How to melt chocolate correctly: methods, recipes. How to melt chocolate so that it is liquid in the microwave, on a water bath, gas stove, slow cooker, fondue pot, in silicone molds, with milk

Melted chocolate is used to decorate cakes or create delicious drinks. In this article we will study ways to melt chocolate.

Chocolate is the favorite sweet of all children and adults. Well, you must agree, there is nothing tastier than a piece of this delicacy. White, milky, black, or maybe with fillings? Everyone will find something to their liking.

Besides the fact that chocolate is delicious in itself, as an independent dessert, it is also often used as fondant and icing for cakes. So, let's talk about the secrets of choosing chocolate for a cake and how best to melt it.

What kind of chocolate is best to melt for a cake?

In order to answer this question, let's talk a little about what types of chocolate exist today and what exactly chocolate is.

Chocolate is a sweet made from cocoa butter. By chocolate, we will mean only those types of confectionery products that contain cocoa butter.

Today in stores you can see a huge amount of different chocolate, as well as desserts made from it. However, the main types of this sweet are the following:

Lactic. Most often, milk chocolate contains the following ingredients: cocoa butter and powder, milk (condensed or powdered), lecithin and, of course, sugar. However, experts say that real milk chocolate should consist only of cocoa butter, cocoa mass, sugar and milk powder (dry cream). In any case, this type of sweet should contain 35-40% cocoa
Dark dark chocolate. Made from cocoa butter, cocoa mass and powdered sugar. We have all definitely seen “dark” and “black” chocolate on supermarket shelves. These types of chocolate are obtained by experimenting with the ratio of powder and cocoa mass. Cocoa liquor makes the sweet taste more bitter - that's why we get dark chocolate. If we add more powdered sugar to the sweetness, we get nothing more than dark chocolate
White. This type of confectionery product completely lacks cocoa powder, which is why the color of the sweet is white and creamy. Contains cocoa butter, sugar and milk powder
Ruby. Also today there is this type of chocolate. However, he knows little about him. This chocolate actually has a ruby color (which is why it got its name)
Porous. This chocolate is prepared using a different technology and that is why we end up with a porous tile structure
You can also very often encounter “confectionery tiles”. Therefore, it is worth talking about it. The composition of such a product includes sugar, fats, which I replace with cocoa butter, cocoa powder, various additives, and possibly milk. You must understand that "chocolate" or "confectionery" bars have nothing in common with real chocolate

Melting chocolate
Now that you know exactly what chocolate is and what it comes in, you can easily choose the product you need. And we would like to “give” you some recommendations regarding the choice of chocolate for the cake:

Give preference to “pure” chocolate. Do not choose products with raisins, nuts and sweets
Avoid aerated chocolate. He is very picky about kindling and as a result you may get something completely different from what you expected
Most often, dessert chocolate is used to prepare various glazes and fondants. Its delicate taste makes it ideal as an addition to cakes.
White chocolate is great for decorating other confectionery products, including cakes. Moreover, by melting such a delicacy and adding the desired food coloring to it, we can get a completely new chocolate color

The choice is definitely yours, but you must understand that the better quality chocolate you choose for the cake, the tastier your finished dessert will be.

Why is chocolate so beneficial?

Chocolate in its pure form (bitter black) has various positive qualities:

Its consumption in small quantities reduces the risk of having a heart attack;
Uplifting;
Invigorates;
Is a powerful antioxidant;
Reduces blood sugar levels;
Rich in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus;
Theanines have antibacterial properties and prevent the formation of plaque.

It is recommended to consume real dark chocolate to prevent colds and spring fatigue.

How to melt chocolate so that it is liquid in the microwave: tips, recipes

A microwave is an excellent kitchen device in which you can not only heat food, but also cook it. For the lucky owners of such kitchen appliances, we present the following methods for melting chocolate.

So, the first way:

Take a chocolate bar weighing 100 g and grind it in any available way
Then we take a container in which we will heat the sweetness. Please note that the dishes must be porcelain, earthenware, ceramic, glass made of fireproof, heat-resistant material. Any containers must be free of drawings and decorations. So, put the chocolate pieces in this container.
Place the dishes in the microwave for no more than 1 minute. We take it out and evaluate the result. If the chocolate is not melted enough, set it for another 30 seconds. In this case, the chocolate must be stirred all the time. That is, they set it for a minute, after 30 seconds. opened, prevented, closed, etc.

