How to melt chocolate smoothly

Three rules

1. Chop it evenly. Small, even pieces melt at the same rate, so no part sits in the heat longer than it needs to.
2. Use low heat. Chocolate scorches easily, especially milk and white chocolate. Once it burns, it tastes bitter and turns grainy, and it cannot be saved.
3. Keep water out. A few drops of water or steam can make chocolate seize into a stiff, grainy lump.

On the stove

Set a heatproof bowl over a pan with an inch or so of barely simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water. Add the chopped chocolate and stir with a dry silicone spatula until about three quarters has melted, then take the bowl off the pan and keep stirring. The leftover heat melts the rest.

When you lift the bowl, wipe the bottom with a dry towel so no drips fall into the chocolate or onto your work surface.

In the microwave

Use a microwave-safe bowl and half power. Heat in short bursts of 20 to 30 seconds, stirring well after each one. Chocolate holds its shape in the microwave even when it has melted inside, so stirring is the only way to tell. Stop heating while a few small pieces remain, and stir until they disappear.

Melting with butter or cream

Chocolate melted together with a good amount of butter, cream or milk is much more forgiving. The extra liquid keeps the cocoa solids suspended, which is how ganache and many brownie batters work. Trouble starts when only a little water gets in.

If it seizes

Seized chocolate turns thick, dull and grainy. It happens when a little moisture makes the sugar and cocoa particles clump together. You can't bring it back to a pourable, temperable state, but you can turn it into a sauce:

• Stir in hot water, cream or milk, about a teaspoon at a time, until it loosens and turns smooth.
• Use the result in a sauce, a batter, brownies or hot cocoa.

Chocolate that is grainy because it overheated is a different problem. If it smells burnt, discard it.

Drizzles and dips that skip tempering

Untempered chocolate is fine for many home uses. It will set if you chill it, but it softens at room temperature and may look a little dull. That is acceptable for:

• A drizzle over cookies or bars that will be kept in the fridge
• Peanut butter cups and other treats served cold
• Dipped fruit eaten the same day

For a glossy coating that keeps well at room temperature, temper the chocolate instead.

Adding peanut butter

Peanut butter mixes into melted chocolate easily because it is mostly fat. Stir it in after the chocolate has melted, off the heat. A spoonful or two softens the set and gives a peanut flavor, which is handy for a drizzle or a quick dip. Too much keeps the chocolate from setting firm. If you are serving others, say that the chocolate has peanut in it.

Questions