I know many of you get frustrated when you have to melt chocolate for a recipe. I am going to let you in on a big secret and make your life easier! 99.9% of the time, I melt chocolate in the microwave. Yup… the microwave. I know most of you have tries this and have had epic failures, but let me teach you my ways.
Let’s start with the easiest chocolate. This is Ghiradelli’s baking bar. It melts like a dream. I take the square and break them in quarters with my fingers. It’s a snap… I promise!
Place your chocolate (this is 1 1/2 bars) in the microwave in a microwavable bowl and heat on high for 1 minute. I then heated it for three more 30 second intervals.
This is what it looks like after the melting time. I just gave it a 2 second stir to smooth it out. That was a snap!
Now for the trickier fellows. These are Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup). This is what they look like right out of the bag. I used the same cooking time as the broken up baking chocolate bar. 1 minute, then three 30 second intervals on high.
This is what they look like after the cooking time. I am pretty sure this is where you have taken the wrong turn. I am sure you have thought they should look like melted chocolate at this point. Instead they look the same, except they are shiny and glistening now. If I were to cook them any longer, they would burn. EPIC fail.
The key is the shiny, glistening look. Take your spatula or spoon and lightly touch them. They should instantly melt to the touch.
This is what it looks like after a quick 2 second stir. PERFECT! The key is to first start out with a 1 minute high setting. After that, only cook in 30 second intervals and check to see if the chocolate is glistening or melted (If you are using a baking bar). Once they look the way I said, give it a quick stir. How simple is that! No more pulling out the double boiler and taking forever to melt your chocolate. Does this mean more chocolate desserts for your upcoming year? I hope so and I am sure your family does too!
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