Chocolate melted in the microwave
Now let's look at the second option:

Take the chopped chocolate and place it in a suitable container.
We put the container in the microwave, but now we will work with the “defrost” mode. Turn on the device for 2 minutes. It is also worth stirring the chocolate. If after 2 min. the mass has not become liquid, add another minute

Using this device allows you to get liquid chocolate in literally a matter of minutes, but you should know that by melting chocolate in this way, you will not get a shiny chocolate mass. In addition, the surface of such chocolate is unlikely to harden smoothly and evenly.

It is also worth noting that when melting chocolate in the microwave, it is important not to overheat it. If you bring the sweetness to a boil, then you will not see liquid chocolate. And one more hint, 50 g of chocolate melts in about 50-60 seconds.

General tips for choosing chocolate

Before melting chocolate, experts recommend taking into account the rules for choosing products of this type.

You need to know the following:

Different types (from white to bitter) can be used to decorate confectionery products. The products must be of high quality; good types are represented by Alenka, Rot Front tiles, etc. Inexpensive products produce a heterogeneous mass with lumps.
It is unacceptable to contain confectionery fats in the tiles.
The optimal concentration of cocoa in chocolate products should be at least 50%.
It is not recommended to use porous products for preparing glaze.
Products filled with crushed nuts, balloons, raisins and other ingredients are not allowed for use in a chocolate fountain or fondue.
Products with coloring substances, aromatic additives (fruit liqueur, coffee, etc.) are not suitable for melting.
It is optimal to use table chocolate for melting; confectioners do not recommend using dessert bars for glazing.
Products with a cocoa butter concentration of 33% or more melt better.
For fountains, it is recommended to buy specialized products with a high concentration of cocoa butter. The mass has a low melting point and, when melted, has a glossy sheen and good spreadability.
It is not recommended to use products in the form of tiles for the fountain, because... this may lead to malfunctions in the unit.
When purchasing tiles, the shelf life of the product is taken into account. High-quality products are stored for no more than 1 year.
The list of components according to the standards does not allow the presence of palm, soy and coconut fats.

How to melt chocolate in a water bath: tips, recipes

This method is the most common, and all because everyone, without exception, can use it.

To melt chocolate in a water bath, you only need available tools and knowledge of a few secrets.

So, we start by taking water into a container and heating it. It is important to know that you do not need to bring water to a boil.
Grind the chocolate bar in any convenient way and place it in another container. This container should be smaller than the one in which we heat the water.
Now we send the dishes with chocolate to a water bath, that is, into a container with water
The sweetness should always be stirred during the melting process.
When the chocolate mass has cooled down a little, cover it with a lid, a plate, basically anything, the main thing is to cover it, and leave it to stand. During this time, all the unmelted pieces will “reach” the consistency we need.

Chocolate in a water bath
Well, now it’s time to reveal the secrets:

The container in which you will place the chocolate must be dry, otherwise the sweetness will burn
The heat on which you melt the delicacy should be very low, otherwise the chocolate will stick to the dishes. Also, due to strong fire, the mass may boil, and we do not need this at all.

Secrets and tips of confectioners

These recommendations from professional chefs will help you bring any chocolate to the required consistency and make a delicious and healthy dessert.

Do not cover the container with a lid to prevent drops of condensation from dripping into the mixture.
Warm the tiles to room temperature in advance, because sudden changes in temperature will adversely affect the texture.
If you are not satisfied with the thickness, pour cream or softened butter into the mixture rather than water.
You can add shine to the glaze using butter.

Do not exceed the optimal temperature - improperly heat-treated sweets will turn out thick, separate, or form lumps. White chocolate needs a much lower temperature to melt. Here is an explanation of why the delicacy needs to be heated only in a water bath.

If you do overheat the mixture, do not get rid of it immediately. It is better to use this chocolate for cake or for making cocktails.

By following all these tips, you will definitely be able to prepare the perfect dessert that will delight you with its taste and properties. Bon appetit!

How to melt chocolate on a gas stove: tips, recipes

In the previous recipe, we melted the chocolate in a water bath using a gas stove using gas burners. However, this is not the only method that can be used for our needs.

Now we will tell you how you can melt chocolate using the oven in a gas stove.

Take the required amount of chocolate and crush it as finely as possible
Transfer the sweets into a metal bowl
Turn on the oven to the lowest temperature and place a container of chocolate there
The treat will take approximately 10 minutes to melt.

Using this method you can quickly melt a large amount of chocolate.

Chocolate on the stove

You can also melt the chocolate by steaming it. The method is very similar to a water bath, but there are some differences.

