Melt Chocolate Chips

Melted chocolate chips are one useful way to get melted chocolate quickly. The greater surface area of chocolate chips makes it easier and faster to melt, improving your chances of getting the melted chocolate off the heat before condensation forms and risks seizing the chocolate. However, the smaller size of chocolate chips necessitates careful attention to avoid burning or drying out of the chips.

Steps

Using a Double Boiler

  1. Fill a saucepan with 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) of water. You can use an actual double boiler, or improvise your own with a saucepan and a heat-safe bowl. Do not place the second saucepan or bowl on top just yet, however.
    • If you are using a bowl, make sure that it fits comfortably over the saucepan and that there are no gaps where heat can escape.
    • Double boilers are great if you need the chocolate to stay melted for a long time (ie: when you are making chocolate dipped strawberries).
  2. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. While the water is coming to a boil, you can start measuring out the chocolate.
    • If you can't find any chocolate chips, you can use whole chocolate bars instead. You will need to cut them into ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) wide chunks first, however.[1]
  3. Take the saucepan off the burner. Set it down onto a heat-safe surface to protect your counter. It might be a good idea to keep it near the stove, however, just in case your chocolate starts to harden too quickly.
  4. Put the chocolate into your second saucepan.[2] If you are using a makeshift double boiler, then put the chocolate into your heat-safe bowl instead. Whichever one you end up using, make sure that it is perfectly dry. Any moisture will cause your chocolate to "seize" or harden.[3]
    • If you are working with large amounts of chocolate, consider putting only two-thirds of it in first. This will help it melt faster.[2]
    • It is possible to fix seized chocolate by adding cream to it, but this will affect your recipe.[3]
  5. Place the upper saucepan (or bowl) on top of your lower saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of your saucepan or bowl does not touch the surface of the water. If it does, pour some of the water out. Make sure that the fit is tight, and that no steam can escape.
  6. Wait for the chocolate to melt most of the way, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Once again, make sure that the spatula is perfectly dry, or the chocolate will seize. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl often.
    • If you are working with large amounts of chocolate, you can add in the remaining third a little bit at a time.[2]
  7. Take the upper saucepan or bowl off of the bottom one, and set it down on the counter. You can pour the water out of the bottom saucepan out at this time, although it might be a good idea to keep it filled until you are completely done baking—just in case your chocolate starts to harden too soon.
  8. Continue to stir the chocolate until the mixture is smooth and there are no chunks of chocolate left. Once the chocolate is melted, you can add in other ingredients to it, such as shortening or paraffin.[1]
    • If your recipe calls for paraffin as well, you must melt the paraffin separately first.[1]
  9. Use the chocolate in your recipe. If it is too hot, let it cool for about 10 minutes, give it a stir, then use it.[1]

Using a Microwave

  1. Put the chocolate chips into a wide, shallow microwave-safe bowl.[4] It is important that the container you use remains cool or very slightly warm after several minutes of microwaving, otherwise, the container itself will overheat the chocolate. The container must also be perfectly dry, as any moisture will cause the chocolate to harden and become grainy.
    • If you can’t comfortably handle the container after several minutes of microwaving, then it isn’t a suitable container for melting chocolate.
    • If you can't find any chocolate chips, cut a chocolate bar into ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) wide chunks instead.
    • If you are planning on melting large amounts of chocolate, consider working in smaller batches instead.
  2. Microwave the chocolate on medium power for 1 minute, then give it a stir.[3] You can stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula or a spoon, but make sure that whatever you use is dry. Also, keep in mind that every microwave oven is different, so your chocolate may not be melted completely after this. That is perfectly fine; you can always continue heating the chocolate in short bursts.
    • Chocolate doesn't lose its shape when you microwave it, so stirring it will help make it smooth and more liquid-y.[3]
  3. Continue heating the chocolate at 10 to 15-second intervals, stirring between each one, until it is almost melted. Milk chocolate and white chocolate tend to overheat quicker than dark chocolate. It would be best to stir them every 10 seconds.[1] This may sound tedious, but it will reduce the chances of any scorching. Remember, chocolate will keep its shape when heated in the microwave, so stirring it up will help it "melt."[2]
    • How long you end up cooking the chocolate also depends on how much you are working with. For example:
      • 1 ounce (30 grams) will take 1 minute total.
      • 8 ounces (225 grams) will take 3 minutes total.
      • 1 pound (450 grams) may take up to 6 minutes.
  4. Take the chocolate out of the microwave and continue stirring the chocolate until it turns smooth. Once the chocolate is mostly melted, take the bowl out of the microwave, and set it down onto a heat-safe surface. Continue stirring the chocolate, scrapping the bottom and sides of the bowl often, until it is smooth and no chunks remain.[2]
  5. Use your chocolate. At this point, you can also add in any other extra ingredients that the recipe calls for, such as shortening or paraffin.

Tips

  • If you have accidentally overheated your chocolate, immediately pour it into a cool bowl and add chunks of unmelted chocolate. Stir it continuously to keep it from seizing.
  • If you microwave doesn’t have a rotating function, be sure to manually rotate the bowl of chocolate chips after each burst of heating and stirring.
  • Chocolate tends to keep its shape when melted in the microwave. Giving it a quick stir, however, will help it "melt" more and become smoother.
  • If you don’t have chocolate chips, use a chocolate bar chopped into ¼-inch (0.64-centimeter) wide pieces instead.
  • If you are melting chocolate with other liquids, be sure to melt it using at least 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) for every 2 ounces (60 grams) of chocolate. Otherwise, the cocoa and sugar in the chocolate will bind and get lumpy. Extra dark chocolate requires even more liquid to keep it from getting lumpy.
  • If you don’t have a double boiler, you can use any metal or glass bowl that fits snugly over the top of a saucepan. If you use a glass bowl, make sure it is oven-proof or approved for stove top use.
  • Milk chocolate and white chocolate tend to melt faster than dark chocolate, so be sure to keep an eye on them.[1]
  • If you are going to add shortening or paraffin, you must add it after the chocolate has melted. The paraffin must also be melted separately.[1]

Warnings

  • Unless your recipe calls for melting chocolate with another liquid, avoid using any water at all when melting chocolate. Water can make the chocolate seize, making it unworkable. For the same reason, don’t add cold liquids to melted chocolate (heat other required liquids first, but don’t boil them.)
  • Whether or not you melt chocolate chips in a microwave or on top of the stove, the temperature for melting milk chocolate or white chocolate must not exceed 115°F (46°C) or 120°F (49°C ) when melting dark chocolate. Higher temperatures will scorch and burn the chocolate.
  • Be careful when taking out the chocolate chips. This may get you a burn.
  • Do not use a wooden spoon to stir your chocolate. Wooden spoons retain flavors and odors, which may affect your chocolate.[5]

Things You’ll Need

Using a Double Boiler

  • Double boiler (or saucepan and heat-safe bowl)
  • Stove
  • Rubber spatula

Using a Microwave

  • Wide, shallow, microwave-safe bowl
  • Spoon or spatula
  • Microwave

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 https://www.craftybaking.com/howto/chocolate-melt
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 http://dish.allrecipes.com/two-easy-ways-melt-chocolate/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 http://www.finecooking.com/articles/how-to-melt-chocolate.aspx
  4. ↑ http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/cooking/tips/g2063/how-to-melt-chocolate/
  5. ↑ https://www.chocoley.com/blog/resources/general-information-about-working-with-chocolate/
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