tip: melting chocolate

Chocolate can be very temperamental when it comes to melting, so it pays to know how to do it properly. Follow these tips and you’ll be melting chocolate like the professionals every time:

• Finely chop or grate chocolate before melting.
• Chocolate needs to be melted slowly to avoid burning or scorching, which will make it dry, coarse and lumpy and ruin the flavour.
• It’s important that chocolate does not come into contact with water or it will “seize” meaning it will become gritty instead of being smooth and satiny. Make sure your spoon and bowl are completely dry.
• Never cover the chocolate as condensation may form which will also cause the chocolate to seize.
• When melting with other ingredients such as cream or milk, place the chocolate together with the cool liquid and melt very gently over a direct heat.
• If you are adding liquid to already melted chocolate, make sure you warm the liquid before adding otherwise the chocolate will seize.
• Don’t use wooden or plastic spoons or bowls as these retain moisture that will cause the chocolate to seize.

There are a number of ways to melt chocolate but the two easiest ways are:

Over hot water:
1. Half fill a saucepan with water and bring to a bare simmer.
2. Finely chop or grate the chocolate and place it in a bowl that is wide enough to fit over the saucepan. Stand it over the water, making sure that the bowl does not touch the water.
3. Stir occasionally with a metal spoon until melted.

In a microwave oven:
1. Place the grated or chopped chocolate in a microwave-proof bowl. Do not cover, as moisture may form which will cause the chocolate to seize.
2. Microwave on 50% heat at 30-60 second bursts, stirring a little between intervals with a metal spoon.

Be sure to follow these chocolate melting tips when making my recipe for Chocolate Volcanoes.

Chocolate Volcano