We will need 2 containers, approximately the same size
Pour water into one container and heat it, bring it almost to a boil
In another – finely chop the chocolate
Place the container with chocolate in a steam bath so that it does not touch the water. Therefore, the dishes should be approximately the same size
Stir the mixture all the time, otherwise it will simply boil

Important:

Using this method, make sure that the walls of the dish do not touch the water. Chocolate should only melt when steamed
Do not cover the container with chocolate during the melting process. Because of this, water will get into the mass, and this in turn will lead to the fact that the melted chocolate will appear in lumps or grains

If you don’t have time for steam, water baths and other methods, use “open fire”

The crushed chocolate is placed in a saucepan with a thick bottom.
Next, place the pan on the burner, on the lowest heat.
Stir the chocolate all the time so it doesn't burn.
Remove the pan from the heat when the chocolate is almost melted, do not wait for complete melting
Stir the mixture even after removing it from the heat.

How to properly melt chocolate at home

There are several ways to melt a chocolate bar to a liquid state - use a microwave, oven, slow cooker, and even a hairdryer. Whatever you use, there are a number of general rules that are important to follow:

The product must be of high quality, we have already said this above.
Use heat-resistant dishes with thick walls.
Do not allow water to get into the chocolate mass - even one drop will ruin all your efforts, causing lumps to form.
During the heating process, constant stirring is necessary.
Heating should be gradual.
Do not heat tiles from different manufacturers together.
A single portion for melting is no more than 250 g.
The temperature of the product must first be brought to room temperature.

Reference

The main rule is not to overheat the product. That is why it is better to use a special thermometer that will help ensure that the temperature of the melting mass does not exceed the melting point - 44°C for white chocolate, 46°C for milk chocolate, 48-50°C for dark chocolate and 55°C for bitter chocolate containing cocoa 70% or more.

In a water bath

This is not the best option, since there is a high risk of water getting into the mass. But if done carefully, this is a completely acceptable method. Here is a detailed article on what a water bath is.

Prepare two containers - a 1.5-2 liter saucepan for water and a container for chocolate. For the latter, you can take a saucepan of a smaller diameter with handles, which can be conveniently hung on the edges of the lower container. Or it can be a wide bowl that can be placed steadily over a pan of simmering water.

Melting order:

Break the tile into small pieces, or better yet, chop it into crumbs with a sharp knife or grate it.
Pour water into the pan to ¼ of its height and bring to a boil.
When the water boils, reduce the heat to low and place a second container on top - with chocolate.
Stirring continuously, wait until most of the product has melted.
Remove the bowl from the bath and continue stirring until the remaining pieces are dispersed.

The upper container should be shallower than the lower one so as not to reach the bottom. There should also be some distance between the water and the bottom of the bowl. Read more here.

In the microwave

In a microwave oven, the product is heated at medium power for milk and dark chocolate, and at low power for white chocolate. The operating procedure is as follows:

Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl.
Microwave for 30 seconds. dark chocolate, for 20 sec. milk or for 15 sec. white.
Remove the bowl and stir the contents, repeat heating.
Stir the mixture thoroughly each time between heating.
When more than half has melted, the melting is completed and the mass is stirred until completely dissolved.

Attention!

The container must be microwave safe. This can be a special microwave-safe dish or a heat-resistant glass or ceramic bowl that does not heat up in the device.

In the oven

This method is similar to working in the microwave - the chocolate is also taken out several times to check its condition and stir. Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 60-65°C.
Place the grated tiles in a heat-resistant container, which you place in the oven on the top shelf, away from the fire.
After 2 minutes, check the mixture and stir it. Repeat until everything is melted.

Is it possible to melt in a saucepan on the stove?

This is a dubious option, since melting directly on the stove increases the risk of overheating and burning. It is highly not recommended to use this method, since the likelihood of spoiling the product is very high. Moreover, there is an affordable alternative - making a water bath on the stove.

But if for some reason there is no other option, then:

Heat very slowly over low heat;
continuously stir the melting mass;
choose dishes with a double bottom;
Add a little cream or milk to the product (30 ml per 100 g).

With this method, it is advisable to arm yourself with a thermometer to control the temperature and avoid exceeding it.

Using a hair dryer

This device is most often used to warm up chocolate - slightly cooled or tempered - to bring it to working temperature.

To make liquid chocolate using a hairdryer, you need to:

Grate it on a fine grater and place in a deep bowl.
Remove the nozzle from the device, turn it on at minimum power and direct hot air into the bowl, while stirring the mass.
Continue until the product is completely dissolved.

