Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Some time ago, I worked as a pastry chef/candy maker using a very expensive chocolate melter/temperer as one of my equipment staples. I have melted and dipped more chocolate than you could shake a candy box at.
I took a chance and picked up one of these locally (Wilton Chocolate Melter Deluxe) with a melting/warm/off switch. There are no exact temperature controls on this model, no recipes, but the instructions are pretty straight forward. The worst enemy of chocolate is water, which they casually mention in the instruction phamphlet. I'd like to pass along that even just a tiny sputter of water will cause beautiful, satiny melted chocolate to seize up with no recovery at all possible. So if you want to dip fresh fruit, it absolutely must be 100% dry or your chocolate will harden in seconds. Don't even chance a strawberry hull (the green part) being the least bit wet because even just the smallest droplet of water is all it takes to ruin a whole batch of chocolate.
I found the Wilton to melt the chocolate quickly with continual gentle and slow stirring like an expensive chocolate temperer does, using a wooden paddle-like spoon and NOT metal. After all was smoothly melted (I use only organic non-GMO chocolate) and the control was switched onto "warm", the temperature was held well. Again, stirring gently and frequently helps maintain even temperatures throughout your chocolate mixture which is important in keeping your dipping temperature consistent. I dipped over 70 pieces with just 8 oz. of chocolate the first time out with great results.
Another suggestion to help keep "bloom" at bay (the white streaks that can appear on dark and milk chocolates that does not effect flavor) is to set your dipped chocolates away from any air movement. No open windows and out of human traffic where people walk by continually. Even a little bit of air movement can turn a whole batch of newly dipped chocolates into a white bloomin' mess. This is caused by rapid temperature change and/or improper tempering. This unit is not a temperer, but gentle handling can still give good results.
I'm looking forward to making lots of chocolates for the holidays and this little melter gets my whole-hearted vote! Chocolate is an experience and worth not giving up on. If you don't have great success the first time out, try smaller batches and you will get the feel for it. This little melter is a boon to the home chocolatier novice.
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