can i save my chocolate mix that i just ruined!

[NICKY 74]

hi all, well i just had my first major fail! i was making a chocolate mud cake, and the recipe said to melt the chocolate (2.5 cups) butter and caster sugar in a bowl over hot water, so i thought i would just chuck it in the tmx! but i ended up with a big lump of goo that wouldnt melt!
it doesnt taste burnt, so wondered if it could be ressurected (not sure how to spell that one!) so anyone know if i could turn it into biscuits, or add some dried stuff to make truffles or something.
so the mess i have is 2.5 cups chocolate, 1 cup butter and 1 cup caster sugar.
what does anybody reckon? can it be saved or binned 
thanks in anticipation, nicky 

[NICKY 74]

by the way, the house smells divine with the 2nd attempt, that has just come out of the oven (not done in tmx)

[brazen20au]

you should be able to do that in the tmx without a problem, was your bowl dry when you put it in?

[Merrilyn]

Nicky, I'm no expert, but at this stage you've got nothing to lose.

If it were me, I would scoop the lump out and put it into a microwave safe bowl and zap it on low or defrost, always keeping a close eye on it.  Once it's melted, back into thermy and proceed as per normal.

After all, it's only sugar, chocolate and butter.  You can't do much to ruin it  

[maddy]

Maybe too late, but you could try softening it up with some vegetable oil?......worth a try.  If it were me, I would rather sacrifice just the  sugar/choc/butter mix, instead of wasting more ingredients if it was a goner.

[Halex]

I am with Maddy,i have tried to rescue things before and ended up throwing out even more ingredients.
Hally

[NICKY 74]

thanks everyone, i did try to microwave it on low after, but it just seperated the oil out. my only other thought was to try a little of it, chop up some dried apricots and almonds, mix it up and roll in coconut. will keep you posted! also, the 2nd attempt mud cake was actually a disaster too! i thought it was all good, but it ended up totally sinking in the middle. i am not having much luck, as it is my parents ruby wedding on the weekend and i was planning on making that vertical layer cake that was posted in cakes as an interesting cake idea. i knew it was going to be a challenge but i didnt think i would stuff up on the first hurdle!
anyway, given up on cooking for the day and watching masterchef!!!

[Cuilidh]

Hope the chocolate / fruit / nut balls work, Nicky; good luck with them.

I think you've got the right idea just now, though, sit back, relax and do something that takes you away from the glitch then tackle it again when you are fresh and not so stressed.  The cake will turn out great and we would love to see photos of the end product if you get a chance.

[thermoheaven]

Your chocolate must have got in contact with some moisture and seized. Once chocolate has seized, nothing can save it. It's temperamental like that.

[NICKY 74]

success at last. the fruit nut balls not only worked, they were delicious! i tried a small batch at first just to make sure i didnt waste too much other ingredients, and then made a large batch. i still had some chocolate left so put this in fridge for another batch down the track, (although they were so yummy dont think it will be long before i have to make some more!)
also the mud cake that sank, tasted out of this world so at least that is not wasted either, i just have to try again to make one that doesnt sink!!!  will still post pic if i end up with a successful vertical layer cake! thankyou all for your suggestions. 

[judydawn]

Glad it all worked out in the end - no disasters afterall.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

I have this post bookmarked just in case I accidentally seize chocolate. I haven't made it but it looks yummy and saves wasting chocolate.  I don't know if it would have helped you though Nicki with your butter and sugar added.

[NICKY 74]

chelsea, just so you know, i used equal quantities dried apricots, almonds, chocolate mix (or maybe a bit extra choc mix!) and added approx 2 tablespoons of juice to combine. (i used apple and mango juoce as that was what i had open in the fridge!) it was quite a wet mix, but once rolled in coconut and left in fridge they were the perfect consistency. i just served them to my dinner guests and they all loved them. its ironic to think the idea from this came from a healthy power ball recipe, that had almonds, apricots, coconut, juice, and oatmeal! i was actually planning on making these yesterday so i knew i had all the ingredients, they just ended up the non healthy version!

[cookie1]

Nicky I read in a magazine last night that if you add melted copha, 1 teaspoon at a time, over gentle indirect heat, stirring until the chocolate comes back. I know it will be too late for you but may help others.
The magazine was the WW and the hint was from J.Murphy in Doncaster, VIC.

[Decadent Dot]

 Of course you will have solved the problem by now but my software "Diet Pro" has the ability to ask for recipes with the ingredients that you have. When I did it for you I came up with 27 recipes one of which was Millionaire’s Shortbread and another was rocky road and also the following

After dinner chocolate slice

100 g    rich tea biscuits   
100 g    digestive biscuits   
200 g    plain chocolate   
70 g    butter   
2 tsp    caster sugar   
1 med    eggs   
2 tbsp    brandy   
 
 
 
1 Line a small tin 19c x 9cm with foil.
2 1. Put all biscuits into TM bowl and mix 5 secs/speed 5 Using spatula. Tip out
3 2. Put chocolate broken into squares into TM bowl and mix 10 secs/speed turbo
4 3. Add butter, sugar and egg. Mix for 5 secs/speed 6
5 4. Insert butterfly into mixture and heat 3 mins/60/speed 2
6 5. add brandy and mix for 5 secs/ speed 3 without heating
7 6. Remove butterfly before adding biscuit crumbs. Using spatula mix about 10secs/speed 6.
8 7. Put mixture into tin and press down firmly. decorate top with cherries and almonds
9 8. refrigerate until set. serve small slices after dinner