Buzz
To add color to chocolate, begin by melting it first. This process is tricky, and it becomes even more complicated when dealing with white chocolate, as it tends to burn easily. If possible, take extra time to explore suitable ingredients and test small portions at a time.
Steps
Preparation
Choose white chocolate. The ingredient list will reveal whether the white chocolate is made with pure cocoa butter or cheaper vegetable oils. Imitation chocolate tends to be less prone to hardening compared to real cocoa butter chocolate. Experts appreciate the taste of real chocolate, though some brands of imitation chocolate are also notable for their flavor.
- Use freshly purchased chocolate. Chocolate tends to lose its flavor and texture if stored for too long, especially true for real chocolate.
- If you are making detailed chocolate creations, opt for chocolate that is intended for dipping or coating, as it is often thinned out for ease of use.
Choose food coloring. Even a single drop of water can cause melted chocolate to seize. For the best results, opt for powdered or oil-based food coloring available at baking supply stores or online. While you can use regular liquid food coloring, the process will be trickier.
- Oil-based food coloring is ideal for creating lighter colors, as too much coloring can make the chocolate taste bitter and leave a sticky residue in your mouth.
- These oil-based colors are more concentrated than liquid ones and can stain clothes, skin, and countertops.
Warm the oil-based food coloring before use. Chocolate is very sensitive to temperature changes and can seize when the food coloring is at a different temperature. If using oil-based coloring, heat it to a temperature higher than room temperature before adding it to the chocolate. (Other types of food coloring can be used at room temperature.)
- Place the sealed bottle of food coloring into a ziplock bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag tightly.
- Submerge the bag in warm water for 10-15 minutes. The water should be warm enough for your hands to handle, not hot.
- Shake the bottle one or two times during the process to distribute the heat evenly. Change the water if it cools down.
- Remove the bottle from the bag and dry off any water.
Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use a large pot with a heatproof bowl or a smaller pot that fits into the top of a larger one. Start by filling the larger pot with 2.5-7.5cm of water and bring it to a simmer.
- Make sure to dry the top of the double boiler and the stirring utensils while heating the water, even if they don’t appear wet. Rubber or silicone spatulas are best, as wooden spoons can still hold moisture.
Heat and Color
Decide when to add the food coloring. The timing depends on the type of food coloring you’re using. Be sure to read the detailed instructions below before starting, as you may need to alter the order of steps:
- For powdered coloring, add it as soon as the chocolate begins to melt.
- You can add oil-based coloring once the chocolate has melted, as long as you’ve warmed it according to the previous instructions.
- Water-based colors usually don’t cause seizing if added before the chocolate fully melts. (That’s why you don’t need to warm water-based colors beforehand.)
Place the chocolate in a small bowl. Set the bowl of chocolate over the top of a double boiler at room temperature. Position it above the simmering water. The steam's heat will gradually warm the chocolate and keep it below the temperature where it would seize.
- If you’re using bar chocolate, break it into evenly sized pieces.
- Make sure your hands are completely dry, as moisture can ruin the chocolate.
- If using pure cocoa butter chocolate, reserve one-third of the chocolate for later use. This step is only necessary if you want the chocolate to have a glossy finish.
Stir until the chocolate melts. White chocolate is highly sensitive and should not be heated above 46ºC. Keep the heat on low, or turn it off entirely if melting a small amount of chocolate. Stir slowly and continuously until the chocolate is smooth, then remove it from the heat.
- If the instructions suggest adding color before the chocolate fully melts, refer to the section below for further details.
- If melting a large quantity of chocolate (such as several pounds), use a chocolate thermometer or an electronic thermometer that increases by one degree at a time. Keep the chocolate’s temperature between 37–43ºC.
Mathew Rice
Professional pastry chef and dessert influencer
Professional pastry chef and dessert influencer
What experts often do: I prefer melting chocolate using a double boiler. I bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and place the chocolate in a bowl on top of the pot to melt slowly. This method takes longer, but the perfect texture of the chocolate is totally worth the wait. If I’m in a rush, I use a microwave set to half power, melting the chocolate in 15-second intervals and stirring each time.
Add the coloring gradually. Most powdered and oil-based food colors are more concentrated than liquid types. Only add a little oil at a time, stirring well before deciding to add more color.
- Shake the food coloring bottle well before adding it to the chocolate.
- If the chocolate seizes (becomes too stiff), remove it from the heat and gradually stir in one tablespoon of flavorless vegetable oil at a time. The chocolate will usually become smooth again, but this may affect the flavor of the final product.
Tạo độ bóng mịn cho sô-cô-la (tùy chọn). Nếu sô-cô-la trắng của bạn có chứa bơ ca cao nguyên chất, sô-cô-la sẽ bị đục và hơi mềm sau quá trình đun chảy và đông lại. Điều này không ảnh hưởng đến mùi vị, nhưng bạn có thể khôi phục độ bóng nếu thích bằng cách "tạo độ bóng mịn" cho sô-cô-la. Thao tác này được thực hiện bằng nhiều cách. Sau đây là cách thực hiện quen thuộc không đòi hỏi nhiều dụng cụ mà chỉ cần nhiệt kế có độ chính xác cao:
- Lấy bát sô-cô-la ra khỏi bếp và quấn khăn dưới đáy bát để giữ ấm.
- Thêm sô-cô-la chưa đun chảy đã cắt nhỏ theo tỷ lệ 1 phần sô-cô-la chưa đun chảy và 2 phần sô-cô-la đun chảy.
- Khuấy liên tục đến khi sô-cô-la đạt đến nhiệt độ 27–28ºC, và toàn bộ sô-cô-la đều tan chảy.
Chờ sô-cô-la đông lại. Nhiều thợ làm sô-cô-la để sô-cô-la nguội dần ở nhiệt độ phòng, nên thành phẩm ít khi bị nứt nẻ hoặc “đổ mồ hôi”. Số khác thích cho sô-cô-la vào tủ lạnh khoảng 10-20 phút - đây là cách tốt hơn nếu bếp của bạn ấm hoặc có độ ẩm cao. Bảo quản sô-cô-la thành phẩm tại nơi khô ráo, thoáng mát, tránh ánh nắng trực tiếp.
- Để có kết quả tốt nhất, bạn nên đặt khăn giấy trong tủ lạnh để hút ẩm.
- Nếu bạn muốn đổ sô-cô-la vào khuôn hoặc dùng để nhúng, hãy giữ ấm sô-cô-la đến khi bạn hoàn tất thao tác.
Những thứ bạn cần
- Nồi đun cách thủy
- Cây vét bột hoặc dụng cụ khuấy bằng cao su hoặc silicone
- Màu thực phẩm - tốt hơn hết nên dùng loại bột hoặc dầu
- Bát và túi nhựa có khóa kéo (nếu sử dụng màu thực phẩm dạng dầu)
- Thêm một ít sô-cô-la trắng để tạo độ bóng mịn (tùy chọn)
Lời khuyên
- When coloring chocolate, it is best to use one color at a time. Otherwise, you risk unintentionally blending the colors together.
- You could also experiment with painting the chocolate using edible paint.
Warning
- Melting chocolate becomes significantly more difficult when the humidity is above 50%. Use a dehumidifier on damp days to improve your results.
