Learn how to make chocolate coating for candy, nuts and other solid fillings with this tutorial from Check Prish, using simple tools and dipping techniques.
There are very few of us who can overcome the temptation of a beautiful chocolate-dipped caramel, marshmallow or strawberry.
Chocolate-dipped anything is an elegant addition to your dinner party, and while the technique may seem simple, there are a few steps to get right for the perfect finish.
Learn how to make professional-quality coated and dipped chocolate treats at home, with Chef Prish’s guide to making chocolate coating for candy, nuts and other solid fillings.
How to Make Chocolate Coating for Candy & Nuts
Chocolate coating, also known as chocolate dipping or enrobing, refers to dipping your caramel, ganache, truffle, cluster, or praline product, etc, in a chocolate bath so that it has a solid chocolate coat. You can buy expensive enrobing machines, but here we will explain how to make chocolate coating for candy, nuts and other solid fillings using inexpensive tools.
Essential Tools to Make Chocolate Dipped Treats
As well as the chocolate itself and the individual pieces you want to dip, you will need:
- Chocolate Dipping Fork Set – Essential for professional coating (see note below)
- Cooling Rack or Drying Tray – To set the enrobed pieces of chocolate
- Microfiber Cleaning Cloths – To wipe up any drops of chocolate
- Chocolate Melting Pot or Warmer – To keep the chocolate at a consistent temperature Optional:
- Heat Gun – To warm the fork for dipping and to wipe it down
Dipping Forks
You will want to invest in a dipping fork. Some are two-pronged, some are three, and some loop to cradle the chocolate. Dipping tweezers or spiral dipping forks can be used to dip items that are too hard, brittle or awkward to handle with regular dipping forks.
A quality professional chocolate dipping fork set typically includes two-pronged, three-pronged, and loop styles for different coating needs.
You can find specialty dipping tools including tweezers and spiral dipping forks designed specifically for delicate or hard-to-handle items.
For more information on buying suitable dipping forks, check out Simon Knott’s guide to buying dipping forks for chocolate coating.
RELATED ARTICLE: What are the Best Dipping Tools for Professionals?
Preparing Your Tools & Fillings
Have your tools neatly laid out, ready to use.
Organize your workspace with parchment paper sheets or a silicone baking mat to protect your work surface and make cleanup easier.
Ensure the individual pieces you want to dip are at room temperature, and that they are solid enough that they won’t melt in the chocolate bath. Use a digital kitchen thermometer to verify your fillings are at the proper temperature before dipping. Set these aside, as you prepare the chocolate for coating.
Prepare any decorations, if using. For example: dried flowers, nuts.
Essential Equipment for Professional Chocolate Coating
Having the right tools makes chocolate dipping easier and produces more consistent, professional results:
Core Dipping Tools:
- Professional Dipping Fork Set – Include multiple prong styles
- Chocolate Dipping Tweezers – For delicate items like nuts
- Spiral Dipping Fork – For awkward shapes
Temperature Control:
- Chocolate Melting Pot – Maintains consistent temperature
- Digital Candy Thermometer – For precise temperature monitoring
- Double Boiler Set – Traditional melting method
Work Surface Essentials:
- Silicone Baking Mats – Non-stick surface for setting chocolates
- Cooling Racks – Allow air circulation while setting
- Parchment Paper Sheets – Easy cleanup and transfer
Optional Professional Tools:
- Heat Gun – For warming tools and smoothing chocolate
- Offset Spatula Set – For spreading and smoothing
How to Make Chocolate Coating For Candy & Nuts – Part 1: Preparing the Chocolate
To coat nuts and candies with a professional finish, you need to make sure the chocolate is in temper. The temperature of the chocolate has to be just right so that its flow property allows excess chocolate to drip off the product but be viscous enough to create a nice crisp coat.
A chocolate tempering machine or chocolate melting pot with temperature control makes maintaining the correct temperature much easier for consistent results.
The full process for tempering chocolate for various applications, including for coating and dipping, is explained in my article how to temper a chocolate mixture.
RECOMMENDED ARTICLE: How to Temper a Chocolate Mixture
Following the instructions from that article, start by melting and tempering your chocolate.
To maintain temper, keep the chocolate in a sous vide bath (bowl set over a pan of hot water) or chocolate warmer machine. Regardless of what tools or method you use, the key is to keep the chocolate at the same constant temperature.