You can use a hairdryer to melt the chocolate icing in a similar way. Although it will take longer than conventional methods.

In a slow cooker

When kindling, the device is used to create a water (steam) bath as follows:

Chop the chocolate into a container that fits securely on the multicooker bowl.
Pour 500 ml of water into the bowl of the device and turn on the “Steam” mode.
After the water boils, place the bowl on top and melt the product for 5-8 minutes, stirring continuously.

Attention!

Leave the multicooker lid open to prevent condensation from getting into the melting mass.

Which method is the fastest

Of all the methods, using a microwave is considered the fastest. You can further speed up the melting by chopping the product as much as possible - the pieces take longer to melt than the chips.

How to melt chocolate in a slow cooker: tips, recipes

A multicooker is an excellent assistant for any housewife. With its help, you can prepare delicious dishes and spend a minimum of time. Let's see how this device copes with our task today.

Most often when using a multicooker for such purposes, they use the “steam” mode.

Take a container that will match the size and diameter of the multicooker bowl
We grind our chocolate into it
Pour about 0.5 liters of water into the multicooker bowl and turn on the “steam” mode
As soon as the water boils, place our container with chocolate on the bowl of the device and wait for about 5-7 minutes, while constantly stirring the mass

Melt chocolate in a multicooker.
Under no circumstances melt the sweetness under the lid of the multicooker, because the resulting condensation will definitely get into the mass and spoil it. There is another tip to prevent the chocolate from sticking to the dishes after cooking: grease them with a little regular butter.

Common mistakes

To avoid such troubles as deterioration in taste, loss of shine, separation into an oily base and a watery film, you should follow the basic rules:

Before you start melting, crush the tiles. This will save time and ensure even melting without burning or lumps.
To prevent the appearance of lumps and maintain the correct consistency and taste, do not allow water to get into the mixture. The dishes must be completely dry. To avoid condensation, do not cover it with a lid. Make sure that steam from the lower container does not enter the upper one.
The melted mass should not boil. Monitor the heating temperature, as overheating can cause bitterness. The temperature regime depends on the type - dark melts at 50-55 C, white and milky - at 43-45 C, respectively.
Stir the mixture constantly. For this, it is best to use a wooden or silicone spatula.

How to melt chocolate in a fondue pot: tips, recipes

A fondue pot is an ordinary cauldron that stands on 3 legs, between which a candle or burner is installed.

In order to melt chocolate in such a device, it must be made of ceramics.

To simply melt chocolate in a fondue pot you will need:

Chocolate
Fondue maker

There are several ways to melt chocolate using this device:

Place all the chopped chocolate in a container and melt on a gas stove
After this, we move the container onto a stand and light a candle under the fondue pot.
This way the chocolate will be at the right temperature all the time.

Or we do this:

Place the chopped chocolate in a fondue pot
We light a special burner with helium under it.

Since this device is intended specifically for such purposes, the chocolate melts in it quickly and easily

Using a fondue pot

Since we're talking about the fondue maker, here's a recipe for a delicious chocolate fondue.

Ingredients:

Chocolate of your choice – 250 g
Cream – 200 g
Cognac – 3 tbsp. l.
Fruits, berries, nuts at your discretion

We are preparing fondue.

Pour cream into a container
Then chop the chocolate and add it to the cream.
Melt the mass using a water bath (this is faster and more convenient)
Add cognac
Pour the contents into the fondue pot and light a candle under it
Wash the fruits and cut them into small pieces
Serve chocolate and fruit to the table along with skewers

What type of chocolate is suitable for melting?

A liquid product will be obtained from a bar that contains enough cocoa butter. And there are no vegetable fats, margarine, or food substitutes.

White chocolate melts just as successfully as milk, dark, bitter, black without sugar. The only difference is the speed of dissolution. It is important that the composition contains at least 60% cocoa butter. And in dark analogues there is cocoa powder.

Cheap bars often contain trans fats and are not natural products.

To prepare a cake coating in the microwave, a bar of aerated chocolate, as well as with inclusions of raisins, nuts, freeze-dried berries, dried fruits, and puffed rice, is not suitable.

All inclusions are added to the already melted mixture or sprinkled on top. At the request of the pastry chef.

So, we have already realized that not every sweet bar will become a sticky dessert.

It is not advisable to choose the following products for making a viscous dessert.

