Melting the chocolate in the pan could burn it. This is why some people opt to add a fat, such as butter, to mix with the chocolate so that it does not burn or stick. Otherwise, to preserve the pure taste of chocolate in baking and limit this type of addition, the main and common technique for melting it remains that in a bain-marie. For Patrick Roger, an exceptional chocolatier for whom the art of sculpting chocolate into works of art no longer holds any secrets, the bain-marie should be avoided at all costs.
“Chocolate cannot stand water”
Technically, chocolate cannot tolerate water. Containing cocoa butter, a fat that does not tolerate water because it crystallizes on contact, the chocolate should not be placed in humid places. Although in a bain-marie, the chocolate does not directly touch the water contained in the saucepan above which it is located, the water evaporates! “The water falls back in the form of steam into the container where the chocolate is.” Although we may not see it with the naked eye, “in a bain-marie, the chocolate is therefore automatically altered and will not melt as well as if you had done it differently.” As a result, chocolate particles risk solidifying, making the mixture complex to work with.
At home, melt chocolate in the microwave
In his workshop, Patrick Roger uses melters, specialized equipment in which “the chocolate melts overnight”. At home, the best solution for preserving your chocolate is in the microwave. A golden rule: “You have to be patient. » Once the microwave is set to maximum power, let the chocolate melt in the bowl, “in waves of 10 or 15 seconds, repeat 2 to 4 times, and mix gently”.
Prevent the chocolate from burning
“Chocolate has 4 extremely complex molecules that do not melt at the same temperature. » As a result, chocolate can burn, harden, or even crystallize at any time. “Ideally, take a thermometer and check its temperature as you take the chocolate out of the microwave. » If it does not exceed 31 to 32 degrees, Patrick Roger is categorical, it should be well preserved.
