America's Test Kitchen LogoCook's Country LogoCook's Illustrated Logo

How to Achieve a Glossy Chocolate Coating

Avoid the thick and clunky chocolate coating with this guide to chocolate dipping.

A glossy chocolate coating can enhance anything from simple fruit to fancy cookies, but not if it looks thick and clunky. Follow our foolproof technique for tempering chocolate, and then use these tips to create an elegantly thin coating.

1. Maintain a chocolate temperature of about 90 degrees to ensure that the chocolate stays fluid (and tempered).

2. Dip the item in the melted chocolate to the desired depth and pull up. To remove excess chocolate, tap the item against the surface of the chocolate 4 or 5 times, pulling up sharply each time.

3. To prevent a thick “foot” of hardened chocolate from forming beneath the item, gently scrape its bottom against the edge of the bowl as you transfer it to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet to set.

This is a members' feature.