Tiles with fillings: nuts, dried fruits, etc. The inclusions will take away some of the heat and will not allow the composition to melt evenly. It is better to add the necessary components after melting.
When melted, porous chocolate produces flakes and lumps because its structure is uneven.
Chilled product. The tiles cannot be sent directly from the refrigerator to the oven. The result is a layered structure that is unusable. Allow the tile to come to room temperature before melting it.

Cupcakes, gingerbread, cookies and cakes are best coated with a smooth, even mixture. To be sure of the result, we recommend that you first follow all the recommendations with a small amount of products. If the manufacturer is conscientious, you will get a tasty, thick mass.

Note! The ingredients for the melted glaze must be warmed to room temperature before use. Therefore, butter, cream, milk and chocolate are first taken out of the refrigerator.

How to melt chocolate in silicone molds for figurines: tips, recipes

Chocolate is most often melted in silicone molds in order to then create certain figures from it.

We will need:

Silicone molds for figures
Chocolate
Nuts, raisins, cereal (as a filler if you want to make chocolate figures)

So, since we want to melt the sweetness directly in the molds, we do the following:

We chop the chocolate, you can grate it on a coarse grater, so the pieces will be much smaller than if we broke them with our hands
Now let's take our forms. They must be clean and dry - these are mandatory conditions
Arrange the sweets into the molds. Place the molds on a baking sheet or in one solid baking dish and place in the oven.
The oven should be on low heat; you should place the molds as high as possible from the heat
It will take about 10-15 minutes for the chocolate to melt. It all depends on the oven and its condition

Melted chocolate in molds
Well, now, some tips for those who want to make figures from melted chocolate in molds:

When melting chocolate, do not forget to stir it
If you don’t care about melting sweets in silicone molds, it’s better to use a water bath and a regular plate, it’s more convenient
If you want to put a nut or other filling in the middle of a future chocolate figure, then you need to pour the melted chocolate into the mold in 2 stages: first a small “foundation”, then wait a little for it to harden, and then put the nut and fill with the rest of the delicacy
Next, wait until the chocolate has cooled and put the molds in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, depending on the size of the molds and the amount of chocolate poured in.

This is how you can easily and simply melt chocolate in silicone molds and make wonderful figures out of it.

Secrets of melting different types of chocolate

If you need to melt an “inconvenient chocolate bar” (white or black, milky, porous), take into account the peculiarities of the structure of the product and use the advice of confectioners.

Porous chocolate

If you don’t have the recommended regular dark or milk chocolate at your disposal, you can also melt a porous product. You can “defeat” air bubbles that interfere with uniform melting by destroying them. Grate the tile on a fine grater and melt the powder.

White chocolate

This version of the delicacy requires a special approach. White chocolate begins to melt at lower temperatures than its dark or milk counterpart, so inexperienced cooks miss the right moment, and the chocolate mass becomes unsuitable for its intended use.

To melt white chocolate at home, use a double boiler. Melt the chocolate as described using two containers. It doesn’t hurt to grate the bar (white chocolate is most often porous).

If your white chocolate curdled during improper heating, you can save the product. Remove the container from the heat source immediately. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the mixture per 170 gram chocolate bar. Add butter in small pieces. Instead of butter, you can use vegetable oil, heated milk or cream.

It is best to find an alternative use for the reconstituted glaze when making a sauce or dough. Its texture will differ from that required for decorative purposes.

How to melt chocolate with milk or cream: tips, recipes

In previous methods for melting chocolate, we described the fastest and easiest methods to perform. Now let's talk about how to melt the treat with the addition of other ingredients.

Let's start with the recipe for melting chocolate with milk, we will need:

150 g chocolate (we'll use dark)
7 tbsp. milk

Melt:

Take the container in which the process will take place and lightly grease it with butter. We do this to make it easier to get the chocolate out after melting.
Don’t forget, the container must initially be dry, otherwise your chocolate will simply burn
Grind the chocolate and place it in the prepared bowl.
Now add milk into the container. We need milk so that the mass is more liquid and acquires a milky taste.
We will melt it in the already familiar way - in a water bath. Why is this so? Because this method is the easiest and safest for chocolate
Here’s another piece of advice: mix the chocolate only with a clean, dry spoon, because even a small drop of water from a spoon can completely ruin the mixture.

A mixture of chocolate and milk
And now the option with cream:

150 g chocolate (we use white)
Butter – 50 g
Heavy cream – 4 tbsp.

We will also melt in a water bath:

Grind the treat and place it in a dry container.
Add cream
Place the dishes in a water bath and melt, stirring constantly
After removing the container from the heat, add our butter to the chocolate mixture.
Mix everything carefully. Ready!

