How do you keep your chocolate treats from melting?
Late July and early August are some of the hottest times of the year. While everyone loves to be outside in the sunshine, snacking on some chocolate while catching a few rays can be messier than you’d like when all of that chocolate melts. Here’s how to stop that from happening.
Keeping the Chocolate Cool
Make sure all of your chocolate is kept somewhere cool and dry. When it comes time to move the chocolate around, it’s best to not keep it somewhere where temperatures will change from one extreme to the other. Imagine turning your chocolate into a liquid in the frying pan and then immediately transferring it to the freezer. While that sounds outlandish, it’s just an example of the temperatures that chocolate shouldn’t be exposed to. That doesn’t mean it isn’t tempting to put your chocolate in the freezer to give it an extra dimension of snap it won’t have otherwise! The best temperature for maintaining chocolate’s wonderful flavor is 55-56 degrees Fahrenheit with humidity levels of about 50%.
The reason why chocolate needs to be kept cool is because of a problem that is commonly referred to as “chocolate bloom.” The fat that is part of the chocolate will leak out and mix with the layers of sugar around it before solidifying again. Think about how ice can melt and then reform into weird shapes. That’s essentially what happens during a chocolate bloom. Too much humidity can also cause moisture damage to your chocolate, all but ruining it. The chocolate will get mushy, limp, and change colors. All three of these conditions are equally unappetizing.
Moving the Chocolate Around
Considering how careful you have to be, moving the chocolate around seems like a huge challenge. Leaving the chocolate in the car for too long is a bad idea because chances are, it will melt before you get home.
Don’t hold it in your hand too long, either, since it will probably also melt. Don’t let too much light, heat, or air touch the chocolate, because that can affect the quality of the chocolate when you finally sit down to eat it or share it with someone special. Heaters, microwaves, and even sunlight can change your chocolate from a treat to an unappetizing mess, so don’t let that happen to you.
Wockenfuss Candies has the Sweets You Crave
Wockenfuss Candies is proud to be one of the oldest candy makers in Baltimore. Since 1915, we’ve been providing an extensive and delicious variety of candies and chocolates. We also offer lovely gift assortments that can be enjoyed at all sorts of events.
To find out everything about us, visit our website, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.