Why Does My Chocolate Crack?

by Kitty

Why does my chocolate crack after dipping cake balls with candy melts? The chocolate cracks when drying. WHY?

Hi Kitty,

I'm guessing that your chocolate is cracking because of a change in temperature. Are you trying to get them to set by chilling them?

I'm not very scientific minded, but I remember learning that heat and cold causes expansion and contraction of most objects.

The cake is probably rather moist and then you add the change in temperature and cracking chocolate may be the result.

Try allowing the chocolate to set at room temperature (or an air conditioned room if it's a particularly hot day.

If your situation doesn't allow for a cool enough environment and you feel you must refrigerate or chill your chocolate covered cake balls, only put them in for 5-10 minutes and see if you can get them to harden without getting too cold and cracking.

Hope that helps some. I'm starting to drool just thinking about biting into one of your cake balls! :)

~Angie

Comments for Why Does My Chocolate Crack?

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Feb 09, 2015

Cracking Pops NEW
by:

I have been making cake balls for years and have NEVER had them crack on me before until today. This is the first time I've used MERCKENS. I normally use normal chocolate that you find at the store and add a bit of gulf wax to it in order to make it easier for dipping. It has to be the chocolate. I am going to try to double dip them in order to fix them.

Oct 13, 2014

Cake Pop Cracking! NEW
by: Mars

Hello, I hope this could help. I use timer to freeze my cake pop. If the weather is around 25-27deg cel (check the weather in the internet). you may put your cakepop in the freezer for 1 minute(10-15 cake balls at a time) Yes 1- 1 1/2 minute is enough, or else your cakepop will crack if it is too cold. Next, tempering your chocolate (use chocolate compound dark/white). I usually melt my chocolate in the microwave with 10 seconds interval. Do not overheat your chocolate, chocolate be a little bit warm when you touch it (it will cause your cake pops to slide down if too warm). So when you melt in the microwave, don't let it melt completely inside but melt some of the lumps in the bowl. Make sure also that your cakepops are not too soft,it will slide down when you coat it in the chocolate (adding more weight).
Try it, hope it will work. Thank you!
-Lollipopcake

Jul 15, 2013

Cake pops cracking NEW
by: Anonymous

I have been making cake pops for over a year now. I no longer use Candy Melts because they constantly cracked and were wasted as I could not use them. I love Ghiredelli milk chocolate to coat and use the colored non-pariels to coat. I also use white chocolate for swirls but hate using it to dip my pops in. I add either the wax chips or shortening to thin the chocolate.

Feb 08, 2012

Getting The Bottom of Cake Balls Sealed
by: Angie

Hi Denise,

Moved your post to this page where cracking cake balls is being discussed. You might get some suggestions from the above posts, or perhaps one of our cake ball experts will reply to your question about getting the bottoms of the cake balls to be sealed up properly.

P.S. I envy you your tempering machine! :)

Feb 08, 2012

Getting The Bottom of Cake Balls Sealed
by: Anonymous

I have been experimenting with making cake balls dipped in white or semi-sweet chocolate.

I have a tempering machine. When I dip the cake balls the tops look great, but most of the time the bottom is not completely sealed. I don't have this issue dipping caramels or truffle fillings.

Is there a trick I could use?

HELP!
Denise

Jan 31, 2012

cracking
by: Cherita

Does anyone out there freeze there cake pops. I do for a couple of weeks before needing them. I was just wondering how long do you leave them out before you coat them. I am having alot of trouble with cracking as well. I have got alot of tips from all your post I will try and let you all know how I go.

Happy baking

Dec 14, 2011

Cracking Cake Pops
by: Angie

Hi Cynthia,

Just wanted to let you know I moved your question here so you could read and join the discussion on why cake pops crack and what you can do to try to minimize the problem.

Hope it helps you get a better result. :)

Dec 14, 2011

Why does my chocolate crack after coating my cake pops?
by: Cynthia

Why does my chocolate crack after coating my cake pops?

I put the cake pops in the freezer to set the stick before coating; after coating, I let them sit at room temperature and later usually refrigerate

I added a little crisco to the melts --should I add more?

The candy coating on the cake pops cracks, and my pretty pops become unsightly!!

