Brazilian CuisineIt began as most 'ethnic food movements' do - with small restaurants in the neighborhoods where immigrants settled, diners and lunchrooms and tea rooms opened by those who wanted to offer a taste of home to their fellow émigrés. Chinese, Italian,...
Product Review -- Gourmet to GoThis busy mom has her hands full in coordinating both her family duties and representing two businesses, Kat's Coffees & More and Gourmet to Go. Her personal website, "Go Buy Gourmet" is under construction and should be completed very soon....
Reductions; Proving That Less is More Any liquid can be reduced just by heating it - but why would you want to do that? The answer comes back to two of our old friends, flavor and consistency (texture). By reducing any flavored liquid you intensify its flavor and at the same time...
Sneaking More Fruit into Your DayWe all know that we should eat more fruit and vegetables, andgenerally we manage pretty well with the veggies. It's not thathard to have several different vegetables with a meal, or aGrilled Chicken Salad as a meal. But it can be a little...
The New Cuisine: Spanish Food TodayCooking Spanish foods today is still very much a traditionalaffair. The essence of Spanish foods is simplicity and subtlety.The new Spanish cuisine is more about how ingredients andflavorings are blended than the way a meal is presented. The...
3 Methods For Perfectly Melted Chocolate
Melting chocolate for baking is an exacting task, if not done perfectly you can end up with a burned or grainy mess and ruin whatever you are baking. Below are 3 methods for melting chocolate, each can be successful in it’s own way and you need only pick a method that works for you and get cooking!
In The Oven
Chocolate can be melted in the oven quite easily but you will need to be very diligent about watching it. It’s easy to get caught up in your other baking chores and not realize that you have overheated it until it is too late. To melt chocolate in the oven, heat the oven to 110 degrees. Chop the chocolate and place in a dish inside the oven. Keep the door open and check regularly. It will take about an hour to melt thoroughly.
Double Boiler Method
This tried and true method uses two pots or a special double boiler pot. The bottom pot has about an inch of water in it and the top pot is a bit smaller and rests on the bottom pot. The water should be heated to just below a simmer. Chop the chocolate and put
it in the top pot. The chocolate should be stirred until melted and you must be very careful not to get any water mixed in with the chocolate as this will make it grainey.
Microwave
Using the microwave to melt chocolate can be the fastest but also the most disastrous method as a couple of seconds of overheating can ruin the chocolate. Chop the chocolate and put it in a microwave safe bowl. Heat on 50% for 1 to 4 minutes - the amount of time needed will depend on the amount of chocolate you are melting so you will have to watch the chocolate the whole time. When you see that it is turning shiny and before it is fully melted, remove it from the oven and stir until it melts fully.
About the Author
Lee Dobbins is editor of www.online-gourmet-foods.com where you can learn more about gourmet food and find out more about gourmet chocolate.
