Here's the problem: My recipe requires two tablespoons of shortening…but I can't buy it right now.
I am making Chocolate- covered strawberries.
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Is it okay to melt chocolate without using shortening?
June 22nd, 2008 · 8 Comments
Tags: chocolate
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8 responses so far ↓
1 meg d // Jun 22, 2008
you can melt chocolate without shortening, it just solidifies back hard chocolate, and you need to temper it (which is a pain)
2 D L // Jun 22, 2008
margarine
butter
evoo
3 AMA // Jun 22, 2008
sure just use a double boiler. set up a pot with 2 inches of water in it. put it on 4 or 5. then put a mixing bowl on top of that with the chocolate in it and it will melt without scorching
4 kh // Jun 22, 2008
I am a pastry chef and I all ways just use chocolate no butter no anything else and I also don't temper it so just try the chocolate by its self by melting on a double boiler
5 endorphin_boy415 // Jun 22, 2008
The person who mentioned the use of a double boiler is right on.
If you don't have a double boiler, you can also place a glass bowl inside/on top of a pan of boiling water. Make sure the water in the pan is not actually touching the glass bowl. As the water boils, it will create a steam chamber between the top of the water and the bottom of the bowl, which will in turn melt your chocolate. Make sure you watch your chocolate carefully. Chocolate is very delicate and can burn easily if heated to quickly.
6 rocksister // Jun 22, 2008
I melt chocolate in a regular pan with no shortening and with no double boiler. You have to do it over LOW heat and stir it constantly. It will melt very fast. The oil helps the chocolate remain in a semi-liquid state. It will revert back to its solid form if you do not use oil in it. If you plan to dip strawberries in chocolate, you won't be able to do it like this once the chocolate cools, so my advice is to dip them first, lay them on waxed paper to cool, and they will be ready to eat. The chocolate coating will break when you eat it though, so be prepared for a mess of chocolate all over the place. The ONLY exception is if you use chocolate that already has a high fat content. It might not break apart like that.
7 ann // Jun 22, 2008
Use butter or cooking oil. Make sure the strawberries are absolutely dry.
8 Stephanie C // Jun 22, 2008
I always use a bit of heavy cream (just about 2 tspns) to melt it down, it stays creamy
& i do this on the stove with a bowl over a pot of 'just finished boiling' water