Is there any way to rescue 'grainy' melted chocolate?

[PattyCakes]

Yesterday, I wanted to make some rocky road. I'd bought some bars of Green & Blacks chocolate which is a bit expensive, but I prefer the taste of it over anything else in things I make or bake.

The recipe I used was Nigella Lawson's Rocky Road Crunch Bars, and even though the recipe said melt the chocolate in a pan with the butter and golden syrup, I was a little worried about melting chocolate in anything other than a bowl over a pan of water! I kept the temperature very low, and stirred everything together, but just before it had melted fully it turned a bit thick, lost almost all of its shine, and looked a bit grainy - like icing sugar you didn't sieve before making buttercream! I was really disappointed, not least because the chocolate was a bit expensive and the recipe called for 3 x 100g bars!!

I went ahead and used it, and although it tastes just fine, it doesn't look as good as it would had it not lost its shine.

What did I do wrong, and should I have melted the chocolate in a bowl over water despite what the recipe stated?

 

[Meknoclone]

It sounds like the chocolate burnt. I'm not sure if you can fix it since I don't play with chocolate too much.
I would always melt chocolate of water since it's easier to do, but that's just me.

 

[PattyCakes]

Thanks, Meknoclone. I wondered if it might have caught on the bottom of the pan or slightly burnt, but I had it on such a low heat I am unsure. Chocolate is so temperamental! Some people advise melting it in the microwave, but I don't use or have one of these so my options are limited.

Oh well, better luck next time, I guess.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Meknoclone]

When I get lazy with melting chocolate I put it on the lowest setting it will go and add chocolate slowly. I usually let it hover above the burner just in case it's too hot.
I really do think that it may have burnt.
I don't use a microwave either so I know the feeling of having temperamental chocolate.

 

[PattyCakes]

I think that it probably has burnt, yes. At least I've learned that the golden rule of melting chocolate is slowly, and hover it over the burner instead of leaving it to rest there. But better luck next time!

 

[Prettyinpink13]

Sounds like its burnt. I always melt chocolate over water unless it is specifically for the microwave. I have never had a problem melting over water so it is always my go to way.

 

[PattyCakes]

Unfortunately, at times I've had a problem doing it over water too. I think I let it get too hot by not keeping an eye on what the water is doing. I've just seen a clever little double boiler online, which I think might help - if I don't let it get too hot, that is.

Thanks for the help

 

[Dez97]

I've never had any experience with this, I however suggest that you watch it closely when working with it to avoid the same problem once again.