Will Melted Hershey‘s Chocolate Harden? The Ultimate Guide

Hey there! If you‘re like me, you love baking and candy making with chocolate. But working with melted chocolate can be tricky business. When you need that chocolate to turn out perfectly smooth and able to hold a nice shape, it‘s so important to know how to melt, cool, and set it just right.

As a professional baker and chocolatier, I‘ve learned plenty of tips and tricks for getting melted chocolate to harden properly. So I wanted to share everything I know about hardening melted Hershey‘s chocolate specifically, to help you make the most gorgeous chocolate creations right at home.

How Does Chocolate Harden After Melting?

Before we dive in, it helps to understand exactly why melted chocolate is able to harden in the first place. See, chocolate contains cocoa solids suspended in a fat called cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is unique in that it can crystallize into six different forms. Just one of these forms (Form V) provides that signature smooth, glossy chocolate texture.

When chocolate is heated, those crystal structures melt, allowing the chocolate to become liquid. But as the chocolate cools, the cocoa butter tries to come back together in crystal form. Now, if we cool the chocolate too fast or disturb it too much, those crystals can‘t set up properly. That‘s what causes chocolate to stay sticky and soft.

To get that perfect hardened chocolate, we have to melt, cool, and handle it gently, so the cocoa butter can form just the right crystals. When you get the technique down, you‘ll have chocolate that hardens up nice and firm every time.

Melting Chocolate Perfectly

The first step is melting the chocolate properly. I always use a double boiler method, rather than direct heat. This gentle indirect heat prevents me from scorching the delicate cocoa butter.

I place chopped chocolate in a heat-safe bowl, then set it over a pot of water with the heat on low. I let the steam melt the chocolate slowly, stirring frequently. As soon as the chocolate looks completely smooth, I take it off the heat so it doesn‘t overcook.

If you do happen to scorch your chocolate a bit, don‘t worry! Just stir in a teaspoon of vegetable oil per 6 oz. of chocolate to smooth it out again.

Cooling: The Most Crucial Step

Now here comes the really important part: cooling the chocolate. I learned in chocolatier school that the cooling process makes or breaks your final hardened chocolate.

See, to get that nice firm texture, the melted cocoa butter needs time to crystallize properly as it cools. If I let the chocolate cool off too quickly, by even just a few degrees, the cocoa butter crystals can‘t form correctly. I end up with soft, sticky chocolate that just won‘t harden.

So after melting, I cool the chocolate verrrry slowly and gradually down to about 80-85°F for milk or dark chocolate. I just let it sit on the counter for 5 or so minutes, then give it a gentle fold with a spatula. No stirring! Too much agitation can also mess with the crystalline structure.

If I‘m in a rush, I might pop the bowl in the fridge for 5-10 minutes. But not too long, or I risk cooling it too fast. I have to be patient and let the chocolate cool gradually. This makes all the difference in letting it set up perfect and hard.

Tempering: The Secret to Glossy Chocolate

If you want your hardened chocolate to have that gorgeous glossy finish, like what you see in the candy shop, you need to temper it.

Tempering is a fancy technique we chocolate makers use to ensure the cocoa butter crystallizes into the most stable form. It involves heating and cooling the chocolate multiple times to get the crystals to form just right.

It takes some practice, but it gives chocolate the prettiest sheen and makes it easier to release from molds. It also helps it maintain its shape better when warm. I‘d say it‘s worth learning!

Here are the key tempering steps I follow:

1. Melt chocolate to 115°F
2. Cool to 81-84°F
3. Reheat to 88-91°F
4. Use immediately once reheated

If that sounds complicated, don‘t worry! There are also handy chocolate tempering machines that do all the work for you.

Spreading and Cooling Completely

Once my chocolate is melted and cooled, it‘s time to spread it out. I pour it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. The thinner the layer, the faster it will harden.

I let any excess drip off, then use an offset spatula or bench scraper to smooth the chocolate into a nice thin, even layer quickly before it starts to set.

Then, I just let it sit undisturbed to finish cooling and hardening completely. This takes anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple hours depending on thickness and room temp. I know it‘s hard to wait when delicious chocolate is sitting there!

But I don‘t touch, move, or cover the chocolate until it‘s totally hardened. Any disturbance too early can ruin the glossy appearance and firm texture I worked so hard to achieve!

Storing and Remelting Hardened Chocolate

Once my chocolate is set up hard, I usually break it into pieces and keep it stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature for a few months.

