How long does chocolate take to harden in the fridge?
Melted Chocolate in the Fridge – 10 to 20 Minutes
The refrigerator, of course! In the fridge, melted chocolate shouldn't take longer than 20 minutes to harden.
If you are just talking about using regular lollipop molds, they should firm up in the fridge easily within 10-15 minutes. The thicker the layer of chocolate, the longer it will take for the melted chocolate to set. If you are in a mad rush, you can even use the freezer.
A: It could be that your room temperature is too high. Candies need to be dipped and then left to set in a room that is between 65 and 68 F. It could also be that the chocolate wasn't tempered. Untempered chocolate takes quite a bit longer to set.
Place in the refrigerator; chocolate usually takes 10 to 20 minutes to set in the fridge and harden. Smaller chocolate molds may take less time to set up, and larger chocolate molds could take the full 20 minutes.
And don't transfer it to any sort of plastic container, as it may solidify into a puck too thick to chop easily. Instead, as soon as you've finished using it, pour that chocolate straight onto a sheet of parchment, and pop it in the fridge until it's hardened through and through.
As a fair warning, adding vegetable oil can make it so that the chocolate doesn't harden as quickly or as hard. It can make the chocolate a bit softer. So you will only want to use a touch of oil.
However, if you aren't overly concerned about that and just want the chocolate to set faster, you can pop it in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.
Does melted chocolate and butter harden? Melted chocolate and butter does harden when cooled, however oil or butter will slightly lower the hardening temperature of the chocolate.
Chocolate easily absorbs odors of whatever's in the refrigerator (Roquefort cheese, lamb curry — you get the idea). Moisture in the fridge can also lead to “sugar bloom,” meaning the sugar rises to the surface and discolors the chocolate (which has no effect on flavor, but doesn't look too appealing).
Tempering chocolate creates a firm consistency and reduces the propensity for it to melt upon touch or when exposed to room temperature. Tempering and hardening chocolate necessitates cooking it over indirect, low heat with the use of a double boiler to prevent burning.
Should you put chocolate in the fridge to set?
Meet chocolate's archenemies: heat and humidity. To protect chocolate's texture, flavor, and appearance, store it at a constant 65-68°F, and at low humidity. Fluctuations in temperature and humidity (like when taken in and out of the refrigerator) create the perfect storm to produce the dreaded… chocolate bloom.
If the chocolate has seized because it has been overheated, try stirring in a couple of pieces of solid chocolate (this will not work if the chocolate has seized from moisture). Or adding fat to the chocolate can bring it back – the ideal fat to use is cocoa butter however if you don't have any, try vegetable oil.
Chocolate can be safely melted with a small amount of liquid, such as milk, cream, butter, or alcohol if they are placed in the pan or bowl together (the same time). Cold liquids should never be added to melted chocolate, as they can cause the chocolate to seize.
If it's the middle of the summer, and/or you don't have air conditioning, that's not the case. Storing chocolate in the fridge or freezer will keep the heat from melting your chocolate and ruining the temper (that whitish coating on melted and re-hardened chocolate is the cocoa butter coming to the surface).
If the chocolate is in temper it will harden quite quickly (within 3 to 5 minutes) and become firm and shiny. If you touch it, your finger will come away clean.
There are instances, however, where that creamy melted chocolate can become a dry, clumpy mess. One case is when chocolate comes into contact with even a small amount of water, which is called "seizing." Similarly, if chocolate is overheated, it will become quite thick and lumpy.
If it has completely cooled and solidified, it should be re-tempered. Heat it for 5 to 10 seconds at a time, stirring and checking the temperature before reheating. For dark chocolate, reheat to 88°F to 91°F. For milk and white chocolate, reheat to 87°F to 88°F.
There is not much of a secret or trick to dipping something in chocolate and getting it to harden, actually. Simply melt semisweet chocolate by itself or with a little cream or butter. Dip, then refrigerate. When the chocolate is cooled, it hardens.
Warm the chocolate gently to 86 degrees for dark or 84 degrees for milk and white. Hold it at this temperature for a few minutes, then warm up to 91-92 degrees for dark (87-89 degrees for milk or white).
Adding a tablespoon of coconut oil or vegetable oil while microwaving helps the chocolate melt more smoothly and makes it the perfect consistency for dipping! The caveat here is that once cool, the chocolate won't set up quite as hard as it did to begin with due to the added fat content.
