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Chop
Ingredients
How To Knife Skills |
Chopping chocolate and nuts are
both important baking techniques. Like others, it's good to know how. |
 HOW
TO CHOP CHOCOLATE: If you have a large
block of chocolate, it's best to cut off a portion of it to avoid cutting
your hand, over handling and melting it.
For accurate measurements, weigh chocolate again after chopping.
1. First remove
a large piece of chocolate from the main bar:
To do: score it first with a sharp, serrated knife, where
you want to break it; run the knife blade, in a sawing motion on top of
the block where you want to cut it, to make a small trough. Then, push
knife, with the help of your left hand on the top of the blade, into the
score and the chocolate will break off in a chunk. Weigh to make sure it
is the proper amount; you can place it directly on the scale. Return the
large block of chocolate to storage.
2. The next step
is to chop the chocolate from the chunk, without overhandling it, by
shaving off thin pieces from it before
chopping.
 | Place the chocolate chunk on a dry,
plastic cutting board. I don't like to use a wooden board because it
may contain moisture (when working with chocolate, be moisture
adverse). I place the board set inside a baking sheet with sides.
This way you can gather up the small pieces of chocolate and cleanup
is so much easier. |
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| Using a large serrated knife, place
the handle in your right (left) hand and apply pressure with your
left (right) palm on top of the blade, and push downwards along the
edge of the block to shave off pieces of chocolate. It comes off
more easily if you cut across a corner, turning the block of
chocolate to the next available corner. |
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3. Then, chop
chocolate into 1/4-inch pieces. Gather the chocolate pieces by
scraping them with the side of the knife's blade, in a circle with the
diameter almost as wide as the blade. Holding the top of the knife at the
point, rock the blade briskly from point to hilt, gradually turning the
knife towards you in a semicircle. Gather the pieces together with the
side of the knife and repeat the process until the proper size is
obtained. Do not chop into a fine texture; you have gone too far. Scrape
the chocolate into a mixing bowl or pot; do not handle it as it will melt
or soften. |
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 With
some nuts, especially hazelnuts or pistachios,
they have a thin lining or skin on the outside of the kernel,
in addition to the tough outer husk. This needs to be removed before
chopping, in a process called
blanching.
If left intact, this lining can be bitter and somewhat unattractive
when found in confection and baked goods. |
Chopped and Ground Nut Sizes: When recipes call for chopped
nuts, they can be made in several sizes, depending on the recipe. If
large nut pieces are called for in a recipe, simply break them into
pieces with your fingers.
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| Finely
ground toasted nuts: Nuts that are ground in a food
processor until they are very fine, but not yet butter.
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| Finely
chopped toasted nuts: Nuts that are chopped with a
knife, a little more coarsely than finely ground. |
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| Medium
chopped toasted nuts: Nuts that are chopped with a
knife into 1/16- to 3/8-inch pieces. |
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Coarsely chopped toasted nuts: Nuts that are chopped
with a knife into 1/4-inch or larger pieces. |
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HOW TO CHOP
NUTS: Nut meats, called
kernels, when removed from their husks, usually need to be made into
smaller sizes before using in a recipe. This is done by either chopping or
grinding them.
Toast nuts especially
after chopping or grinding, if desired. It brings out the flavor in them
and gives them a nice crunch. Let cool before using.
Measure nuts in a dry measuring cup
AFTER chopping and toasting for use in
the recipe.
Nuts can be
chopped in two ways:
Nuts have a lot of oil in them. Because
of this, it’s best to chop them with a sharp, serrated knife, but many use
a food processor, as well. If you use a food processor, pulse small
amounts of nuts at a time; if you overdo it, they turn to nut butters from
the large amounts of oil in them. If frozen, chop or grind without
thawing. If large nut pieces are called for in a recipe, simply break them
like walnuts or pecans with your fingers.
If frozen, chop or grind without thawing.
1. Chop with a
knife: You can chop nuts by hand, on a cutting board with a
large, sharp and serrated knife.
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| To start, gather the shelled nuts in
a circle with the diameter almost as wide as the blade, and holding
the top of the knife at the point, rock the blade briskly from point
to hilt, gradually turning the knife towards you in a semicircle.
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| Gather the pieces together and
repeat the process until the proper size is obtained. Do not chop
into a fine meal; you have gone too far. |
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2. Grind with a
grinder or food processor: A hand grinder works too, but if you
don't have one, use a clean coffee-grinder or food processor (a blender
does not work well). Nuts have a lot of oil in them. Because of this, you
need to be careful when grinding in a food processor, otherwise they will
easily turn into nut butter. If frozen, chop or grind without thawing,
which is what I prefer; they are less likely to turn to nut butters from
the large amounts of oil in them if you over do it.
| Chop nuts in small batches, always
pulsing the machine, until they get to the size you want. Scrape
down the sides of the bowl often. |
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