You can remelt hardened chocolate to use again. But the more times chocolate is melted and hardened, the more the texture suffers. So I try to only remelt it once.

For baking, hardened chocolate is perfect to chop and throw right into the batter or onto cookies. But for fine candy work, dipping, or molding, always start with fresh chocolate.

Troubleshooting Guide: Why Won‘t My Chocolate Harden?

Now that you know the proper techniques, let‘s go over some common issues and how to fix them:

Chocolate remains sticky or soft: Overheated, cooled too fast, or agitated too much. Start over, keeping chocolate under 115°F and cooling gradually without stirring.

Chocolate has white streaks: Cocoa butter has separated. Gently rewarm to melt streaks, then stir together and cool correctly.

Chocolate won‘t release from molds: It set before fully contracting. Warm mold gently with a hair dryer or heat gun to loosen chocolate.

Chocolate cracks or splinters when tapped: Cooled too quickly or wasn‘t tempered. Remelt, cool slowly to 84-85°F, and consider tempering it next time.

Chocolate thickens before you can use it: Simply rewarm gently to 82-84°F to melt crystals that have formed. Work quickly once rewarmed.

I know it can seem frustrating when your chocolate doesn‘t behave perfectly. But don‘t get discouraged! Just take it slow and make those small adjustments. With a little patience and practice, you‘ll be a chocolate hardening pro!

FAQs About Hardening Hershey‘s Chocolate

Here are answers to some common questions about hardening melted chocolate:

How long does melted chocolate take to harden completely?
At room temperature, expect 30-60 minutes for a thin layer of melted chocolate to set up. Thicker chocolate could take a few hours. Refrigerating for just 10 minutes speeds things up considerably.

Can you put melted chocolate in the fridge to harden?
You sure can! Popping it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes will quickly help melted chocolate set. Just be mindful of any condensation when you take it out.

Does melted chocolate harden faster in the freezer?
The freezer will harden chocolate faster, in as little as 5 minutes. But be careful – chocolate hardened in the freezer can become brittle and crack more easily.

Will melted chocolate chips harden?
Yes, melted chocolate chips will harden after proper cooling. They may contain a bit less cocoa butter than bar chocolate, so could set up faster.

Can you remelt hardened chocolate?
You can definitely melt down hardened chocolate again, as long as you follow careful melting techniques. But the texture will degrade a bit with each remelting.

What happens if you don‘t temper chocolate?
Untempered chocolate will still harden, but won‘t have that glossy sheen or be as heat resistant. Tempering makes chocolate much easier to work with.

How do professionals make big chocolate sculptures?
They use specialized techniques like building structural supports and pouring tempered chocolate into many thin layers over days or weeks for large sculptures. Patience and precision is key!

Handy Chocolate Hardening Tips

Here are some of my top tips for working with melted chocolate:

• Chop chocolate into small, uniform pieces so it melts evenly.

• Stir melted chocolate as little as possible – over-agitating ruins the texture.

• Let chocolate cool slightly before spreading so it‘s not too thin and runny.

• Always test a spoonful before removing from heat to ensure totally smooth melting.

• Room temperature should ideally be around 70°F for proper hardening.

• The thinner the chocolate layer, the faster it will harden. Spread as thin as possible.

• If you‘re in a hurry, pop melted chocolate in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to quickly set.

• Milk or white chocolate will harden slower than darker varieties due to more cocoa butter.

• Never cover cooling or setting chocolate – it needs airflow to form crystals.

• Avoid getting any water droplets in melted or cooling chocolate, as moisture can cause seizing.

• Let molded chocolate pieces sit overnight before removing from molds for cleanest results.

• Keep chocolate stored in a cool, dry place in an airtight container once hardened.

Final Tips for Chocolate Hardening Success

To wrap up, here are my top tips for hardening melted chocolate perfectly:

• Melt slowly over low heat like a double boiler.

• Let cool gradually to about 80-85°F without stirring.

• Consider learning to temper for glossy, professional results.

• Spread melted chocolate in a thin, even layer to harden efficiently.

• Allow adequate time for full hardening before moving or touching.

• Store properly once set – airtight container in cool, dry place.

• Avoid moisture, vibration, cold metal, and too warm environments when working with melted chocolate.

• Don‘t overheat, rush cooling, or agitate too much. Have patience!

Take it slow, be gentle, and don‘t rush the process. With enough practice, you‘ll be a master at hardening melted chocolate in no time! Let me know if you have any other questions. I‘m always happy to help a fellow chocolate lover. Happy baking!