Chocolate tricks people. It looks straightforward, melts easily and feels forgiving, yet it behaves like the fussiest guest in the kitchen. One wrong move and it turns grainy, dull or uncooperative. Bakers know this all too well. The good news is that most of the disasters stem from the same handful of mistakes, all of which you can avoid once you’re aware of them.
Letting water anywhere near It
Water is chocolate’s sworn enemy. Even the tiniest drip can seize it instantly, leaving you with a stiff, clumpy mess that refuses to smooth out. It happens more often than you’d expect — steam from the pan, a damp spatula, a bowl that wasn’t dried properly. When melting chocolate, keep everything bone-dry. If you’re using a bain-marie, make sure the bowl isn’t touching the water and that the steam doesn’t sneak up the sides.
Cranking the heat too high
People often assume chocolate needs strong heat to melt quickly, which is exactly how it burns. It melts at a low temperature, and anything hotter ruins both texture and flavour. Gentle heat is the only safe route. A barely simmering pan of water, or a microwave on the lowest setting, stopping constantly to stir. Slow melting might feel like a chore, but you’ll be glad you took your time when the mixture stays glossy and smooth.
Rushing the tempering stage
Tempering puts fear into a lot of home cooks, and understandably so. But it matters. Proper tempering gives chocolate its clean snap and shiny finish. If you skip steps or guess temperatures, the result usually looks streaky or cloudy, even if it still tastes fine. A small thermometer makes the whole process far less stressful, and letting the chocolate rest for a moment between steps keeps things under control.
Mixing it with cold ingredients
Cold cream or butter can shock warm chocolate and cause it to tighten or clump. This is particularly noticeable in ganaches and glazes, where smoothness is everything. Leaving ingredients out for half an hour before you start usually solves the problem.
Chocolate can feel temperamental, but once you learn its quirks, most mishaps stop happening. And when it behaves, the payoff — that silky texture and glossy finish — is worth every cautious step.
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