How Chocolate Works
Cooking Skills: Chocolate 1
Chapter 1 · How Chocolate Works
Skill goal
Choose chocolate by cocoa percentage, melt it gently without seizing, and make four easy chocolate treats.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Chocolate is cocoa solids, cocoa butter and (usually) sugar and milk. The cocoa percentage on the label is how much of the bar comes from the cocoa bean (solids and butter together); the rest is sugar, milk and other ingredients. This course uses ordinary supermarket chocolate: no tempering is needed, and Chocolate 2 will take you further.
What to know
- Cocoa percentage: higher means more bitter and less sweet. Seventy per cent is a good all-rounder for baking, and about 50 to 60% is gentler.
- Baking chocolate vs eating chocolate: both work; use a bar you would happily eat, as the flavour shows.
- Chocolate and water don't mix. A drop of water makes melted chocolate seize into a grainy lump.
- Chocolate scorches. Always melt it gently, and take it off the heat before it has completely melted.
- Bloom: a pale, dusty or streaky film on old chocolate is bloom, from cocoa butter or sugar rising to the surface after a warm spell or the fridge. It is harmless, and fine for melting and baking.
| Type | Rough cocoa | Taste | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk | 30 to 40% | Sweet, creamy | Eating, children's treats, softer ganache |
| Plain | 50 to 60% | Balanced | Everyday baking and dipping |
| Dark | About 70% | Bittersweet, intense | Ganache, brownies, cakes |
| Extra dark | 85% and over | Bitter | A little, to deepen flavour |
| Cocoa powder | Pure cocoa, no sugar | Strong, bitter | Drinks, cakes, dusting |
These ranges are general: brands vary, so check the label.
Melting, seizing and storing
Gentle heat: chocolate scorches easily and turns dull and bitter. Melt it in a heatproof bowl over (not touching) barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring each time. Take it off the heat when it is mostly melted and stir until smooth. Milk and white chocolate burn faster than dark, so use lower heat for them.Seizing: even a drop of water or steam turns melted chocolate into a thick, grainy lump. Keep bowls, spoons and fruit completely dry, and don't let the bowl touch the water or let steam escape into it. If it does seize, stir in a teaspoon of warm cream, milk or flavourless oil and it may smooth out again (it won't be tempered, but it is still good for baking and sauces).
Storing chocolate: keep chocolate wrapped in a cool, dry cupboard (about 15 to 18°C), away from strong smells and sunlight. Chocolate treats made with cream (ganache, truffles) belong in the fridge.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
A chocolate tasting
Before cooking with chocolate, taste it. Compare three bars side by side and write down what you notice: how sweet, how bitter, how it melts in the mouth.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1 bar bar of milk chocolate
- 1 bar bar of plain chocolate (about 50 to 60%)
- 1 bar bar of dark chocolate (about 70%)
- 1 glass of water, to cleanse your palate
- Break a small square from each bar and put them in a row, milk to dark. Look at the colour and listen to the snap.
- Taste one square at a time, letting it melt on your tongue for a moment before chewing. Sip water between squares.
- Fill in the tasting notes: sweetness, bitterness, creaminess, and which you would pick for baking and which for eating.
Allergens, caffeine and storing
Allergens: chocolate contains milk (except some dark), and often soy (lecithin) and sometimes nuts or traces of them: check the label and the 'may contain' line. Cream, butter and many coatings are dairy, and cookies and biscuits contain wheat and often egg. Dairy-free dark chocolate and coconut cream can replace the dairy in many recipes, but the texture changes.Caffeine: dark chocolate and cocoa contain some caffeine, more in higher-cocoa chocolate. Offer smaller portions to children and avoid dark chocolate drinks late in the evening if you are sensitive.
Storing chocolate: keep chocolate wrapped in a cool, dry cupboard (about 15 to 18°C), away from strong smells and sunlight. Chocolate treats made with cream (ganache, truffles) belong in the fridge.
Level 1 · Dip
Chocolate-dipped frozen banana
Sliced banana dipped in melted chocolate and frozen: a lighter treat that teaches the basic skill of melting and dipping. The banana must be dry, and a teaspoon of oil keeps the coating from cracking when it is frozen.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 2 ripe bananas, firm rather than very soft
- 100 g dark chocolate (about 70%), chopped
- 1 tsp flavourless oil
- 1 tray lined with baking parchment
- Peel the bananas and cut into thick slices (about 2 cm). Pat dry with kitchen paper.
- Melt the chocolate with the oil, stirring (see the box), until smooth.
- Dip each slice halfway, or fully, using a fork, tapping off the extra. Put on the tray and freeze for at least 1 hour.
Melting, frozen pieces and knives
Gentle heat: chocolate scorches easily and turns dull and bitter. Melt it in a heatproof bowl over (not touching) barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring each time. Take it off the heat when it is mostly melted and stir until smooth. Milk and white chocolate burn faster than dark, so use lower heat for them.Frozen pieces: frozen banana and chocolate are very cold and hard, so give small children small pieces and let them soften for a minute or two before eating.
Knife safety: chop chocolate on a stable board (a damp cloth underneath) with a large knife held firmly, and keep your guiding fingertips tucked back. A serrated knife grips a hard bar better than a smooth blade.
Steam and hot bowls: a bowl over a pan of simmering water gets hot and steam burns. Use oven gloves or a cloth to lift it, keep your face back when you lift it off, and keep children away from the hob.
Level 2 · Mix-in
Chocolate crackles
A classic children's party treat: puffed rice stirred through melted chocolate, syrup and butter and set in paper cases. Work gently, because the rice crushes easily.
