Wondering how melting chocolate chips double boiler works, or how to melt chocolate chips in microwave? There are so many ways to work with chocolate that you also need to know how to melt chocolate chips with butter, and how to keep the chocolate melted. We’ll reveal to you the techniques so your culinary journey with chocolate will be better in the coming weeks.
Melting Chocolate Chips Double Boiler?
You can melt chocolate perfectly at home, even without a double boiler. It is the principle that matters when working with chocolate that matters. If you do not have a double boiler at home, you can still melt chocolate like a pro.
For this procedure, you will need a saucepan, a heat-proof container (like a Pyrex bowl) that can fit into the saucepan, the chocolate chips that you want to melt, and a spatula. Rubber or silicone spatulas may be used for making melted chocolate.
If you are melting larger bars or chocolate, you will have to chop them up roughly to facilitate the melting process. Chocolate chips, on the other hand, are already small enough so they can be melted as is, without any modifications.
Fill your pot with one to two inches of water and bring the water to a simmer. Place the heat-proof container in the saucepan and fill it with the chocolate chips. The heat-proof container must sit on top of the saucepan and not inside. Make sure that the simmering water does not touch the bottom of your Pyrex bowl or stainless steel bowl.
When the steam and heat of the simmering water reaches the heat-proof bowl, you will notice your chocolate chips getting softer and softer. Gently mix the chocolate with your spatula to help it along.
After a few minutes, you will see your chocolate turning into rich liquid chocolate. You should turn off the stove when you only have a few solid chocolate chips remaining. The residual heat from the processing of the chocolate will take care of the remaining chips.
To keep your chocolate melted, just keep it at room temperature. Eventually, there will be some solidification, but this won’t be for a bit of time. Feel free to prepare your chocolate concoction while the melted chocolate chips are still warm. Alternatively, if you melted your chocolate chips because you plan to use a silicone mold to create some fun shapes, this would be the best time to do it.
Melting Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Let’s face it: nothing beats eating freshly baked cookies with semisweet chocolate chips. Semisweet chocolate chips add that depth of flavor that is unmatched when you are working with ordinary ingredients.
Perfectly melted semisweet chips have a satin texture and a smooth taste. You must know how to prepare this type of chocolate chips to create ideal results while baking or doing anything with chocolate.
The fastest way to melt semisweet chocolate chips is in the microwave. Place your chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl and place the bowl in the microwave. Set the microwave oven to a low setting and run it for half a minute. Stir the softening chocolate chips with a spatula every half minute. Continue the process until all of the chocolate chips have liquefied.
Of course, you can use a double boiler for semisweet chocolate chips. Prepare the double boiler and turn the heat up to medium. Stir the chips until you only have a few pieces of chips left solid. Remove from the heat and proceed with your recipe.
If you don’t like using the double boiler, you can also use your oven for melting chocolate. This is a little riskier because there are indirect heat and no water, but it can be done. Pour the semisweet chocolate chips in an oven-proof pot or container. Turn the oven to just 150˚ Fahrenheit and check on your chocolate chips every three minutes or so. The oven is not going to build up heat quickly, and it functions differently from a microwave oven, so you have a little elbow room during the melting process.
To make things even more efficient, use a container that is appropriate for the number of chocolate chips that you are melting. A smaller container will save you from additional scraping when you are done melting the chips.
If you want to melt large batches of chocolate, the water bath method will work (use several containers), and you can use a slow cooker instead of a double boiler to get ideal results. Melting chocolate with a slow cooker will require that you cook for an hour or so, but it is going to be worth it if you are melting a large quantity of chocolate.
Common Mistakes When Melting Chocolate
It’s common to encounter errors in the kitchen, so we have lined them up for you so you can avoid them:
- All your tools and containers for melting and preparing chocolate need to be bone dry. That’s right: if any of them are even slightly moist, there is a risk of your chocolate turning gritty. Water interacts differently with chocolate, and we want to maintain the chocolate’s pristine properties while preparing them. The reason for this is that water can quickly turn melting chocolate to syrup, instead of just chocolate that’s lost its hardness. Chocolate with water is also chunkier after melting, and that’s something that you’d want to avoid, too.
- Be gentle with chocolate while melting it. Never work with super high heat as it takes a bit of time for chocolate to melt down properly. Low heat is best, and frequent stirring of the chocolate will ensure a satiny texture afterward.
- Don’t expect too much from chocolate chips if you bought them at a bargain price. While we understand that people like a good bargain, not everything can be purchased on bargain is of good quality. High-quality chocolate is pricier than the usual bargain variety, so try to go for the mid-range brands so you won’t be disappointed with the results.
