Kitchen

[house_cat]

I don't have a lot of experience with chocolate and I'd love some advice.

I'm making shamrock butter cookies. I'd like to coat the bottoms with chocolate, but in my experience, the chocolate never hardens.

How do I make a chocolate that will harden so I can dip the cookies into it or spread on the bottom?

Thank you.

[hannah64]

Usually I just melt chocolate chips over a double boiler and dip the cookies in and put them on a cookie sheet with wax paper on it and stick them in the fridge for a bit. They always harden. I make shortbread and dip in one side. Maybe using the chocolate bars from the baking section will help? Good luck.

[PamelaSue72]

I just made a batch of King Arthur's Vanilla Dreams, a shortbread-type cookie. The version I made called for melting 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1-1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil in the microwave just until the chocolate softens. Then stir until the chocolate completely melts.

Use a pastry brush to paint the bottoms of each cookie with the chocolate. Then sprinkle crushed pecans over the painted chocolate. Place the cookies, chocolate-side up, on a piece of parchment or a cookie sheet for the chocolate to set. King Arthur mentions that you can put the cookies in the fridge to help with chocolate set up faster, but doesn't say how long it takes.

My point to all this is that sometimes we tend to put more chocolate on the cookie than we should and the extra chocolate doesn't set up properly. I painted the melted chocolate on my Dreams and then sprinkled them with the crushed pecans. Left them on the counter and the chocolate did set up; it probably took about 30 minutes or so....and our house is fairly cool. If your chocolate doesn't set up, try putting your cookies in the fridge for a while to see if chilling will help.

[child prodigy]

Wilton candy melts would work.

[nomless]

It needs to be tempered....melted to a certain temp and then cooled to another temp. I can't remember the details, google will tell you. I've done it, it works.

[house_cat]

Thank you. I'm going to paint it on very thinly and see if that works. I thought maybe I was using the wrong kind of chocolate. I always used the baking chocolate, then added sugar and maybe something else.. it's been a long time and I can't remember. I'm going to melt the chips this time and see if that works better.

[Carmie]

Chocolate that is made for coating should harden when it cools. baking chocolate is not made for coating and there lies your problem. I warm my chocolate in the microwave at 15 second intervals, until it is smooth and creamy and glossy. Then dip or paint. It should set up in about 5 minutes . Be careful not to get any water in the chocolate, or it will seize and become hard and brittle. Chocolate chips, a candy bar or chocolate melts should work fine.

[house_cat]

On 3/16/2015 Carmie said: Chocolate that is made for coating should harden when it cools. baking chocolate is not made for coating and there lies your problem. I warm my chocolate in the microwave at 15 second intervals, until it is smooth and creamy and glossy. Then dip or paint. It should set up in about 5 minutes . Be careful not to get any water in the chocolate, or it will seize and become hard and brittle. Chocolate chips, a candy bar or chocolate melts should work fine.

Thank you. I'm baking them tonight.. I'll let you know how they turned out.

[homedecor1]

I add Karo syrup to give it shine & hardens nicely. I use Semi sweet chocolate chips or Wilton melting chocolate wafers

[shoekitty]

Good advice here! I sometimes put cookies or item I am dipping in freezer or fridge after they have cooled. When I dip the cool cookies, the chocolate hardens wuick, and has a nice sheen