Need advice about chocolate melting

[TinkOhio]

If you have a Sam's Club membership, they sell blocks of Ghiradelli melting chocolate at Christmas time. They have it in white chocolate as well. It's $6 and some change for a huge bar of it (4 pounds I think?)

I just bought some of the Ghiradelli at Sam's last night to use for coating pretzels and cookies. They had white and milk chocolate bars- 2.5 lbs.- for $6.54. I've never melted chocolate before and was thinking of using a crockpot to keep the chocolate warm. Will this workout okay?

 

[tchrrx]

I have a recipe for cookies that I want to make. It says to dip them in white chocolate. I already bought the white almond bark. Will that still taste ok or are they two different things?

 

[yearlightbuzz]

Every year for the last 20 years I do chocolate covered peanuts (now cashews, oldest son allergic), and I agree with the previous post that the chocolate was old. There is a 800 number on the bags. You can call nestle and they will ask for the code on the bag and they can tell you exactly how old. I use a double boiler now. Years ago before we bought the double boiler I just put one pan inside another with water. Much more difficult but it did work.

I just went and got one of my Nestle bags (haven't made anything yet) and the number is 800.851.0512. I have called before and they are really helpful. Good luck.

 

[gardenhoe]

Some great info in this thread. We had a bad experience trying to melt chocolate once. That's when we learned not to add water.

 

[monorailsilver]

I double boil it too.

I used to use Dove milk chocolate but I stopped once my son became allergic to dairy.

Then I switched to store brand but I can't find the Stop & Shop min-morsels anymore & they melted just fine.

Now I use Ghiradelli semi sweet & I just did it last week & at Halloween. No problems for me.

 

[dyna]

Yep any tiny bit of moisture will ruin chocolate an make it hard as a rock as will over heating it.

 

[blackforest]

I got some really nice white almond bark/melting chocolate at Aldi's. $1.99 or so for a nice size bar. I was a little leary of the taste, but a bite at home, and it tastes fine.

Then, a few days later I was at GFS and they had the same brand, just $3.00 more!

Can't wait to do some Peppermint Bar. Break up/crush any peppermint candies and mix into the melted white chocolate, to your taste. For a little different flavor, spread a thin layer of melted milk chocolate first, the spread the peppermint bark on top. I do these on jelly roll pans (cookie sheets with sides!) and line the pans with parchment paper (reuse the paper several times). Cool. If it's cold enough, I cover the pans with a cloth and sit them outside. Then break into bite sized pieces and bag. Keep in a cool spot until ready to give.

 

[Scurvy]

Didn't Hershey's recently change something about thier milk chocolate? I remember a news article, but forgot what they changed, I remember them saying some people could tell a difference or something.

Yes, they've recently stopped using actual chocolate in some of their products. Sadly, more and more companies are doing that and I can definitely tell a difference.

Here is a link to a candy blog that explains the difference between chocolate and "mockolate":

http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/dont_mess_with_our_chocolate/

This link is to the same blog, where the author talks more about the trend of changing from chocolate to mockolate:
http://www.typetive.com/candyblog/item/today_show_interview_what_wasnt_covered/

 

[mskayjay]

I always use the Ghiradelli, it keeps forever, I have NEVER had it seize up. I used to work for a pastry chef and I can tell you that nestle chips are not meant to be melted down. Nothing like that is. The Ghiradelli's at Sam's is MUCH better than the melting chips which have a lot of parafin (wax) in them.

 

[TinkOhio]

I always use the Ghiradelli, it keeps forever, I have NEVER had it seize up. I used to work for a pastry chef and I can tell you that nestle chips are not meant to be melted down. Nothing like that is. The Ghiradelli's at Sam's is MUCH better than the melting chips which have a lot of parafin (wax) in them.

Thanks for the info! How would you recommend we melt the Ghiradeli bars?

 

[summerrluvv]

I have a chocolate melter from QVC and it works GREAT!! I've been using it for a few years and my grandma has one and loves hers also. It's Cook's Essentials brand and was around $25. I'm sure they still sell it on the site.

 

[debsays]

Funny you should write about the white chocolate. Always do chocolate covered for my craft fair and the holidays. Use to use the white chocoalte from A.C. Moore UNTIL a few years ago when it just wouldn't melt. Ended up more like frosting. So stopped using it. Today I was at Target and saw block of white chocolate 1 1/4 lbs. for $1.97. Yep.! So I bought one, not knowing if it would melt good. Well, got it home and tried it and it was wonderful. Melted great. Went back later in the day and bought 5 more. Great to work with. Also, just a tip, The fountain chocolate (I usually use dark) is GREAT to work with and melts SO silky. Have fun with your chocolate.