A chocolate problem

[OldLeftieLawyer]

OK, maybe it's not really a "problem," but I suddenly find myself in possession of three chunks of Ghiradelli dark chocolate, each weighing almost a pound.

Now, I think it's perfectly appropriate that I just take one chunk and go somewhere and eat it. Someone will eventually find my corpse, I am certain, if only to ask me where something is or to get them out of jail.

But, these other people think these minor behemoths should be broken and shared. (I don't know where they get these ideas, filthy little socialists.)

Anyway, I've got them hidden for now, because the only suggestion on how to break them up - each is almost an inch thick - came from Mr. OldLeftieLawyer, who proposed hammering them - with a hammer. (That's his solution to the current so-called administration, too.)

I'm not sure of that hammer idea - I see squished shards of beautiful dark chocolate - so I figured I'd ask you nice folks if you've got any ideas on this.

Many thanks, and no, you can't have any..............

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

1. If i can't have any

see if I'll help!

I know the perfect solution, too. braahaahaahaa!

best

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. Okay, I've gotten over my pique. :)

I actually do it similar to Empress, only I use an ancient serving fork that's been rattling around in the drawer for 20 years & hit it with the handle of the screwdriver. Sometimes, if I can't find the screwdriver I hit it with the rolling pin-I have one of the French rolling pins with tapered handles. I think a hammer would work just fine. Like Empress posted, just nibble around the edges.

There are actually tools you can buy to break chocolate, but I've never seen the need to spend money when I can dink around & get the job done without.

best & have fun.

[The empressof all]

2. I hope you're hiding the extra lbs in your freezer!

I have had the big bricks from Trader Joe's and know the problem well. I use a large screw driver and gently, tap a hammer on the top of the screw driver to wedge out hunks.

It may be unconventional--But it works for me.

[cornermouse]

3. Well..... If you really want it from the horse's mouth.

http://www.ghirardelli.com/

OR

http://www.ghirardelli.com/chocolate.html

OR

http://www.ghirardelli.com/tips.html

OR

http://www.ghirardelli.com/faq.html

OOps. I almost forgot the sweepstakes.

http://ghirardelli.dja.com/

[The empressof all]

4. Oh Darn

I've been sticking the chocolate in the freezer for years

:spank: :spank: :spank:

Learn something new every day

Thanks!

[Stinky The Clown]

6. "Many thanks, and no, you can't have any.............. " Well, fine ......

I use a Chinese cleaver (which, as we all know, is a knife and not a cleaver intended to chop bones). I put the heel end on the chocolate brick and tap the back of the cleaver, just ahead of the handle. I use a wooden meat hammer that has not flattened meat in its entire life as the tapper, since a metal hammer would way too hard on the tapee ... i.e., the cleaver. You can tap straight down to work off a chunk, or tap and move and tap and move to sort of 'cut' a bigger hunk off.

But, since you're not sharing yer chocolate, you can't use this advice.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

7. inquiring minds wanna know.

why has your wooden meat hammer never flattened meat? Do you not flatten meat? Do you use something else? Do you just save it for whacking on the cleaver?

I have a metal one that sort of looks like an hourglass that I use all the time to flatten chicken boobs with. I think they cook much more evenly if they're squished out. Sorta like mine, but let's not go there.

best

[The empressof all]

8. Be Careful now, Wakemeupwhenitsover

You don't want to be accused of starting another "hot" chicken thread! Sex posts are forbidden you know and we haven't had a post deleted in this group.....yet!


Chicken Boobs.......:rofl:

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

9. oops!

Swear to god I didn't even think of that. :) I rarely hang out in the lounge & only picked up on it when someone decided to carry it over here. Too funny.

I always call them boobs. You know, once Winston Churchill was at a dinner & he asked for another chicken breast & his anal retentive hostess (of course, American) told him that "here we call it white meat". The next day, Churchill sent her a corsage & suggested she pin it to her white meat. That's always cracked me up.

best

[Stinky The Clown]

10. That's exactly right ... I use something else

I use a metal pounder ... the one describe sounds sorta like that same thing. Kinda like this:



The hammer was a gimme from gawd knows where. I just never found it as easy to use as the metal pounder .... to say nothing of the metal jobbie being very easy to control and sorta 'ooooooooze' the pounded meat in the direction you want it to go..

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

11. That's mine!

Too funny. I also had the wooden thingy & god knows where I got it. It just stood in the "accessories bowl"- you know, that crock or whatever that sits on the counter & has all the most popular tools in it. I think I used it to smack something else & the head fell off & DH tossed it in the burn pile.

best

[Stinky The Clown]

12. Actually, to be totally honest .......

........ even more than the metal jobbie, I use the side of that same Chinese cleaver to flatten meat.

[housewolf]

13. Well I'm very late to the party...

and I see that you solved the problem hours ago...

But I just wanted to show you what I use for the purpose



It's a lethal weapon called a Chocolate Chipper and it makes easy work of breaking up large chunks of the good stuff

[OldLeftieLawyer]

14. I fall to my knees,

and worship at the altar of a True Chocolate Professional.

A CHOCOLATE CHIPPER??????

Man, am I among some impressive people ....................