Why does chocolate go grainy when I melt it?
I was melting chocolate and it turned into a thick, grainy mess. What happened and what can I do about it? I followed this common method to melt chocolate: I used a double boiler i.e. I put a heat proof or glass bowl in the mouth of the pot having water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stirring chocolate occasionally as it softens.
Best Answer
When your chocolate goes grainy it's called "seizing". There are two main reasons for it to seize:
- Water: water getting into the bowl of the double boiler, either because it wasn't dry in the first place, or because of condensation.
- Overheating (burning).
Unfortunately, once chocolate has seized there aren't reliable ways to re-temper that particular batch. Use it for baking or turn it into chocolate sauce, or something.
Pictures about "Why does chocolate go grainy when I melt it?"
Quick Answer about "Why does chocolate go grainy when I melt it?"
When chocolate is melted, its ingredients—mainly cocoa powder, sugar, and cocoa butter—disperse evenly, creating a fluid mass. But if even a tiny amount of moisture is introduced, the liquid and the sugar will form a syrup to which the cocoa particles will cling, thereby creating grainy clumps.How do you keep melted chocolate from going grainy?
Adding the right amount of water (or other liquid) will dissolve the sugar and cocoa in the clumps and make it a fluid consistency again. Using 1 teaspoon of boiling water at a time, add to the seized chocolate and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth.Can you fix grainy melted chocolate?
Once chocolate has seized it's not easy to coax it back to liquid form. Sometimes whisking a tablespoon of warm water into the chocolate works, then add more water a teaspoon at a time until the chocolate is smooth. Or try adding a few drops of vegetable oil or clarified butter (as it's water content has been removed).Why is my melted chocolate not smooth?
The spread is a bit grainy because of the hazelnuts - that's how it should be. It would be soft at this point, but it will set once chilled. Pour mixture into a jar and keep in the fridge. Try not to eat it all at once!Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: SHVETS production, Andres Ayrton, Monstera, SHVETS production