Krdytkyu

I made my first chocolate covered creams as a Christmas test run, but I put them to dry on a cake cooling rack. This morning the chocolate was so stuck that when I took them off the chocolate was tearing off. Not worried about rescuing this test batch, but what can I dry them in to prevent it? Or should I dip one side then the other?

The simple approach is to skip the wire rack and place the dipped confections on parchment paper, waxed paper or a silicone mat. (Some use plastic wrap or aluminum foil, but this may stick as well. Oiling helps.) After cooling, they should come off easily. However, there’s a chance of them developing “feet” when the runoff pools on the parchment, especially if the coating is on the runnier side.

If you use a rack (which reduces the “feet” by letting the excess chocolate drip down), you should lift the creams up once they have mostly, but not fully, solidified and transfer them either to the above mentioned parchment or a clean spot on the rack. You can also oil the rack very lightly, but the effect is not too much.

In any case, make sure you let all excess chocolate drip off well before actually placing the creams on whatever you choose for the cooling phase.

One thing you can put them on is teflon cooking liner (example). Chocolate doesn't dry by evaporation but but cooling, so you don't need airflow underneath. You can put this on top of a cooling rack or any flat surface. It's very non-stick, but because it's flexible if any chocolates do stick you can peel the sheet of the chocolate rather than the other way round.

Otherwise very lightly oiled foil or greaseproof paper can be used.

Another approach is to use a skewer. Dip the item, then stick the other end of the skewer into something (a block of Styrofoam, perhaps?) The skewers can all lie parallel to the floor if the items are light, or straight up and down for heavier things - again perhaps in a block of something, or just standing up in a cup or glass.

If you're worried about the hole, you can paint over it with a bit more melted chocolate, or redip just the part near the hole. The rest of the item will be cool and dry so it can sit anywhere.