Using the right technique and respecting some rules, chocolate is very easy to melt. At the same time, however, it is also very easy to burn and turn into a grainy and crumbly lump. Chocolate does not like to come into contact with water and to melt properly it needs gentle heat, your maximum concentration and that you never stop mixing. Here are two simple methods to melt chocolate, try them and adopt the one you prefer.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: A Water Bath
Step 1. Do not add water to the chocolate or you will spoil it
If you accidentally drop a little water in the bowl with the melted chocolate, run for cover by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to balance the mixture, in this way you can still use your chocolate, albeit a little grainy.
Step 2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler
If you don't have a suitable pot, use a simple saucepan, pour some water into it and cover it with a suitable sized bowl. In this way the steam produced by the water in the saucepan will melt the chocolate in the bowl.
- Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Excessive heat would cause the chocolate to burn rather than melt it.
- The melting process will be faster if the chocolate is crushed into small pieces.
Step 3. When the chocolate begins to melt, stir constantly to move it around the bowl
Chocolate does not like excessive heat so, in this critical phase, do not leave the kitchen and do not stop stirring for too long.
Step 4. Keep stirring until all the chocolate has melted
If the heat used seems excessive to you, feel free to reduce it. Normally, the entire melting process should take 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 5. Use melted chocolate to prepare sauces and decorations or to incorporate it into other recipes, remember never to put it in contact with water
Method 2 of 2: In the Microwave
Step 1. Weigh the amount of chocolate you want to melt and crush it into small pieces with a knife
Step 2. Pour the pieces of chocolate into a microwave safe container and bake it
Step 3. Heat the chocolate on low power for about 30-40 seconds
Be careful, using higher heat will ruin it irreparably.
Using small chocolate chips, you will need to heat them for less than 30 seconds. Set the oven to 10 or 15 seconds to make sure the chocolate doesn't burn
Step 4. Stir the chocolate with a wooden spoon and heat it again in the microwave for another 10-15 seconds
Continue heating the chocolate on the lowest power setting.
Step 5. Repeat the previous step, stirring the chocolate and heating it for 10 seconds, until it is completely melted
Here are some tips for melting chocolate in the microwave:
- Dark chocolate is easier to melt than milk chocolate, prefer it if you are very afraid of burning the chocolate in the melting process.
- If this is your first attempt at melting chocolate in the microwave, buy an inexpensive variety. Even if you ruin it and throw it away, the impact on your psyche and wallet will be significantly less!
Advice
- Milk chocolate burns more easily than dark chocolate, due to the milk solids in it.
- If you don't have a saucepan for melting chocolate in a double boiler, use a simple saucepan without adding water. Use a very low heat and stir constantly.
- The chocolate will get very hot, always use pot holders to handle the saucepan or tureen.
- If you want to melt the chocolate in a double boiler, make sure the bowl never touches the boiling water, otherwise the chocolate will burn.
- You can add water during the melting phase only as long as you use an amount equal to at least 75% of the chocolate. The problem is represented by the solid parts suspended in the chocolate which become unstable upon coming into contact with water, agglomerating together and coagulating. To avoid this you need to use a generous amount of water, continuing to stir as the mixture heats up.
Warnings
- When pouring the chocolate, to use it in your recipe, make sure that the condensation on the outside of the bowl does not fall into your preparation. Use a clean tea towel to dry it.
- Make sure you keep the water well away from the chocolate.
- Do not add water to the chocolate.