Ingredients (12 portions)
- 100 g milk or plain chocolate, chopped
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 30 g butter
- 60 g puffed rice cereal
- 12 paper cake cases
- Melt the chocolate, syrup and butter together in a bowl over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Take off the heat and let it cool for 2 minutes.
- Fold in the puffed rice with a spatula until every piece is coated.
- Spoon into the paper cases and chill for 30 minutes until set.
Melting, steam and keeping
Gentle heat: chocolate scorches easily and turns dull and bitter. Melt it in a heatproof bowl over (not touching) barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring each time. Take it off the heat when it is mostly melted and stir until smooth. Milk and white chocolate burn faster than dark, so use lower heat for them.Steam and hot bowls: a bowl over a pan of simmering water gets hot and steam burns. Use oven gloves or a cloth to lift it, keep your face back when you lift it off, and keep children away from the hob.
Keeping: chocolate crackles keep in an airtight tin for about 5 days (general guidance). In warm weather keep them in the fridge, or they go soft and sticky.
Allergens: chocolate contains milk (except some dark), and often soy (lecithin) and sometimes nuts or traces of them: check the label and the 'may contain' line. Cream, butter and many coatings are dairy, and cookies and biscuits contain wheat and often egg. Dairy-free dark chocolate and coconut cream can replace the dairy in many recipes, but the texture changes.
Level 2 · Cocoa
A cocoa-powder hot chocolate
Cocoa powder is chocolate with most of the fat taken out, so it needs a little sugar and care to mix. Make a paste with a splash of cold milk first and no lumps will be left.
Ingredients (1 portion)
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp caster sugar, or to taste
- 250 ml whole milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 mug
- Put the cocoa, sugar and salt in the mug or a small pan. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the milk to make a smooth paste.
- Heat the rest of the milk until it is steaming and stir it in, a little at a time, whisking until smooth.
- Let it cool for a minute and taste. Add a little more sugar if you like.
Hot milk, caffeine and allergens
Hot milk: heat milk gently and stir, watching so it doesn't boil over. Hot milk and hot chocolate burn skin: let the drink cool for a minute before giving it to a child.Caffeine: dark chocolate and cocoa contain some caffeine, more in higher-cocoa chocolate. Offer smaller portions to children and avoid dark chocolate drinks late in the evening if you are sensitive.
Allergens: chocolate contains milk (except some dark), and often soy (lecithin) and sometimes nuts or traces of them: check the label and the 'may contain' line. Cream, butter and many coatings are dairy, and cookies and biscuits contain wheat and often egg. Dairy-free dark chocolate and coconut cream can replace the dairy in many recipes, but the texture changes.
Experiments
Experiment
Cocoa percentage
Milk, plain and dark.
- Melt a small amount of each of the three chocolates separately and taste each warm and set. Then make the hot chocolate with the same amount of each.
Look for: The milk chocolate is sweet and mild; the dark is bitter and strong, and needs more sugar in a drink. Choose the percentage you like best.
Experiment
Fridge or cupboard
Where to store it.
- Keep a square of the same chocolate in the fridge for a day and another in a cool cupboard, and taste them.
Look for: The fridge chocolate is harder, may look dull and tastes less. The cupboard one is smooth and fragrant. Store chocolate cool and dry, not in the fridge.
Experiment
Chopped or whole
How fast it melts.
- Melt 50 g of chopped chocolate and 50 g of whole squares, over the same gentle heat, and time them.
Look for: The chopped chocolate melts evenly and fast; the whole squares melt slowly and unevenly. Chop it first.
Experiment
Water in chocolate
A deliberate seize.
- Melt a small piece of chocolate, then stir in half a teaspoon of water. Then stir in a teaspoon of warm milk to another seized piece to try to rescue it.
Look for: A tiny drop of water makes the chocolate stiff and grainy. The warm milk may bring it back, but it is thicker and no longer shiny. Keep water away!
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate tasting | ||||
| Frozen banana | ||||
| Chocolate crackles | ||||
| Cocoa hot chocolate | ||||
| Cocoa percentage | ||||
| Fridge or cupboard | ||||
| Chopped or whole | ||||
| Water in chocolate |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Thick, grainy lump | Water or steam got in | Stir in a spoon of warm cream or milk, or use for baking |
| Dull, bitter chocolate | Overheated | Start again with fresh chocolate; use gentle heat |
| White film on the bar | Bloom | Harmless: melt and use it in baking |
| Lumps in hot chocolate | Cocoa not mixed to a paste | Make a paste with a little cold milk first |
| Banana coating cracks | Banana wet, or no oil in the chocolate | Pat dry; add a teaspoon of oil |
| Crackles sticky | Warm room or stored warm | Chill them, and keep them in an airtight tin |
Melting, hot milk and allergens
Gentle heat: chocolate scorches easily and turns dull and bitter. Melt it in a heatproof bowl over (not touching) barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring each time. Take it off the heat when it is mostly melted and stir until smooth. Milk and white chocolate burn faster than dark, so use lower heat for them.Hot milk: heat milk gently and stir, watching so it doesn't boil over. Hot milk and hot chocolate burn skin: let the drink cool for a minute before giving it to a child.
Allergens: chocolate contains milk (except some dark), and often soy (lecithin) and sometimes nuts or traces of them: check the label and the 'may contain' line. Cream, butter and many coatings are dairy, and cookies and biscuits contain wheat and often egg. Dairy-free dark chocolate and coconut cream can replace the dairy in many recipes, but the texture changes.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can say what a cocoa percentage means.
- I know why water makes chocolate seize.
- I can melt chocolate gently and dip a dry food.
- I mix cocoa powder to a paste before heating.
- I store chocolate cool and dry.
Next chapter
Cooking Skills: Chocolate 1, chapter 2 is Melting and Dipping: coating fruit, biscuits and pretzels, and making bark.