How to cook couverture chocolate

The instructions for cooking couverture chocolate may sound a bit complicated, but its really just about getting the chocolate warmed into a sauce-like consistency so it is easy for you to stir into your mixtures or pour into moulds.

We recommend the use of a bain marie, or double saucepans. Heat hot water in the larger saucepan at a low temperature setting, and use the smaller saucepan to hold the melted chocolate as you dip it into the hot water.

For dipping fruit and desserts into a warm chocolate sauce, you can use a fondue set (we sell some of these at our stores). It is easy to use for small amounts of chocolate, and it simply consists of a ceramic dish with pieces of chocolate melted above a small candle. (Don't try to reproduce this over an open flame with a saucepan).

For easiest use, The Chocolate Box pastilles come in flat circular pieces which you can break down into smaller pieces for easy melting, or if you like, you can use our single origin callets.
These are the instructions for our couverture chocolate pastilles.

HOW TO COOK CHOCOLATE

1. Using a double-boiler, or two saucepans of varying size, place the chocolate pieces in the smaller saucepan. Fill the second saucepan with water and heat to a low temperature of approx. 45˚C. (Put your stove on low heat setting)

2. Place the saucepan containing the chocolate over the second saucepan and allow the chocolate to melt slowly. Heat very gently, stirring regularly to avoid burning the chocolate. DO NOT allow the cooking temperature to exceed 50˚C, and never heat your chocolate over a naked flame.

3. Cool chocolate by leaving on a marble or cold table, or by submerging your saucepan partly into cold water, to a temperature of approx. 27˚C for Milk Chocolate, or 27˚C to 28˚C for dark chocolate. Stir continually, constantly scraping the chocolate from the sides of the bowl. Take care that no water is allowed into the chocolate as the mixture will become
thick and unuseable.

4. Return the saucepan of chocolate to the pot of warm water and, stirring constantly, raise the temperature of the chocolate to 30˚C - 32˚C for dark chocolate or 29˚C - 31˚C for Milk Chocolate. The chocolate is now ready for moulding or dipping. Centres for dipping should be at 20˚C - 25˚C.

5. Cool finished products at 14˚C - 18˚C in a dry place. DO NOT refrigerate, or risk condensation.

6. Unused chocolate can be removed and re-used in the above manner.


WHAT IS COUVERTURE CHOCOLATE?
Coverture chocolate is a higher quality chocolate, that uses more cocoa solids in its manufacture. Compound chocolate is a cheaper grade of chocolate which is often found in commercial chocolate bars in the supermarket. Compound chocolate is a bit more robust and you may find it easier to use in cooking.