How do you grate chocolate?

[htc]

Just wanted to see how everyone else does this. I have several recipes at home that call for grated chocolate. I just use the same grater I use for carrots. I find that eventually the chocolate kind of melts in my hand from the heat. Any way to avoid this?

Also the tiny chocolate pieces tend to fly everywhere. Any ideas on how to do this a bit "cleaner"?

Is grated chocolate the same as shredded chocolate?

Thanks!

 

[GB]

Try using a serrated knife. Just shave the chocolate.

 

[Alix]

OK, if you are talking about the Neiman Marcus cookie recipe, I cheat and toss the chocolate in my food processor and give it a buzz. I don't tend to grate chocolate all that often, I use chocolate curls though and it needs to be a bit soft to do those. I have no advice other than to lick your fingers when you are done!

 

[pdswife]

could you freeze the choolate first??

 

[buckytom]

alix,

and the bowl, and table, and chairs, and floor. hey, what are you lookin at? it's chocolate...

 

[Alix]

buckytom, I will say again, you are a man after my own heart!!

 

[choclatechef]

alix,

and the bowl, and table, and chairs, and floor. hey, what are you lookin at? it's chocolate...

Now buckytom! You are much too young for me! It is not nice to go around and doing such things to innocent forum members.

But I still love you....

 

[choclatechef]

Hey, I just thought of something. Why would you want to grate me anyway?

What did I ever do to you guys...[walking away in tears]....

 

[Alix]

And you are grate already choc. Heeheehee! Sorry. Had to be said.

 

[choclatechef]

ROFLMAO at Alix....

You are on a roll today too!

 

[Dove]

good come back Alix!!! And the truth comes out...

 

[htc]

If I use a serrated knife, won't that not be small enough? When I use the grater, it looks almost like chocolate dust. Though I honestly don't know what the purpose of grating it was. The cake turned out good, either way...

 

[GB]

If you shave it close it will be very fine. It is easier than it sounds. You could also use a dish towel to hold it so the heat from your hand doesn't melt it as much.

 

[texasgirl]

I have a shredder from Pampered Chef {$$$} It does fine shredding at works great for chocolate or cheeses.
And it does do better when you use whatever to shred when the chocolate is frozen.

 

[HanArt]

Chocolate needs to be well chilled. Then it's easy to shave into thin curls with a knife or use the ribbon grater on a Microplane.

http://www.microplane.com/40021.shtml

 

[Ishbel]

I pop choc into the freezer for 10 mins or so (I keep any choc in the house in the fridge anyway as I only like chilled choc and my family have the same foible cos that's the way they were used to eating it as children!) - I then use the coarse grate side of a box grater.. works well for me.

 

[lindaTn]

I use the potato peeler
works great
lots of different sizes

Linda in Tennessee