The Best Way to Chop Chocolate

Whether you’re making homemade chocolate chunks for cookies or cutting up chocolate for tempering, there are easy ways to make your chocolate chopping experience go smoothly. Here, Annegret Henninger shares some industry tricks.

Annegret Henninger is a pastry chef for the Thompson Hotels. She has worked and trained in some of Europe’s top Michelin-starred restaurants, and regularly creates masterpieces with chocolate.

1. The knife you use can make or break your chopping experience. A long (and sharp), serrated bread knife will yield the best results.
2. Because the blade is long, work with the segment that is closest to the handle for the most power and accuracy, using one hand to hold the handle and the other hand to press straight down, carefully pushing the knife through the chocolate.
3. Chop chocolate on a marble, granite or plastic cutting board. Wood cutting boards retain moisture which can affect the chocolate’s texture.
4. Chopping a bar that is already broken can make the process a little easier, so before unwrapping the bar, hold it a few inches above whatever surface you’re working on and drop it to create some natural breaks.