Question about melting chocolate
 

I was making "pretzel wands" for my daughter's Christmas party at school last
night and run into a minor problem.

It called for melting chocolate chips and dipping the pretzel rods in them,
then chilling until firm. That part was fine.

Then I had to melt white chocolate, add a touch of food coloring, and dip the
rods part way into the melted white chocolate.

I tried numerous times, and each time I added the food coloring, the white
chocolate stiffened right up and I couldn't dip the pretzels without actually
pasting the white chocolate onto them. The chocolate was fine until I added
the food coloring. I tried adding it while still over heat (which is what the
recipe said to do), tried adding it off of the burner, and tried both white
chocolate chips and actual cooking squares.

It's not *necessary* to die the white chocolate, of course, but it kind of
ruins the Christmas theme if I don't. I'd like to make them again next week-
they were really yummy- so any idea what went wrong?

laurie

laurie wrote:
> I was making "pretzel wands" for my daughter's Christmas party at school last
> night and run into a minor problem.
>
> It called for melting chocolate chips and dipping the pretzel rods in them,
> then chilling until firm. That part was fine.
>
> Then I had to melt white chocolate, add a touch of food coloring, and dip the
> rods part way into the melted white chocolate.
>
> I tried numerous times, and each time I added the food coloring, the white
> chocolate stiffened right up and I couldn't dip the pretzels without actually
> pasting the white chocolate onto them. The chocolate was fine until I added
> the food coloring. I tried adding it while still over heat (which is what the
> recipe said to do), tried adding it off of the burner, and tried both white
> chocolate chips and actual cooking squares.
>
> It's not *necessary* to die the white chocolate, of course, but it kind of
> ruins the Christmas theme if I don't. I'd like to make them again next week-
> they were really yummy- so any idea what went wrong?
>
> laurie
>
Try a paste or powder food coloring. I'm thinking you used a liquid
food coloring, the added liquid in an H2O base would be the cause of the
problem, the same thing will occur with a lot of steam.

Jessica

laurie wrote:
> I was making "pretzel wands" for my daughter's Christmas party at school last
> night and run into a minor problem.
>
> It called for melting chocolate chips and dipping the pretzel rods in them,
> then chilling until firm. That part was fine.
>
> Then I had to melt white chocolate, add a touch of food coloring, and dip the
> rods part way into the melted white chocolate.
>
> I tried numerous times, and each time I added the food coloring, the white
> chocolate stiffened right up and I couldn't dip the pretzels without actually
> pasting the white chocolate onto them. The chocolate was fine until I added
> the food coloring. I tried adding it while still over heat (which is what the
> recipe said to do), tried adding it off of the burner, and tried both white
> chocolate chips and actual cooking squares.
>
> It's not *necessary* to die the white chocolate, of course, but it kind of
> ruins the Christmas theme if I don't. I'd like to make them again next week-
> they were really yummy- so any idea what went wrong?
>
> laurie
>
Try a paste or powder food coloring. I'm thinking you used a liquid
food coloring, the added liquid in an H2O base would be the cause of the
problem, the same thing will occur with a lot of steam.

Jessica

laurie wrote:

> I was making "pretzel wands" for my daughter's Christmas party at school last
> night and run into a minor problem.
>
> It called for melting chocolate chips and dipping the pretzel rods in them,
> then chilling until firm. That part was fine.
>
> Then I had to melt white chocolate, add a touch of food coloring, and dip the
> rods part way into the melted white chocolate.
>
> I tried numerous times, and each time I added the food coloring, the white
> chocolate stiffened right up and I couldn't dip the pretzels without actually
> pasting the white chocolate onto them. The chocolate was fine until I added
> the food coloring. I tried adding it while still over heat (which is what the
> recipe said to do), tried adding it off of the burner, and tried both white
> chocolate chips and actual cooking squares.
>
> It's not *necessary* to die the white chocolate, of course, but it kind of
> ruins the Christmas theme if I don't. I'd like to make them again next week-
> they were really yummy- so any idea what went wrong?