Nov 30, 2011

pooping cake pops
by: Anonymous

i poked a hole on the base as one of you said and now my pops are pooping! yes i keep cleaning the string of cake coming out but its going on and on!

Nov 28, 2011

cracking...
by: Peggy

I as well have cracking with my pops. I do like dipping them while cold they turn out smoother and don't fall off the sticks. I've been making them for only a short 3.5 months but have really been experimenting. I have found that if I freeze them I get more to crack, and if my kitchen isn't to warm they don't crack as often. I have also noticed that if you DON'T cover the pop 100% near the stick, the ball has room to "poop" as I like to call it. If you leave a little room or spot near the bottom of the ball/stick, you will see as they cool that the cake will ooze out of the bottom(looks like its pooping, the pops that I have made and that do that DON'T crack for me. I always keep my chilled in the fridge until they are all dipped and decorated, and they always go right back in the frige of freezer when I'm done so I don't take the chance of them falling off the stick! good luck

Nov 21, 2011

Cake Pops Won't Stay On The Stick
by: Angie

I wonder if it would help if you dip the sticks on melted chocolate first before inserting them in your cake pops. It seems that this might help them to adhere to the cake better.

Let me know if that works!

Nov 21, 2011

How do I get my cake pops to stay on their stick?
by: Making Cake Pops

I have made my cake pops and they are now on a cookie sheet with the sticks in them. They are not sticking to the sticks and when I try to roll them in the melted chocolate, they are falling apart

Jun 10, 2011

Cracking Pops
by: Bonnie

I like to freeze my pops too before dipping so I don't loose any in the dipping process. Like you all, some of my pops crack. I have noticed, if you use a toothpick to poke a small hole on the base your cake pop, the moisture can escape and less cracking will happen. Let me know if this works for you!

Mar 08, 2011

Cracking Chocolate
by: Lena

Hello Jade,

Everything you have mentioned I have done. I do agree that the cracks won't go away completely and there will always be a couple that do, but i had about 9 out of twenty that cracked on me.

Maybe it is the temp of my kitchen, who knows. I also prefer to use chocolate when I can, but that has it's own set of challenges. With chocolate you need to know how to temper properly.

I did try Angie's suggestion. I took the ones that cracked and dipped them again and it seen to work for the most part. I still had 3 that cracked on me but saved the majority.

I don't know about you but the worst to work with is white chocolate????.

Thanks,
Lena

Mar 08, 2011

Why Does My Chocolate Crack? -- suggestion
by: Jade

Hi Lena,

I've been making cake pops for about a year now trying anything out and everything almost. Can you take me through your process of cake pop making? Only from once you cool down the cake and getting ready to roll the pop for the first time.

In the meantime here are some suggestions. All my cake pops are from scratch, but I don't think it matters. I use to freeze all them before I dip them into candy melts. Now, it doesn't matter what brand of candy melts you use all will have cracks sometimes. The thing I found out is if you freeze them for a long time and just dip them right away, most of them will crack. Why??? Well the cake expands once it warms up and if it's been dipped, it will cause the chocolate to crack.

What I've tried is, you can freeze, but don't do it so long and let them set just a little before you dip. I still get some cracks now and then but not so many. It also depends on the temperature of your room, chocolate or candy melts. I don't really like how candy melts taste so I use real chocolate if I can.

Others I read, like to freeze for 40 min. to an hour or even over night and then dip. You also want to make sure your candy melts is dip able, meaning not to thin or thick. But you can never get a way from "no cracks" at all. Oh and once you dip, don't re-freeze the pops, that causes chemical change in the dipping process.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any more questions.

Mar 07, 2011

Double Dipping the Chocolate
by: Angie

Hi Lena,

Have you tried double dipping your chocolate pops? Maybe if you dip them once and let them set completely, and then dip them again you might have better luck.

It's worth a shot! :)

Blessings,
Angi

Mar 07, 2011

Cracking Chocolate
by: Lena

OK. so I have been working with chocolate candy melts, as well Merkens chocolate wafers and it doesn't matter what I do, my pops still crack. I have tried everything. I just don't get it. Is there anyone out there that can suggest something to stop this from happening, please it's driving me crazy. I use to chill my pops first before dipping them and never had much of a problem, now it's happening all the time. Please if there is anyone that can help I am all ears.

Thanks,
Lena

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