Tips For Melting Chocolate

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Whether your melting chocolate for dipping strawberries, or for a fondue, or to decorate a cake, or even make a chocolate butter cream, you will always get the best results by following these tips:

How to Melt Chocolate

Double Boiler
You need to bring a small amount of water to the boil in a saucepan.  Reduce the water to a slow simmer. Place your chocolate buttons, or chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl ensuring that the bowl fits snugly on top of the saucepan. The base of the bowl must NOT be touching the simmering water. The heat from the steam melts the chocolate not the water. Stir the chocolate until melted.

Microwave
Use a heatproof microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate uncovered on 50% power for 1 minute. Stir. Then repeat in 30-second intervals until the chocolate has melted, stirring each time. Make sure not to overheat the chocolate using this method, it is easy to do. Microwaving is quick and great way to melt chocolate when you need just a small amount. Use this method when you just want chocolate to drizzle over a dessert, making chocolate decorations or melt chocolate to add in to a recipe.

Oven
Place a heatproof bowl containing the chocolate buttons in a preheated oven set at 140°F. Let sit for 10 minutes, and then stir. Return the bowl to the oven until the chocolate melts completely. You can leave the chocolate safely in the oven until ready to use. This is an excellent way to melt chocolate when you’re making chocolate-covered strawberries, without steam or the risk of overheating in the microwave.

Melting Chocolate Tips

• Chocolate buttons are always the best for melting if you want to use chocolate for dipping or making decorations. If using your favorite chocolate (mines dark), just roughly chop to a small size to ensure the chocolate melts quickly and evenly.
• Chocolates all vary in consistency when melted. If the chocolate you have chosen looks as if it may be too thick when melted for dipping purposes, then add 1 teaspoon of plain light-colored vegetable oil to 2 cups of chocolate buttons. Stir through thoroughly. This will make the job a lot easier without diminishing the flavor. Note: Adding too much oil will cause the chocolate to seize up on you.
• If you are adding chocolate as required by a recipe, always follow the instructions. Use a chocolate that you love to get the best flavor in your baking. It doesn’t need to be the most expensive chocolate at all – try a dark chocolate to give extra flavor to cakes and creams.
• When melting the chocolate avoid overheating and contact with steam or water. Any water added to the chocolate while it is melting will cause the chocolate to seize and you will be starting all over.
• Always, use heatproof bowls when melting chocolate.  I like to use a clear glass bowl.
• Try to use small bowls to melt the chocolate. This will reduce the amount of chocolate you will have left over (like I would have leftover chocolate). You can always add more chocolate to the bowl to melt if needed.
• If you have leftover chocolate, let it harden, then grate and  store it in an airtight container ready to decorate a cake or chocolate dessert.
• Never use a wooden spoon when stirring the chocolate while melting as they may still have moisture in them from washing up and can carry odors from previous cooking, I prefer either a metal spoon or spatula.