Sure. The food coloring had water in it. It "seized" from the addition
of the water-based color. If you use an oil-based color, it won't do
that. You can get powder and liquid colors. Here's a note from
<http://www.kitchenconservatory.com/chocolate.htm> about one kind.

"Oil-Based Food Coloring for Chocolate
Color white chocolate with this set of four primary colors; red,
yellow, orange & blue. Regular food coloring is water-based and caused
chocolate to seize. Especially designed with the chocolatier in mind,
this oil-based formula will color chocolate without any ill effects.
The oil-based color can also be used for coloring icing, cookies, and
fondant.
$4.95"

Another one: <http://www.countrykitchensa.com/ideas/candy_flavoring.aspx>
"If you want to flavor your chocolate or candy coating, you MUST use
oils or concentrated flavors. Extracts CAN NOT be used. (They are
water based and may thicken and ruin your chocolate and coatings.)
We recommend adding 12-15 drops per pound."

It is possible to add water to chocolate and have it only slightly
tighten, but you have to know what you're doing. Like being a
hand-dipper of chocolate candies for about 10 years.

Pastorio

laurie wrote:

> I was making "pretzel wands" for my daughter's Christmas party at school last
> night and run into a minor problem.
>
> It called for melting chocolate chips and dipping the pretzel rods in them,
> then chilling until firm. That part was fine.
>
> Then I had to melt white chocolate, add a touch of food coloring, and dip the
> rods part way into the melted white chocolate.
>
> I tried numerous times, and each time I added the food coloring, the white
> chocolate stiffened right up and I couldn't dip the pretzels without actually
> pasting the white chocolate onto them. The chocolate was fine until I added
> the food coloring. I tried adding it while still over heat (which is what the
> recipe said to do), tried adding it off of the burner, and tried both white
> chocolate chips and actual cooking squares.
>
> It's not *necessary* to die the white chocolate, of course, but it kind of
> ruins the Christmas theme if I don't. I'd like to make them again next week-
> they were really yummy- so any idea what went wrong?

Sure. The food coloring had water in it. It "seized" from the addition
of the water-based color. If you use an oil-based color, it won't do
that. You can get powder and liquid colors. Here's a note from
<http://www.kitchenconservatory.com/chocolate.htm> about one kind.

"Oil-Based Food Coloring for Chocolate
Color white chocolate with this set of four primary colors; red,
yellow, orange & blue. Regular food coloring is water-based and caused
chocolate to seize. Especially designed with the chocolatier in mind,
this oil-based formula will color chocolate without any ill effects.
The oil-based color can also be used for coloring icing, cookies, and
fondant.
$4.95"

Another one: <http://www.countrykitchensa.com/ideas/candy_flavoring.aspx>
"If you want to flavor your chocolate or candy coating, you MUST use
oils or concentrated flavors. Extracts CAN NOT be used. (They are
water based and may thicken and ruin your chocolate and coatings.)
We recommend adding 12-15 drops per pound."

It is possible to add water to chocolate and have it only slightly
tighten, but you have to know what you're doing. Like being a
hand-dipper of chocolate candies for about 10 years.

Pastorio

>ry a paste or powder food coloring. I'm thinking you used a liquid
>food coloring, the added liquid in an H2O base would be the cause of the
>problem, the same thing will occur with a lot of steam

>Jessica
>

Thanks, I didn't know there was such a thing. I figured it was some time of
reaction with the liquid. (yes, I used liquid food coloring).

laurie

>ry a paste or powder food coloring. I'm thinking you used a liquid
>food coloring, the added liquid in an H2O base would be the cause of the
>problem, the same thing will occur with a lot of steam

>Jessica
>

Thanks, I didn't know there was such a thing. I figured it was some time of
reaction with the liquid. (yes, I used liquid food coloring).

laurie

Bob wrote:

>sure. The food coloring had water in it. It "seized" from the addition
>of the water-based color. If you use an oil-based color, it won't do
>that. You can get powder and liquid colors. Here's a note from
><http://www.kitchenconservatory.com/chocolate.htm> about one kind.

