What is Dipping Chocolate and How to Make It

There are numerous applications that you can create using chocolate. From filling, coating, to the popular and well-liked by many: dipping chocolate.

Dipping chocolate is a very simple way to elevate a simple snack or dessert. It takes only a few ingredients and only a few minutes to make. Find out all you need to know about dipping chocolate in this blog.

what is dipping chocolate?

Dipping chocolate is simply a form of melted chocolate that you use to dip foods into. Besides being perfect for adding a dimension of flavor to ice creams, dipping chocolate can also be applied to a variety of foods. Everything from pralines, biscuits, cookies, and nuts to fruits like strawberries taste much more delicious when dipped in chocolate.

For years, dipping chocolate has evolved as food trends come and go. Some of the current most popular trends on TikTok include the dessert dip, such as the Hot Cocoa Dip and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dip. Another trend is the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Turkeys, where people take strawberries, pretzel sticks, mini marshmallows and melted chocolate to create mini roasted turkeys for Thanksgiving dessert.

Good dipping chocolate has a rich, smooth and velvety consistency and hardens into a firm layer that looks glossy and has a good “snap” sound when you bite into it. To create such dipping chocolate, we recommend you temper your chocolate. You also need to pay attention to the type of chocolate you use.

choosing the right chocolate

To create the ideal dipping chocolate, the chocolate you use really matters. Use chocolate that has a high fluidity, which will give you a luscious consistency. It is best to couverture chocolate, which works best for applications like dipping, coating, and molding. Couverture chocolate contains more cocoa butter than regular chocolate, giving it its high fluidity. 

We recommend using Embassy Continental Blend Dark Couverture Chocolate 75% for dipping chocolate with intense chocolatey flavor, but of course, you can also use milk or white chocolate. Whatever couverture chocolate you’re looking for, you can find it here on our product page.

how to make your own dipping chocolate

To make great dipping chocolate, all you have to do is melt your chocolate and temper it. You might be tempted to just melt the chocolate and dip your food right away, but the resulting texture won’t be as good, and it won’t be as stable as tempered chocolate.

tips for tempering chocolate

Tempering can be a challenging process if you’re not experienced. In a previous blog, we covered everything you need to know about tempering chocolate. Our chefs would like to remind you though, that there are some things you need to pay attention to when tempering your chocolate:

1. keep your chocolate away from water

Water is chocolate’s number one enemy. Chocolate that gets in contact with water can cause the chocolate to immediately transform from a fluid state to a crumbly, grainy heap. This phenomenon is called “seizing”. Once it seizes, it is difficult to turn the chocolate back into its original form.

Therefore, it is important to keep water away from your chocolate. When melting chocolate using the bain-marie method, use a bigger bowl than your pan to keep the steam from getting into your bowl of chocolate. Or, if you’re using the ice bath method to temper your chocolate, be careful not to let water get into the bowl. Have a kitchen towel or cloth at hand to wipe the water away.

2. pay attention to the temperature

During tempering, different types of chocolate require different temperatures when melting, cooling and re-heating the chocolate. Having the temperature too high or too low can cause your tempering to fail. Therefore, you need to always pay attention to the temperature of the chocolate you’re using. It is best to have a thermometer ready so you can temper your chocolate efficiently.

3. use a method suitable for you

Tempering chocolate can be done using either of the three methods: seeding, ice bath, and tabling. Each method has different levels of difficulty and its own challenges. So, do a method that’s the most convenient for you; it’s not just about the availability of the equipment, but also the method that you are comfortable with.

For the ice bath method, be careful to not let water get into your bowl of chocolate. Also, make sure that your ice bath does not only have ice in it, but also water. This helps the bowl to get an even cooling, so your chocolate cools evenly as well.

For the seeding method, make sure that you’re using chocolate that is still in temper. The chocolate should still be “fresh” and has never been melted before. Our chefs recommend using chocolate that is still far from its expiration date.

For the tabling method, try to get familiar with the process of tabling first, as it requires a level of experience. Make sure to agitate the chocolate evenly to prevent the formation of clumps, and pay attention to the temperature as the chocolate cools down quickly.

Consider using Embassy Chocolate products. Our couverture chocolate products are made with utmost care and consideration to give you the perfect result every time. Our versatile chocolate products are excellent for all kinds of applications such as for your pastry, baked products, and confectionery. 

If you have any questions about our products, feel free to visit our products page. For more information regarding the pricing, speak to one of our knowledgeable sales reps by visiting our contact page.