Thanks to the cream, our mass will be softer and more delicate in taste.

Useful tips and recipes from pastry chefs

And finally, we will share with you some culinary secrets borrowed from professional confectioners.

How to pour melted chocolate over a cake

At home, the finished cake is most often poured with icing on a large plate, parchment paper or board, and after hardening, it is carefully transferred to another, clean dish. But there is also a professional trick:

Place the cake on a wire rack.
Place a dish underneath to catch any excess glaze.
Slowly baste the baked goods in a circular motion.
If desired, you can pour two layers over the cake, leaving the first one to harden.

On a note!

Confectioners recommend applying the coating to baked goods that have been pre-chilled in the refrigerator. And mirror glaze is poured over cakes kept in the freezer.

Another filling option is to place the cake on a plate and cover it with parchment underneath. Pour in the glaze, let it harden, then remove the paper. This way the dish will remain clean and you won’t have to do any unnecessary steps.

How to melt chocolate for fondue

For this dessert, the product is melted using any of the methods we have discussed (in the microwave, in a “bath”, etc.). For fondue, the mass is given a creamier or more delicate taste by adding heavy cream (1:1) or milk and butter (150 and 50 g, respectively, per 100-gram slab). For flavor, you can pour liqueur or syrup (orange, strawberry) into the already melted mixture.

How to melt chocolate with butter: tips, recipes

Recipes for melting chocolate that contain butter are especially popular, because it is the butter that adds a light creamy flavor and the right consistency to the chocolate mass.

So let's try the following recipe:

150 g milk chocolate
Butter 40 g

Melt according to the previously described method - in the microwave. Initially, grind the chocolate (with your hands, with a knife, on a grater), and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. We take it out, stir the mixture, and put it in the microwave again for 30 seconds. Add butter to the already melted chocolate and wait for the lumps to completely dissolve, mix thoroughly

Melted chocolate with butter

Here's another interesting recipe:

100 g of any chocolate
Milk – 2 tbsp.
Butter – 50 g
Honey – 2 tsp.
Flavor "Rum"

Cooking:

Finely chop the chocolate bar and place it in a saucepan
Pour the milk in there
Melt until half cooked
Remove from heat, add oil. After the mass becomes homogeneous, add honey
And at the very end, add a couple of drops of flavoring

Butter plays a huge role in these recipes, because it is what adds a creamy, soft taste to chocolate and prevents it from hardening quickly and unsightly.

Making liquid milk chocolate glaze

How to melt chocolate to decorate a cake so that the icing is smooth and pliable for application. Read about this in this recipe.

See also: How long can gingerbread cookies and gingerbread be stored?

✍ Ingredients:

one bar of milk chocolate;
100 grams of butter;
2 tbsp. spoons of milk;
0.5 tbsp. Sahara;
one yolk

Preparation:

Grate the chocolate bar;
Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat;
Add sugar and milk, stir until sugar is completely dissolved;
Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and quickly grind with the yolk.
Add chocolate chips. Beat with a wooden spoon.

This glaze is perfect for decorating cakes, pastries and sweets.

What is the best way to melt white, porous, milk chocolate?

As mentioned earlier, today there is a fairly wide variety of chocolate, but it is important to know that not all types are suitable for melting.

Let's start with porous. It is better not to use this type of delicacy for melting, as it is too difficult to be exposed to temperature. Moreover, during the melting process you can see how the butter is separated from the chocolate, and the remaining mass turns into a bunch of grains that constantly clump into a lump. If for some reason you need melted porous chocolate, then you need to melt it in a steam or water bath, stirring constantly. In this case, the chocolate needs to be chopped as finely as possible, and removed from the heat as soon as half of the treat has melted.
Milk chocolate lends itself much better to heat treatment and is much more pleasant to work with. It can be melted in absolutely any way, including microwave and oven.
White chocolate is most often presented in the form of porous, so you should also refrain from using it as a glaze. But this chocolate is very suitable for decorating and decorating other confectionery products.
Chocolate that contains a significant amount of cocoa butter is best suited for melting.

Melting Features

For hot drinks

Lovers of a sweet drink can use regular chocolate bars, bulk confectionery or cocoa powder to prepare it (this option is the most budget-friendly, but the drink will not be as rich and aromatic).

A product without dyes and confectionery fat with a cocoa content of 60-70% is ideal.