<snip rest of post>

Yaay, Yaah, Yaah, I'm not just a candy screw up! This makes me feel so much
better. You'd think the cook book would have specified for remedial chocolate
covered pretzel makers such as myself. Thanks!

laurie

Bob wrote:

>sure. The food coloring had water in it. It "seized" from the addition
>of the water-based color. If you use an oil-based color, it won't do
>that. You can get powder and liquid colors. Here's a note from
><http://www.kitchenconservatory.com/chocolate.htm> about one kind.

<snip rest of post>

Yaay, Yaah, Yaah, I'm not just a candy screw up! This makes me feel so much
better. You'd think the cook book would have specified for remedial chocolate
covered pretzel makers such as myself. Thanks!

laurie

"laurie" > wrote in message
...
> I was making "pretzel wands" for my daughter's Christmas party at school
last
> night and run into a minor problem.
>
> It called for melting chocolate chips and dipping the pretzel rods in
them,
> then chilling until firm. That part was fine.
>
> Then I had to melt white chocolate, add a touch of food coloring, and dip
the
> rods part way into the melted white chocolate.
>
> I tried numerous times, and each time I added the food coloring, the white
> chocolate stiffened right up and I couldn't dip the pretzels without
actually
> pasting the white chocolate onto them. The chocolate was fine until I
added
> the food coloring. I tried adding it while still over heat (which is what
the
> recipe said to do), tried adding it off of the burner, and tried both
white
> chocolate chips and actual cooking squares.
>
> It's not *necessary* to die the white chocolate, of course, but it kind of
> ruins the Christmas theme if I don't. I'd like to make them again next
week-
> they were really yummy- so any idea what went wrong?
>
> laurie


My guess is you used a liquid food coloring, which would cause any chocolate
to seize. Next time try getting a food coloring that is a gel, oil based
(candy coloring), or possibly a powder (if you use powder, I recommend
mixing it with a very small amount of cocoa butter just to make it easier to
incorporate evenly).
You can find these items online or in a cake decorating supply store.
Another option, if you don't mind a less intense color, would be to use
luster dust and petal dust to color the chocolate after it's set.
Personally, I'd get the candy coloring and go with that...but then I like
intense colors :)

kimberly
>

"laurie" > wrote in message
...
> I was making "pretzel wands" for my daughter's Christmas party at school
last
> night and run into a minor problem.
>
> It called for melting chocolate chips and dipping the pretzel rods in
them,
> then chilling until firm. That part was fine.
>
> Then I had to melt white chocolate, add a touch of food coloring, and dip
the
> rods part way into the melted white chocolate.
>
> I tried numerous times, and each time I added the food coloring, the white
> chocolate stiffened right up and I couldn't dip the pretzels without
actually
> pasting the white chocolate onto them. The chocolate was fine until I
added
> the food coloring. I tried adding it while still over heat (which is what
the
> recipe said to do), tried adding it off of the burner, and tried both
white
> chocolate chips and actual cooking squares.
>
> It's not *necessary* to die the white chocolate, of course, but it kind of
> ruins the Christmas theme if I don't. I'd like to make them again next
week-
> they were really yummy- so any idea what went wrong?
>
> laurie


My guess is you used a liquid food coloring, which would cause any chocolate
to seize. Next time try getting a food coloring that is a gel, oil based
(candy coloring), or possibly a powder (if you use powder, I recommend
mixing it with a very small amount of cocoa butter just to make it easier to
incorporate evenly).
You can find these items online or in a cake decorating supply store.
Another option, if you don't mind a less intense color, would be to use
luster dust and petal dust to color the chocolate after it's set.
Personally, I'd get the candy coloring and go with that...but then I like
intense colors :)

kimberly
>