Tips for Melting Chocolate

Many recipes require melted chocolate, such as brownies and cakes. There are several techniques, some better than others, and your choice of approach will depend on the type of chocolate being melted. Sometimes chocolate is melted with butter or other ingredients, but this tip is about melting chocolate on its own.

Here are the techniques we employ in the Test Kitchen:

Over a water bath: finely chopped chocolate (unsweetened, bittersweet, semisweet, milk or white), placed in the top of a double boiler with gently simmering water below is a classic technique that works if you follow some specific practices:

• Chocolate should be finely and evenly chopped.
• The top part of double boiler that holds the chocolate should fit snuggly into the bottom of the double boiler holding the water. You don’t want steam to escape.
• Water in bottom can just touch the outer bottom of the bowl holding the chocolate or be slightly below. Keep the water at a low simmer.
• Watch for escaping steam. Any water droplets that flow upward in the form of steam might come back down into the chocolate in the form of water droplets, causing the chocolate to seize.
• Gently stir chocolate as it begins to melt. Do not vigorously agitate. We like to use a heatproof silicone spatula.
• Remove chocolate from heat when it is about three-quarters of the way melted. Gently stir off the heat. The residual heat will melt the remaining chocolate.

In a water bath (as seen in top image): finely chopped chocolate (unsweetened, bittersweet, semisweet, milk or white), placed in a heatproof bowl set right into a water filled skillet.

• Place a wide skillet on top of the stove and place a heatproof bowl in the skillet. Add 1 inch of water to the skillet. Place finely chopped chocolate inside bowl.
• Bring water to a very gentle simmer. Gently stir chocolate as it begins to melt using a heatproof silicone spatula. Do not vigorously agitate.
• Remove chocolate from the heat when it is about three-quarters of the way melted. Gently stir off the heat and the residual heat will melt the remaining chocolate.

This technique works because the hot water is actually less hot than the steam that is created in the classic water-bath method. It might seem like the chocolate is getting direct heat, but it is actually a gentle approach.

In the microwave: finely chopped chocolate (unsweetened, bittersweet, semisweet) placed in a microwave-safe bowl, melted at mid and lower powers. Milk chocolate and white chocolate burn easily due to their milk solids, thus we prefer to use other melting techniques where we can keep an eye on them. Follow these tips for melting chocolate in the microwave.

• Chocolate should be finely and evenly chopped.
• Your bowl must be safe for use in the microwave.
• Know your microwave. One machine’s High power might be 1000 watts, while another might be 1200 watts; powers are not standardized. Practice makes perfect. Start with 50% power in 10 to 15 second bursts. Once you get familiar with your machine, you can adjust power and/or time intervals.
• Check chocolate frequently. Gently stir chocolate as it begins to melt, but do not vigorously agitate. We use a heatproof silicone spatula.
• Remove chocolate from microwave when it is about three-quarters of the way melted. Gently stir off the heat. Residual heat will melt the chocolate.

_{Image: Peter Muka}