipe and helps bring out the flavors. Many types of salt are available, from the coarse kosher variety to artisan sea salts. Ordinary table salt is the best to use when baking. Its small, uniform grains flow freely and blend easily with flour and other dry ingredients.