How do I store untempered chocolate?
My chocolate tempering was a flop! I am left with half-tempered Easter chocolates for my daughter.
Since this is my first time and she doesn't really care, and another question said it's OK to leave these as-is for home consumption, I'm going to just give them to her like this and try again another time once I buy a thermometer.
I know they are more likely to melt in this state, so how do I store them so that they remain solid? I am concerned about putting them in the fridge due to picking up moisture.
Best Answer
They are not that much meltable. Also, there is some chance they will become actually more pleasant, since the unstable crystals tend to turn into the next higher type over time.
So, I would just keep them at room temperature and not worry much. If milk chocolate (or worse, bad quality milk chocolate) doesn't spontaneously bloom in your place, your untempered chocolate shouldn't melt either. And it does melt slightly and then re-sets, it won't be that much worse for eating than plain untempered chocolate, maybe it will just have some added fat bloom. I have eaten many advent calendars in that state.
The fridge is also best avoided for great quality chocolates into which you invested lots of money or effort, but if they are already in the "I'll eat it so I don't have to throw it away" state, it doesn't matter that much. You can therefore use the fridge, if you prefer it over the room storage. They won't actively soak up any kind of moisture while they are cooled. What will likely happen is that you will see some condensation when you get them out for consumption and they warm up again. They are perfectly edible in that state too.
Bottom line, people tend to pay great care to perfectly-tasting chocolate, but once it is less than perfect, it is unlikely that you can make it significantly worse by storing it in the wrong place.
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Quick Answer about "How do I store untempered chocolate?"
You can store your chocolate untempered until you need it. Just keep it cool and dry and sealed. There is no need to refrigerate or freeze.Should you put tempered chocolate in the fridge?
If you just use melted chocolate to dip, you won't get a coating that stays snappy. It'll be dull and soft and will need to be refrigerated just to avoid melting. Tempered chocolate products stay hard at cool room temperature.What can I do with untempered chocolate?
You can get around tempering by dipping chocolates in melted, untempered chocolate and storing them in the refrigerator. Just remove them from the refrigerator a few minutes prior to serving them. The coolness of the refrigerator will stratify the cocoa fat and it won't bloom.Should I store chocolate in the fridge?
As a general rule, refrigerating chocolate can extend its shelf life by at least 25%, while freezing can prolong it by 50% or more. Place the original box in a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag, seal it tightly and then refrigerate for up to one year, or freeze for up to 18 months for best quality.What happens to untempered chocolate?
Untempered chocolate dries slowly, it does not harden fully and it has a dull blotchy finish. Many times it will have white streaks or spots called "bloom". Untempered chocolate has a soft and chalky mouth feel and it melts easily. Tempered chocolate looks better and has a longer shelf life than untempered chocolate.How to store chocolate products
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