The holidays are here and that means it's time to get busy in the kitchen making treats for family, friends and neighbors.

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is create simple, delicious treats by dipping fruit, cookies, pretzels and more in chocolate. I often get questions about how to properly melt or temper chocolate and ensure it doesn't burn. Melting chocolate is a little bit of a science. Here are some helpful tips to help you create the best chocolate dipped treats every time:

What culinary questions do you have? Let us know! Email our Harmons chefs at askachef@harmonsgrocery.com

How to Temper Chocolate

Supplies

• High quality melting chocolate (I like Ghirardelli)
• Candy thermometer
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• Medium saucepan or double boiler

Directions

In a medium saucepan slowly heat chocolate coins or small chocolate pieces cut from a bar. Stir constantly with wooden spoon or silicone spatula. This should be done very slowly and on very low heat until chocolate reaches the following temperature:

• Dark Chocolate: 120F
• Milk Chocolate: 116F
• White Chocolate: 114F

Still stirring continuously, slowly add more solid chocolate to the melted batch. Remember to carefully watch the temperature. The new chocolate will help slowly lower the temperature of your melted chocolate. You want to stir the chocolate until it reaches the following temperature:

• Dark Chocolate: 84F
• Milk Chocolate: 81F
• White Chocolate: 79F

To finish the tempering process, the chocolate now needs to be raised to the dipping temperature listed below.

• Dark Chocolate: 89F-90F
• Milk Chocolate: 86F-87F
• White Chocolate: 82F-83F

To increase the temperature of the chocolate, return pan to stovetop on very low heat. To be safe, it is best to remove the pan from the cook top when the temperature is two degrees away from the desired working temperature of the chocolate. The carry-over heating with allow chocolate to continue heating to desired temperature.

To test the chocolate, dip the tip of a clean, dry knife in the bowl and allow it to stand for a couple of minutes. Chocolate should be shiny free of blooming.

Now for the best part — dipping your treats! This is a wonderful activity for the whole family to get involved in making yummy gifts for friends and neighbors. Some of my favorite items to dip:

• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Apples
• Pears
• Apricots
• Orange Slices
• Bananas
• Cinnamon Bears
• Pretzels
• Cupcake Pops
• Marshmallows
• Oreos
• Shortbread
• Biscotti
• Harmons Gingerbread Cookies
• Harmons Sugar Cookies
• Homemade Caramel (get the recipe here)

To give your creations an extra special touch, garnish dipped chocolate with:

• White Chocolate Drizzle
• Specialty Sugars
• Himalayan Sea Salt or Black Lava Salt
• Chili Pepper Powder
• Crystallized Ginger
• Shaved Chocolate Pieces
• Holiday Sprinkles
• Crushed Andes Mint Pieces
• Crushed Candy Cane

This holiday season let Harmons help you share the holiday love with great food! Check our delicious holiday recipes, or let us do the work for you! Visit our website to order a chef prepared holiday meal, decadent dessert and party trays, and more.

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