How to thicken chocolate? (5 Plausible Options)

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, “How to thicken chocolate?”. We will look at methods to prepare and thicken chocolate ganache and chocolate fondue. We will also look at some additional ingredients that can thicken chocolate.

How to thicken chocolate?

Both cornstarch and cornflour will work well with ganache, fondue, and even Italian Hot chocolate.

In case you are making homemade chocolate sauce, then cornflour will work well for you. 

However, keep in mind that the lower the temperature is of your chocolate, the thicker it will be.

How to select the right ingredients?

Before you begin to cook your chocolate, it is advisable to select the best ingredients possible.

To get thick chocolate, choose your chocolate and cream wisely.

When you choose your chocolate, go for the pure and darker one. Chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa will produce a thicker mix.

If your chocolate has sugar instead of cocoa, it will restrict the thickening process. It will soften the chocolate and act as a liquid.

When selecting heavy cream, choose the high-fat kind. The milk fat in the heavy cream should be 40%. Fat will add density and richness to your chocolate and also make the chocolate stable while it cooks.

There are substitutes for heavy cream such as butter-and- whole-milk or full-fat coconut milk. 

How to make chocolate with the right consistency?

If you are preparing ganache, the recipe is as follows:

  • Chop up your chocolate into tiny pieces.
  • Pour your cream into a pan and bring it to a simmer.
  • Stir frequently to prevent the cream from burning.
  • The simmer is your cue to add the chocolate flakes.
  • The chocolate will sink and melt into the cream.
  • Let the chocolate mix sit for a few minutes until all of the chocolate melts.
  • At this point, you can add the rest of the ingredients; if you have any.
  • If you observe that the chocolate mix is too runny, feel free to add more chocolate.
  • If the added chocolate resists melting, use a double boiler to heat the mix again.

In case you need to thicken a chocolate fondue, follow the given recipe.

  • Put the saucepan on low heat. 
  • Put in the pieces of chocolate.
  • Stir frequently to let the chocolate melt uniformly.
  • As soon as all of the chocolate melts, turn the heat off.
  • In a separate bowl, take your whipping cream and then add some cornflour.
  • Stir it vigorously for a while to minimize lump formation.
  • Now you are ready to introduce the whipping cream to the melted chocolate. 
  • Mix it thoroughly to let both the viscous elements homogenize.
  • Place the pan back on the stovetop and whisk as the mixture picks up heat.
  • After the chocolate has thickened, you can add the thin fondue to it.
  • The prepared chocolate will make the fondue thicker and retain its initial quality.
  • Alternatively, you could add some powdered cocoa to make your chocolate fondue thicker.

Other FAQs about Chocolate which you may be interested in.

Is Oreos chocolate?

Can chocolate spoil?

Can chocolate get moldy?

What are some additional ways to thicken chocolate?

You can add cornstarch to your chocolate to make it thick.

Add a tablespoon of cornstarch to a quarter cup of milk.

Stir it thoroughly and heat it for a few seconds. Then, pour your mixture into the chocolate.

You must stir the cornstarch in some liquid and bring it to as close a temperature as the cooking mixture. If you fail to do so, you risk forming lumps in the mix and deteriorating the texture.

Some people like to use whipping cream to thicken their cooking chocolate. 

Others use butter or margarine.

Some people recommend adding paraffin wax to make the chocolate thicker and to give it an appealing finish.

If you have some chocolate leftover, you could add it to the mix. It will not only concentrate the chocolate flavor but make it thicker as well.

Before you start to stress over your thin chocolate, try cooling it down or putting it in the refrigerator. Refrigerating chocolate will make your chocolate thicker. 

All you need is a covered bowl to store your chocolate in, and then let it sit in the refrigerator for half an hour.

In case you don’t see improvement in the consistency of your chocolate, resort to adding a thickening agent or applying heat.

If your attempt goes in vain or you don’t want to add the ingredients to your chocolate, you could start over the process. 

The previous batch could be used as a fruit dip or ice cream drizzle. Chocolate can never go wrong. It will always stay a treat regardless of how thin the consistency is.

In this brief guide, we answered the question, “How to thicken chocolate?”. We looked at methods to prepare and thicken chocolate ganache and chocolate fondue. We also looked at some additional ingredients that can thicken chocolate.

Citations

https://www.ehow.com/how_6952759_thicken-chocolate-fondue.html
https://www.livestrong.com/article/552819-how-to-thicken-a-runny-ganache/
https://www.wikihow.com/Thicken-Ganache
https://www.talkfood.com/forum/showthread.php?6636-How-to-thicken-Chocolate-sauce#:~:text=i%20would%20mix%20it%20with,do%20the%20trick%20for%20you.

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