If the chocolate cools down too much, it will fall out of temper, and you will have to temper it again.
FAQ: Is there a recipe for the chocolate coating mixture?
As both Chef Prish and chocolatier Simon Knott discuss in various articles, there is no special recipe for a chocolate mixture for coating and dipping. The key is to choose the right type of chocolate. The best chocolate for coating and dipping is good quality couverture chocolate with a high cocoa butter content, which is correctly tempered. Simon explains that couverture chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content will be more fluid once melted, and therefore easier to use for dipping.
For chocolate coating, always choose high-quality couverture chocolate with at least 31% cocoa butter content for the best flow and finish.
FAQ: What should I do if the chocolate is too thick?
If the chocolate seems too thick for dipping and coating your fillings, you can add a little coconut oil. As explained in his article How to Make Chocolate-Coated Pecans, Simon Knott suggests adding 1 tablespoon of coconut oil per 500g chocolate.
Keep a bottle of refined coconut oil on hand to adjust your chocolate’s consistency when needed.
How to Make Chocolate Coating for Candy & Nuts – Part 2: Dipping Your Fillings
With your tools neatly laid out, fillings at set room temperature, and your chocolate in temper – it’s time to start dipping your items.
These instructions assume that you are using a dipping fork for items you can pierce, such as marshmallows and caramels. If you’re using a spiral fork or tweezers for hard items such as nuts, you will have to adapt slightly.
1… Dip your piece in the chocolate bath
Pick an individual piece up with the dipping fork.
Dunk it in and out of the chocolate bath a few times, quite vigorously to enrobe. This see-saw motion allows the chocolate to create a thick enough coat, while pulling excess chocolate and air bubbles off.
2… Allow the piece to drip off
Suspend your dipped item above the bath for a few seconds to let it drip.
Then drag the bottom of the fork against the lip of the bath, to remove any last bits of chocolate. You don’t want that unsightly chocolate apron forming around your piece as it sets.
3… Set your piece onto the plate and remove fork
Place the coated/enrobed chocolate on the clean plate or tray you prepared. A non-stick silicone mat makes removing set chocolates easier and prevents sticking.
Do this by tilting the fork’s prongs at the diagonal onto the plate, so that gravity pulls the chocolate off.
Once the edge of the chocolate makes contact with the plate, lower the fork parallel to the plate, then gently drag the fork out from under the chocolate.
Using this process, the chocolate should not move on the plate. Only the fork moves.
4… Add decorations to your dipped chocolates (optional)
If you are adding any decorations, wait a minute or two before doing so. They set better in slightly more hardened chocolate. Use chocolate decorating tools or food-safe tweezers to precisely place decorations on your dipped chocolates.
5… Setting and finishing off
Keep following the previous chocolate coating steps, until all the pieces are complete.
If the room is around 68-70°F (20-21°C), you can leave the chocolates to set without refrigerating it. Stack your trays carefully using baking sheet spacers if you need to refrigerate multiple batches.
If the room is too warm for the chocolates to set, you can place the tray in the refrigerator for 5 minutes. Do not stack the trays.
Once set, wrap or package the individual pieces. Present your finished chocolates beautifully with decorative chocolate boxes or clear candy bags with ties.
For presenting your chocolates, JoyGlobal have a great range of foil wrappers and other decorating tools you can order online, or visit Simon Knott’s article on using foil wrappers for other suppliers and tips for wrapping the chocolates cleanly.
Conclusion
There you have Chef Prish’s quick guide on how to make chocolate coating for candy, nuts and other solid fillings. To ensure the best chocolate finish, it is important to ensure that the chocolate is correctly tempered, which you can learn how to do in Chef Prish’s guide to chocolate tempering.
Before you start dipping, make sure you have these essentials: a reliable dipping fork set, temperature-controlled melting pot, and quality couverture chocolate for professional results every time.
If you’ve enjoyed this tutorial, be sure to check out her tutorial on how to make chocolate in molds, or discover how to color chocolate with chocolatier Simon Knott where you’ll learn to make red, pink, black and even gold colored chocolate to really bring that wow factor to your creations.
Happy chocolatiering!
This article was originally published on 1 April 2024, and updated 10 January 2025, to add extra information and improve usefulness to readers.
