Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my chocolate not look shiny?

It’s usually due to the fact that it hasn’t been tempered correctly.

How do I temper chocolate?

Practice.  The chocolate you are going to use will already be tempered as it will be hard.  The secret is to keep it that way.  Therefore, make sure you melt the chocolate very  gently, always keeping a few lumps in the chocolate right to the very end.  Then, use the back of a spoon to squash those final lumps.  Test using a small piece of greaseproof.  Dip into the melted chocolate.  It should be dry, shiny & peel off the paper within  5 mins.  If it doesn’t, you need to add some more fresh chocolate to the mix & continue to stir & melt as before.

Why is my chocolate streaky?

It could be a number of reasons.  One it hasn’t been tempered correctly or the sun has caught it.  See picture below:

Can I put chocolate in the fridge to set?

Yes you can but it can be risky depending on what you are making.  The fridge is too cold for chocolate.  Better to leave it somewhere that is cool rather than too cold, otherwise the chocolate can develop a bloom which wont look good.  However, small pieces i.e. lollies are usually not a problem.