Is there any way to rescue 'grainy' melted chocolate?

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Yesterday, I wanted to make some rocky road. I'd bought some bars of Green & Blacks chocolate which is a bit expensive, but I prefer the taste of it over anything else in things I make or bake.

The recipe I used was Nigella Lawson's Rocky Road Crunch Bars, and even though the recipe said melt the chocolate in a pan with the butter and golden syrup, I was a little worried about melting chocolate in anything other than a bowl over a pan of water! I kept the temperature very low, and stirred everything together, but just before it had melted fully it turned a bit thick, lost almost all of its shine, and looked a bit grainy - like icing sugar you didn't sieve before making buttercream! I was really disappointed, not least because the chocolate was a bit expensive and the recipe called for 3 x 100g bars!!

I went ahead and used it, and although it tastes just fine, it doesn't look as good as it would had it not lost its shine.

What did I do wrong, and should I have melted the chocolate in a bowl over water despite what the recipe stated?
 
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It sounds like the chocolate burnt. I'm not sure if you can fix it since I don't play with chocolate too much.
I would always melt chocolate of water since it's easier to do, but that's just me.
 
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Thanks, Meknoclone. I wondered if it might have caught on the bottom of the pan or slightly burnt, but I had it on such a low heat I am unsure. Chocolate is so temperamental! Some people advise melting it in the microwave, but I don't use or have one of these so my options are limited.

Oh well, better luck next time, I guess.

Thanks anyway.
 
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When I get lazy with melting chocolate I put it on the lowest setting it will go and add chocolate slowly. I usually let it hover above the burner just in case it's too hot.
I really do think that it may have burnt.
I don't use a microwave either so I know the feeling of having temperamental chocolate.
 
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I think that it probably has burnt, yes. :( At least I've learned that the golden rule of melting chocolate is slowly, and hover it over the burner instead of leaving it to rest there. But better luck next time! ;)
 
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Sounds like its burnt. I always melt chocolate over water unless it is specifically for the microwave. I have never had a problem melting over water so it is always my go to way.
 
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Unfortunately, at times I've had a problem doing it over water too. I think I let it get too hot by not keeping an eye on what the water is doing. I've just seen a clever little double boiler online, which I think might help - if I don't let it get too hot, that is.

Thanks for the help :)
 
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I've never had any experience with this, I however suggest that you watch it closely when working with it to avoid the same problem once again.
 

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