BELLOWS FALLS — • Buy good chocolate. Read the ingredients and look for the familiar: cocoa butter, chocolate liquor, organic cane sugar, etc. Remember, the higher percentage of cacao, the darker and less sweet the chocolate.
• Keep water, liquids, and steam away from the process! It is always dangerous to melt chocolate in a double boiler because any little burst of steam or water droplet can cause the chocolate to seize.
• Never melt chocolate over high heat to avoid graininess and lumps.
• Tempering produces the best texture and gloss on chocolate that will be used as a coating, such as dipping fruit. Temper your chocolate by melting two-thirds of the supply in the microwave. Remove and add the last third, and stir until that is also melted.
• Add a pinch of salt to all recipes.
• For most ganache, I also add some instant espresso powder. It does not create a coffee taste, but it deepens and enhances the flavor.
• When melting chocolate for ganache, cut into small pieces. They will melt faster, and this step ensures that everything gets blended evenly.
• When stirring chocolate and cream together, use a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula. A whisk might introduce too much air and change the texture.
• Milk chocolate has dairy, but other chocolate does not, so keep this distinction in mind for your vegan and lactose-intolerant friends. Milk chocolate is also usually on the sweet side with a lower cacao content.