Are you looking for a way to melt block chocolate? When cooking or baking , sometimes a recipe requires us to melt the chocolate first. Unfortunately, there are still lots of people who don't know how to melt chocolate properly, even though it's quite easy to do.
Through this article, you will learn about how to easily melt chocolate blocks to produce the perfect melt. In addition, you will also get an explanation of the problems that are often encountered when melting chocolate. Let's see more below!
2 Ways to Melt Block Chocolate Properly
One of the easiest ways to melt block chocolate is to use the au bain marie method . In addition, you can also use the microwave to melt chocolate blocks. The following are two ways to melt block chocolate perfectly.
1. The Au Bain Marie method
The method of using the au-bain marie method to melt chocolate is to heat the chocolate using the heat energy generated from hot water vapor. The tools needed to use the au bain marie method include:
- Big container
- Small pot, the size should be smaller than the big container
- Stove
- Spatula
After all the tools are prepared, then you can immediately melt the chocolate block. The following are the steps to properly melt block chocolate using the au bain marie method:
- Cut or chop the chocolate blocks into very small pieces to speed up the melting process.
- Store the chocolate chunks in a large container.
- Prepare a saucepan and add about ¼ of the water. Heat the water on the stove over low heat. The water doesn't need to boil, just heat it.
- Place the chocolate container over a pot filled with hot water.
- As long as it is heated over the pan, stir the chocolate mixture in the container so that the melting process can be faster.
- Once the chocolate has completely melted, lift the chocolate bowl and wipe the bottom to prevent water from getting into the chocolate mixture.
Ta-da! Now the chocolate block has melted completely. So easy, right?
Also read: Know How to Melt White Chocolate Properly
2. Microwaves
Apart from using the au bain marie method , you can also melt chocolate blocks using the microwave . The following are the steps to properly melt chocolate blocks using a microwave :
- Cut or chop the chocolate blocks into very small pieces to speed up the melting process.
- Store the chocolate chunks in a microwave- safe container that can hold the melted chocolate mixture, such as a cereal bowl or stainless steel bowl . Make sure the container is large enough so that the chocolate mixture doesn't melt on the outside.
- Heat the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- After 30 seconds, remove the container and stir the chocolate mixture.
- Place the chocolate back into the microwave and reheat for 30 seconds.
- After 30 seconds, remove the chocolate mixture from the microwave and stir again until it melts completely.
If you follow the steps above correctly, the chocolate block should be able to melt properly and completely. To get visual instructions on how to properly melt block chocolate, you can visit the following video: 5 Good and Correct Ways to Melt Bain-marie & Microwave Chocolate .
You can also browse the YouTube channel for other videos on how to process chocolate to recipes made from chocolate. There are lots of videos that can be useful for you, especially if you are learning to cook or bake .
Also read: What is Chocolate Tempering?
Melting chocolate is not really an easy thing. Occasionally, you will run into some problems that make the chocolate difficult to melt. Below are some common problems that arise when melting chocolate and their solutions.
1. Why Won't the Chocolate Melt?
If the chocolate block won't melt, there are probably two problems. First, the temperature of the hot water or microwave used to melt the chocolate may be too cold. Make sure to always pay attention to the temperature, if it's too cold then the chocolate won't melt and if it's too hot then the chocolate will burn or burn easily.
Second, the chocolate you want to melt will likely still be quite large. The larger the size, the more difficult it will be for the chocolate to melt. Before melting chocolate, especially if you want to melt block chocolate, make sure to cut or chop it into small pieces first.
2. Burnt Chocolate
Chocolate that burns when melted usually occurs when the temperature of the hot water or the microwave is too high. In addition, chocolate that is heated for too long also has the possibility of burning or burning. Just make sure to check the temperature of the hot water or microwave to match, at least in the 50 to 55 degree Celsius range. In addition, you also should not heat the chocolate for too long, if it is liquid enough, it means the chocolate has melted completely.
3. Seized Chocolate
Chocolate will seizure when exposed to moisture, such as moisture or liquid. Chocolate itself does not contain moisture in it, so when even a little moisture or liquid enters, the texture of the chocolate will be damaged. To fix this, you can try adding a few pieces of chocolate that haven't melted yet, then stir until well mixed with the dough.
Also, you can add some kind of fat to it, ideally cocoa butter . If you don't have cocoa butter on hand, you can also use a vegetable fat, such as vegetable or palm oil. Even though the melted results won't be perfect, the seized chocolate can still be used to make ganache or chocolate sauce.
Also read: How to Melt the Right Chocolate Bar?
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