For filling the cake and decorating

The frosting for filling the cake can be made from any chocolate, depending on your taste preferences. But dark and bitter ones retain their shine and shape better in desserts.

Couverture is ideal for creating patterns, figures and inscriptions - it is melted in a water bath, and then dessert decor is formed. If it is not possible to use couverture, then it is preferable to use bitter or dark couverture with a cocoa content of 70% or higher to decorate the cake. It must first be tempered - first heated to a temperature of 50 degrees, then quickly cooled to 27 degrees.

For chocolate covered fruits

Almost any type will do, including those containing natural dyes. The best combination with fruit is chocolate that contrasts with the color of the fruit itself. That is, fruits or berries of light shades are decorated with a dark coating and vice versa.

For fondue

The classic options for preparing this dessert are dark or white chocolate. To give the fondue a more delicate and creamy taste, heavy cream is sometimes added in a ratio of 1:1 or ghee with milk in a ratio of 1.5:1 and 1:2, respectively. For flavor, you can add fruit syrup or liqueur to the mixture.

How to quickly melt chocolate to liquid state?

Sometimes it happens that there is absolutely no time to prepare any dish or dessert.

To quickly melt chocolate to a liquid state, you can use an “open fire”; we have already described this technique.

Any type of chocolate must be broken or chopped as finely as possible
Place all the treats in a container with a thick, thick bottom and place on the lowest heat.
Stir constantly, and once the chocolate is half melted, remove from heat. Don’t ignore this advice, believe me, the sweetness will “reach” even without fire

Melting chocolate

Also, do not forget that under no circumstances should you add water to chocolate.
At most, you can add a little oil to the mass already removed from the heat, but this is not necessary either.

How to make frosting from cocoa powder

Taking and melting a ready-made bar may not be so interesting, and good chocolate is expensive, and you don’t always have it on hand. If you have cocoa powder at home, you can use this alternative technique:

take 50 g of butter and melt in the already known steam bath;
add 4 tbsp. l. cocoa powder and 4 tbsp. l. powdered sugar. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. If desired, the quantity of products can be varied;
Cool slightly and pour over the cake.

Please note that the mixture will not be too thick. But it spreads very picturesquely and consists exclusively of selected products.

If you have read this article to the end, then your stock of recipes has been replenished with as many as 10 techniques on how to melt any chocolate! By combining some techniques, you can achieve the desired results. But one thing will unite absolutely all methods: a tasty and aromatic result, ready to decorate any culinary work and bring it to perfection.

How to melt chocolate so that it doesn't harden and is shiny?

It often happens that after the treat has dissolved, it immediately hardens.

Here are some tips on how to avoid this:

It is very important to choose quality chocolate. Please note that it is chocolate, and not its substitutes, “confectionery bars” and desserts similar to chocolate
The heat on which you melt the chocolate, whether in a steam bath or water bath, or directly in a saucepan, should be low, because the sweetness melts very quickly and can boil, and this will lead to the chocolate becoming loose and eventually hardening
Also, to prevent the chocolate from hardening, after melting it, you need to add a little butter to the mass, however, if you cook according to the recipe, then follow the proportions of butter and chocolate
A shiny mass is easily obtained from couverture - natural chocolate, which has a very high cocoa butter content. However, this chocolate is the most expensive

What type of chocolate should you choose?

To get a beautiful cake coating, you don't have to think about how to melt a cheap chocolate bar. A high-quality chocolate bar with a high percentage of cocoa content and without fillers is the key to obtaining an excellent means for decorating desserts or fondues. A good chocolate product does not contain soy lecithin, but only cocoa butter.

It is worth refusing to use porous tiles. It is difficult to predict how chocolate with bubbles will melt and what the end result will be. Due to the air layer, the product will not be able to heat up evenly: the upper pieces will not yet begin to melt, while the lower ones will already have time to burn. Nuts or raisins in the base product will also interfere with the production of a beautiful glaze; the resulting mass will be impossible to use.

To make a delicious, shiny glaze, you need to purchase a special type of chocolate with a high content of cocoa beans (couverture), made from finely ground cocoa powder. This product is not cheap, but it produces a delicious, fragile crust.

If you need to decorate your cake with words, buy milk chocolate. It successfully fulfills “artistic tasks” due to its increased density and ductility.

It’s very good if the wrapper of the chocolate you bought says “confectionery” or “table”. These high quality varieties are the easiest to work with.

In general, when choosing which chocolate to melt, give preference to the following brands: Milka, Alpen Gold.

What to do if melted chocolate thickens?

