PAUL’S GUIDE TO WORKING WITH CHOCOLATE

1. When shopping, bear in mind that the percentage of cocoa solids is not an indicator of quality. Always buy the best you can afford, and be sympathetic to your ingredients: if you’re making a delicate lemonthyme ganache, buy a dark chocolate with 63-66 per cent cocoa solids, as one of 85 per cent or above will drown out the fragrant flavours.

2. Store any chocolate in a cool, dark place away from strong odours.

3. Never store chocolate in a warm place, as this causes the cocoa butter to melt and rise out, giving a fat bloom. It will look grey/blue and hazy.

4. When working with chocolate, make sure your room is cool and dry.there should be no pans boiling, as chocolate hates moisture.

5. Never melt chocolate in the microwave! You run the risk of burning it. Always melt it slowly in a bowl over a pan of water – this will give you a super shine and texture.

6. If you are making a ganache and it splits, simply place the mix into a blender or use a stick blender to re-emulsify until glossy.

7. If your chocolate becomes lumpy when tempering, re-melt it to 55C and start the process again.

8. When baking with chocolate, always add a pinch of salt. It lifts and balances the sweetness and brings out other flavours.

9. Always double-line your cake tin. This helps to reduce the chances of overbaking and keep your cake moist.

10. Treat moulds with care as scratches can spoil your final product. Wash them in hot, soapy water with a soft sponge, then rinse in hot water. Leave to drain then dry with a soft, clean cloth before polishing with cotton wool or a microfibre cloth. A handy stockist for chocolate-making kit is homechocolatefactory.com.