What ingredient makes chocolate harden?
Chef notes
It turns out, Magic Shell has a secret ingredient: coconut oil. If you've ever bought a jar, you know that when warm, it's as pourable as any oil, but in cooler temperatures it solidifies. Add that quality to chocolate, and you've got yourself some magic, indeed.
Sounds like you might have messed up the tempering of the chocolate. In order to get chocolate that doesn't melt easily at room temperature, you need to properly temper the chocolate.
Not only does coconut oil make your chocolate coating shine, but it also helps the chocolate harden. Have you ever noticed that, if the temperature outside is particularly warm, your coconut oil liquifies right in its jar? Then, if it's cold out, the coconut oil will solidify.
If just a little amount of water finds its way into melting chocolate, it goes all grainy and solid - it seizes/curdles. There is really no fix to the problem. However, if some more water is added, the chocolate suddenly becomes fluid again.
We like to combine coconut oil and melted chocolate so that the chocolate hardens faster and a little thicker. The coconut oil makes the chocolate act like a chocolate magic shell. It's not essential—and doesn't add much flavor at all—but we recommend it because it makes the chocolate much smoother to work with.
In general, it's best to keep chocolate at room temperature, fully wrapped and away from heat and water.
Keep your treasured handmade chocolates and chocolate truffles in the fridge. They'll last two to three months there or in the freezer. At room temperature, they'd last only two to three weeks.
The taste of chocolate
Although you might think storing chocolate in the fridge only alters its texture, refrigerating chocolate can actually impact its taste as well. As cocoa butter absorbs flavours and odours, you could find yourself munching on a chocolate bar which tastes like last-night's leftovers.
A large mass of tempered chocolate can become untempered when the heat from the center of the mass can't dissipate as you aren't agitating it anymore. So it retains the heat in the center and cools slowly. This is due to the latent heat of crystallization.
A small candy bar or bag of chocolate chips won't take too long, but a big container of baking chocolate might take closer to 24 hours. Defrosted chocolate is usually good for melting and baking but not dipping.
What do you do if your chocolate is too runny?
According to the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE), if you want to thicken a runny ganache, simply add more chocolate. The vice versa is also true: If you want a thinner ganache, just add more heavy cream.
Not only does coconut oil make your chocolate coating shine, but it also helps the chocolate harden.
Set chocolate at room temperature and store at room temperature. If you are in a warm climate and need to refrigerate your strawberries to set, then allow 15-30 minutes to harden in the refrigerator, then remove.
With a Candy Thermometer
First, heat the chocolate gently using a double boiler; do not allow its temperature to exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, carefully remove the bowl of chocolate from the double boiler and allow it to cool to a temperature of 80 degrees.
Test: Dip a knife, spoon, or spatula into the chocolate and set it down at cool room temperature (65°F to 70°F). If the chocolate is in temper it will harden quite quickly (within 3 to 5 minutes) and become firm and shiny. If you touch it, your finger will come away clean.
Overheating chocolate (anything over 46°C will do it), adding cold substances or getting any liquid (even a teaspoon) into melted chocolate can make chocolate seize up in this way because the sugars in the chocolate lump together and separate from the fat, rather than harmoniously melding together as happens in ...
If you're baking, you don't need to worry about tempering chocolate but if you're making candies or dipping strawberries, the chocolate must be tempered. Same thing with making molded chocolates. Chocolate has to be tempered otherwise it will not release from a chocolate mold.
If it has completely cooled and solidified, it should be re-tempered. Heat it for 5 to 10 seconds at a time, stirring and checking the temperature before reheating. For dark chocolate, reheat to 88°F to 91°F. For milk and white chocolate, reheat to 87°F to 88°F.
| Temperature | Dark chocolate | White chocolate and Dulcey |
|---|---|---|
| Temp #1 | 122°F (50°C) – 131°F (55°C) | 113°F (45°C) – 122°F (50°C) |
| Temp #2 | 82°F (28°C) – 84°F (29°C) | 79°F (26°C) – 81°F (27°C) |
| Temp #3 | 88°F (31°C) – 90°F (32°C) | 82°F (28°C) – 84°F (29°C) |
Chocolate can be safely melted with a small amount of liquid, such as milk, cream, butter, or alcohol if they are placed in the pan or bowl together (the same time). Cold liquids should never be added to melted chocolate, as they can cause the chocolate to seize.
