why did my chocolate bloom?? >>

[cheezz]

The last 4 strawberries I dipped, look like the one on the far right... could it be because the chocolate had cooled too much??

Thanks!

https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/Finer_Kitchens/cheezz%20-%20desserts/bloom.jpg

 

[meryl]

It may be a moisture problem - did you dry the last 4 as thoroughly as the others? Here's some info:

http://www.chocophile.com/index.php/critic/comments/faq-dipnobloom/

 

[cheezz]

Oh yes, they were all thoroughly dried... and all done within 15-20 min. of each other

I melted 1/3rd of the chocolate, added in another 1/3rd of the chocolate and melted it carefully, then the last 1/3rd. Then dipped away... this seems to happen often, but I've never noticed the order before. This time it was definitely the last 4 strawberries I dipped.

 

[meryl]

What's the reason for melting 1/3 of the chocolate at a time, as opposed to all at once?

 

[cheezz]

I read somewhere that it was one way of tempering it... don't know if that's true or not.

 

[marilynfl]

Yep, I'll bet that's it. Tempering degrees are very tempermental.

15 minutes may seem short, but it can be critical if you don't have the chocolate in a seriously heat-controlled environment.

That's why lots of "chocolate stores" simply buy the block couverture chocolate (like Callebaut) then break it up, put it in machine that keeps it the perfect temperature for making chocolates and ladled it out to molds.

Drizzle some white chocolate over it and it won't seem as noticeable.

 

[cheezz]

I didn't keep it warm while I was dipping, so it got cooler and cooler... I noticed

as I put them on the serving table this morning that they looked like they were 'sweating' a little. It certainly was cool enough here, but they flew off the plate anyway!