Chocolate Sauces – White River Kitchens

Learn how to melt chocolate without a double boiler and to help stop your chocolate from ending up a messy blob. There are, a few tips and tricks you need to know to increase your chances of melting your chocolate successfully so that it becomes smooth and usable. It is quick to melt chocolate although and fairly easy to do if you take note of the things that can go wrong to start with and take steps to prevent them before you begin If melting chocolate isn't something you do often or you are just trying it out and you don't want to get a double boiler you can simply create a makeshift one from your pots and pans or you could use a microwave to melt your chocolate. How to Melt Chocolate without a Double Boiler Below is the hob method of melting chocolate you can also use a microwave, however, this is a different method and the below instructions will not work in a microwave. Equipment Saucepan Heat Resistant Bowl Spoon Metal (not wooden) or rubber spatula Ideally, you want a bowl that fits snuggly inside your saucepan so that the steam does not rise and go into your bowl. The bowl should sit just above the water in your lower bowl. Make sure all your equipment is bone dry before using as any moisture will ruin your results. Ingredients Chocolate 70% or above or cooking chocolate depending on what you want to use it for. Method First, chop up or grate your chocolate as finely and as evenly as possible as this help it to melt easily and much faster and smoother. Heat some water in your saucepan. Place your chocolate into the dry bowl. Place the bowl into the saucepan. Do not cover your pan though as you do not want any condensation. Allow your chocolate to melt gently stirring it. Keep the heat on low and gentle. When it is smooth remove it from the heat. Wipe the bottom of the bowl dry. It is now ready to use. Use immediately. Top Tips For Better Melted Chocolate Make sure everything is dry. Moisture is the No 1 enemy to successful chocolate melting. If the inside of your bowl is damp when you add the chocolate or you get water in your chocolate while it is melting or even after for that matter you will end up with a chunk of congealed goo. I know that's what happened when I first melted chocolate. I thought it would be easy, just stick it in, melt it for a few minutes and away you go. I washed out my bowl just before use and it wasn't dry. Oh dear, a lump of rock lol. Ironically although you need to keep everything dry if you do end up with congealed chocolate the solution is to add water a teaspoon or so at a time and mix it into the chocolate util it goes smooth again. Types of Chocolate You Can Use to Melt You can use most chocolates to melt, you can also buy specialist chocolate for making chocolates from. You can also use baking chocolate or even white chocolate. Higher content of chocolate works better as the lower ones are prone to being high in fat and sugar content. The advantage of this method is you get a better result than in a microwave, the disadvantages is that it takes longer to melt.