Chocolate breaks

[Busboy]

was making chocolate mousse with my daughter the other morning and at some point after we took the melted chocolate (and coffee and vanilla) off the double boiler but before we stirred in the egg yolks and sugar, the chocolate began to break down, the solids separating from the oil. Why? I wouldn't have been so surprised if we'd been melting the chocolate over direct heat and overheated it, or if it was still on the boiler, but it was just sitting, cooling on the counter.

In desparation, we threw it under the KitchenAid's whisk treatment, and it seem to reform nicely, and the mousse was saved.

Why was that?

[filipe]

I suppose it is somehow related with the water from the coffee....

Edited October 31, 2006 by filipe (log)

[aguynamedrobert]

Hello,

Most likely it was due to the fact that an "emulsion" did not occur between the fat in the chocolate and the water in the coffee. Fat and Water do not mix so you have to create an emulsion to get them to combined correctly. An Emulsion is just a way to combined those two ingredients to where they susupend in a solution. Try this....

chop up the chocolate to small pieces then heat up the coffee to a boil....Pour the coffee over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute while melting together...then with a wisk mix it together somewhat briskly and then once combined add the vanilla.....tell me how it goes next time....

-Robert

www.chocolateguild.com

[scott123]

No need for the kitchenaid. As long as the chocolate/coffee mixture isn't too hot, the egg yolks and sugar should emulsify it just fine.

[Patrick S]

No need for the kitchenaid. As long as the chocolate/coffee mixture isn't too hot, the egg yolks and sugar should emulsify it just fine.

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I see this all the time with white chocolate -- breaks down into a hopeless-looking mess when you add liquor, and then comes back together perfectly when you add eggs.