What’s the Best Way to Melt Chocolate?

Byamazingfoodstv


Click here to watch more kitchen tips:

Our preferred method for melting chocolate is to use the microwave, whether it’s to simply liquefy it (for a frosting or a cake) or to temper it (so it hardens into a shiny, snappy glaze). The microwave is far less fussy than the old-fashioned method of warming chopped chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, and it’s also a lot quicker: 3.5 minutes versus 6.5 minutes to melt 4 ounces of chocolate, and about 5 minutes versus 10 minutes to temper the same amount of chocolate. The microwave method is more efficient because heat surrounds the chocolate completely, while in the stovetop method the heat is concentrated at the bottom of the bowl.

Ever wonder how to scoop rock-hard ice cream? Here’s how:

Watch our stand mixer review:

We recently found another application where the microwave bested the traditional method: reheating ganache. This simple emulsion, made by heating chocolate and cream together, makes a decadent glaze when warm and a beautifully spreadable frosting when slightly cooled. But if it gets too cool (or if you chill it), you’ll need to reheat it. When we compared microwaving 1 1/4 cups of ganache to warming it gently in a double boiler, it took just 55 seconds versus 8 minutes. That’s one more chocolate-warming technique we’ll now always assign to the microwave.

Melting
Stovetop: 6.5 minutes
Microwave: 3.5 minutes

Tempering
Stovetop: 10 minutes
Microwave: 5 minutes

Reheating Ganache
Stovetop: 8 minutes
Microwave: 1 minute

ABOUT US: Located in Boston’s Seaport District in the historic Innovation and Design Building, America’s Test Kitchen features 15,000 square feet of kitchen space including multiple photography and video studios. It is the home of Cook’s Illustrated magazine and Cook’s Country magazine and is the workday destination for more than 60 test cooks, editors, and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes over and over again until we understand how and why they work and until we arrive at the best version.

If you like us, follow us:

source

Similar Posts

32 Comments

  2. Place 6 oz. of chocolate chips in each of (2) one qt. zip-lock bags. Wearing a sweatshirt, place one bag into each underarm-pit. Engage in 20 minutes of moderately strenuous physical activity (mowing a small lawn is perfect). When ready to use, clip the corner of the bags with scissors and dispense melted chocolate by squeezing it out like using a pastry bag.

  19. Any good way to test for temperature? When I temper chocolate over a double boiler I can stick a thermometer in there the whole time to make sure it doesn't get too hot. How can I get the same results using a microwave?

  20. You describe the microwave like an oven. I don't think you know how microwaves work. Also doing the double boiler method apples consistent heat and allows you to monitor what's going on in real time. And it's not hard to set up.

  21. It would be nice if these videos had some actual tests to back up these claims instead of just telling us what to do. Not that I doubt you guys, but it would just make the information more reliable, and be more enjoyable content.

Leave a Reply