I was melting chocolate and it turned into a thick, grainy mess. What happened and what can I do about it? I followed this common method to melt chocolate: I used a double boiler i.e. I put a heat proof or glass bowl in the mouth of the pot having water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Stirring chocolate occasionally as it softens.
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2Does this Q/A answer your question? If yes, we can close this one as a duplicate.– Stephie ♦Oct 31, 2018 at 9:11
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That does seem like a duplicate, given that Iqra's most likely issue is water.– FuzzyChefOct 31, 2018 at 16:52
1 Answer
When your chocolate goes grainy it's called "seizing". There are two main reasons for it to seize:
- Water: water getting into the bowl of the double boiler, either because it wasn't dry in the first place, or because of condensation.
- Overheating (burning).
Unfortunately, once chocolate has seized there aren't reliable ways to re-temper that particular batch. Use it for baking or turn it into chocolate sauce, or something.