Dipping centers in chocolate not only gives them a beautiful appearance and a crisp shell, it protects the centers from humidity and helps to maintain quality. Hand dipping chocolates is a technique that requires some precision and much practice to master. But, like all candy making, learning is much of the fun.
- Place the center to be dipped upside down in the tempered chocolate.
- Taking the dipping fork in hand, place the fork on the top of the center.
- Push the center into the chocolate to submerge it, and with one swift J motion, invert it and lift it out of the chocolate.
- Move the fork repeatedly up and down so that the bottom of the dipped center touches the surface of the chocolate. Do this six to eight times.
- Clean the bottom of the dipped center on the edge of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate from the center. This will prevent a foot from forming when the center is put down.
- When lifting the center out of the chocolate, try to allow the front of the dipped center to extend past the end of the fork. This will make it easier to put the finished piece down.
For right-handed work, set up your station to work from left to right with undipped centers, tempered chocolate for dipping, and a pan lined with parchment for the dipped centers. Left-handed workers may set the station to flow in the opposite direction. Rest the bowl of tempered chocolate in a pan or other container so that the bowl may be tilted toward you.
