Chocolate Lovers Need to Know This

Learn to create a smooth, shiny chocolate perfect for candy decorations and molding.

1. Chop bittersweet chocolate. Reserve one-fifth; place the rest in a heatproof bowl. Bring an inch of water to a simmer in a saucepan; turn off heat.

2. Rest the bowl on the pan’s rim, stirring the chocolate gently with a rubber spatula as it melts. When it reaches 118°F, remove the bowl.

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3. Add the reserved chocolate; stir until the mixture cools to 84°F. Place the bowl back over the simmering water; stir until it reaches 88°F to 90°F. Use immediately.

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