First, let's look at the reasons why this could happen. There are several reasons:

You purchased low-quality chocolate
The chocolate has expired
You have overheated the chocolate or water has entered it.

Melt thickened chocolate
You might mistakenly think that it is impossible to “reanimate” such a mass, but there are several ways that can do this:

If the chocolate has thickened completely and has had time to cool, then, of course, you will have to melt it again. Once the chocolate has melted, add a small piece of butter.
If you melt a treat and notice that lumps have begun to appear in it, then you need to do the following:
Immediately remove mixture from heat
Add a piece of butter or shortening to the chocolate. You can also use a little milk, cream or vegetable oil
Remember, the ingredients you add should be at approximately the same temperature as the chocolate.
Stirring until the mixture is homogeneous

Chocolate is not only tasty, but also healthy. That is why it has earned such popularity among other confectionery products. Properly melted chocolate can be used as a dessert on its own or as frosting for a cake.

Method 5 - making shiny glaze

To create a unique effect, natural honey is added to the composition. Following the recipe will provide a wonderful chocolate coating for the cake:

dark chocolate in the amount of 150 grams;
full-fat milk (preferably homemade) – 90 g;
bee honey – 30 g;
butter – 80 g;
powdered sugar – 80 g.

Preparation procedure:

Prepare the pots for the water bath and place them on the stove.
Lay out the chocolate pieces.
Add heated milk complete with powdered sugar to the melting product.
Stir the mixture constantly, avoiding the formation of lumps.
Remove the homogeneous glaze from the heat.
Add oil and honey.
Stir the glaze thoroughly.

Important: to avoid loss of beneficial properties and aesthetic appearance, the product is not recommended to be stored in the refrigerator.

How to work with milk

Delicious homemade chocolate is sometimes melted in the microwave with milk or cream. There are two known algorithms of action.

First you need to melt the chocolate. Heat the milk separately. Then mix them. A glass of milk is heated for a minute, one and a half.
Crush chocolate into a ceramic bowl and pour milk (100 ml). Heat for about 30 seconds. In the warm milk, the sweet crumbs will melt as the mixture is stirred. Then heat the entire mass to the desired temperature.

Important! If you try to pour boiling milk over cold chocolate, separation and lumps may occur. A rich chocolate drink is obtained if the bar contains more than 60% cocoa products.

The process of melting white, dark and milk chocolate in the microwave

So, we have decided that any type of chocolate can be melted. The main condition is that the treat must be without fillers. To melt chocolate in the microwave, follow these simple rules:

We take a dry bowl with thick walls and break it into the required amount of treats. If you plan to melt chocolate drops or shavings, then there is no point in additionally crumbling the deliciousness.
We set the “correct” mode of the microwave oven. We have determined that the ideal power for heating chocolate is 350 W.
We put the dishes in the appliance and turn it on.

The heating time of a chocolate bar directly depends on the quality of the confectionery product made from cocoa beans. On average, heating chocolate takes about 1-2 minutes.

Is it necessary to stir the chocolate mass while heating? Definitely yes. The fact is that some stove models only heat the surface of the product. After 30 seconds, look into the equipment, take out the chocolate mass, and stir it.

Stirring the chocolate mixture occasionally will ensure that the pieces melt evenly. After a couple of minutes, remove the melted treat from the microwave and start preparing the dessert. Do not overheat the treat, otherwise all the moisture will evaporate from it. Due to the evaporation of moisture, it will become too hard and it will be impossible to use it for confectionery purposes.

Tempering

Tempered chocolate holds its shape well, breaks with a characteristic crunch, and has a glossy, even shine. It becomes this way due to the crystallization of cocoa butter. If the bar contains a cheap cocoa butter substitute, quality tempering will not work.

Simply melting chocolate and letting it cool is not considered tempered. If it is melted, cooled a little and then heated to the desired temperature, then it is tempered.

A composition in which half of the solid pieces remains when melted is still tempered. By stirring them in the liquid part, bring them to operating temperature, a single, uniform mixture.

At home, temper a small enough amount of the product to cover a cake, several gingerbread cookies, and eclairs with a glossy crust.

It is important to bring the chocolate to the required temperature and maintain the crystalline structure of the cocoa butter.

An example of a tempered product is packaged bars, chocolate chips.

Key rules for tempering: Time, temperature and movement.

In this case, the microwave is turned on at high power and the container with the product is placed in it for a very short time (15-10 seconds), several times. Stir constantly during breaks. Stop heating when 50% of the solids have melted.