If you frequently make desserts, it's worth learning how to melt white chocolate. Whether you like to eat it plain, in the form of a beloved candy bar, bake it into your favorite treats, or melt it over the top of fresh fruits and confections, there are many ways to enjoy this ingredient. But when it comes to melting white chocolate, a little caution is required as it can easily scorch. Learn the two best methods for melting white chocolate so it stays creamy, smooth, and delicious.
"Delicious, tempting, and creamy, white chocolate is loved worldwide. You can dip strawberries in it, drizzle white chocolate over biscotti, add it to whipped cream and make a mousse, write with it on a cake, or temper it into solid blocks," says Maya Hayes, executive pastry chef, Ocean House Collection and Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. "White chocolate is composed of cocoa butter, milk powder, sugar, vanilla, and soy lecithin or other thickeners. While it contains cacao pod fats, it does not contain any of the cocoa solids that comprise the flavor of dark chocolate.
According to Hayes, white chocolate melts in much the same way as dark chocolate, but you do have to be slightly more careful as it can be more temperamental: Its fat content means that white chocolate burns quite easily, "so it's important to melt it using indirect heat—otherwise, you'll be left with a clumpy, unusable mess."
The Best White Chocolate to Use for Melting
To achieve a smooth melted texture, use a bar of white chocolate or white chocolate chunks, not white chocolate chips. White chocolate chips contain stabilizers to keep the chip in that form even when melted in the oven—and they will not melt as nicely as chunks or a bar. If you use a bar, break it into evenly sized pieces before putting it in a bowl to melt.
Double Boiler Method
Follow these steps for melting white chocolate using a double boiler:
To create a double boiler, fill a saucepan with 1 inch of water and place it on the stovetop.
Place a metal or tempered glass bowl in the saucepan. (The bowl needs to be big enough that it fits over the top of the saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.)
Put the pieces of white chocolate in the bowl and heat the water in the saucepan to a boil before immediately turning it down to a gentle simmer. (If the heat is too high, the white chocolate may "burn" and create clumps.)
Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat and take the bowl out of the saucepan.
Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a cloth to absorb any water.
When warming the white chocolate, make sure the heat is gentle, and be sure to stir with a rubber spatula as the solids begin to melt. There will be steam coming up the sides of the bowl, so it's important to make sure that none of the water gets into the chocolate—water and chocolate are enemies, and the water will immediately make the chocolate clumpy.
Follow these steps to melt white chocolate using the microwave:
Place white chocolate chunks or pieces in a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat no more than 20 seconds at a time.
Each time you heat the chocolate, take it out of the microwave and stir. Continue to heat and stir until the white chocolate is fully melted—remember, it is easy to burn white chocolate.
Regardless of which method you opt for, when you're done, you'll have melted white chocolate to "dip your strawberries in, write on your cake with ... or to eat straight from the bowl," says Hayes. Let the white chocolate dessert brainstorming begin.
The Two Best Methods for Melting White Chocolate So That It Doesn't Burn or Clump. Learn how to melt white chocolate using a double boiler or the microwave for a smooth and creamy result.
Use Low Heat: Place the saucepan on the lowest heat setting. White chocolate is sensitive to high temperatures. Stir Constantly: Add the white chocolate to the pan and stir constantly with a silicone spatula.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the chocolate using a rubber spatula. If needed, return the bowl to the microwave and continue to heat the chocolate at 50% power in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
smooth and creamy melted chocolate every time. for every one cup of chocolate chips, I either use half a teaspoon of vegetable oil. or one tablespoon of coconut oil. microwave in 22nd intervals.stir very well between so that it doesn't burn.
Place chocolate in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds on 30% power. Stir well and continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Note: if only a few lumps remain in the melted chocolate, microwave for only 15 seconds on 30% power.
Using a double boiler gives you maximum control over the heating process. The steam of the barely simmering water gently melts the chocolate so that it doesn't have a chance to burn. Create a double boiler by bringing a medium pot filled with about an inch of water to a simmer.
It contains cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids, and often vanilla, but lacks cocoa solids found in other types of chocolate. The high content of cocoa butter and milk solids in white chocolate is why it melts at a lower temperature and requires extra care when melting to prevent it from burning or seizing.
Cocoa butter is the fat that occurs in the cacao beans. But there isn't enough fat naturally in the beans to make a smooth texture, so chocolate makers add extra.
Cooking white chocolate carefully will caramelize the sugars and milk solids, and give you a toasty caramel flavor that is completely addictive. Even better? It is super easy to do! You can caramelize white chocolate in three ways, your oven, your stovetop, or even the microwave.
Oil-based flavorings, sometimes called “candy flavoring” or “chocolate flavoring,” can be added directly to melted chocolate without causing it to seize. The best way to determine if you have the right flavoring is to read the ingredient list.
NEVER add water when melting chocolate. It will become lumpy and unmanageable. If you must add a liquid (such as heavy cream or milk), heat up the liquid first, then add the chocolate. The chocolate will melt more evenly and distribute into the liquid.
There are instances, however, where creamy luxurious chocolate can become a dry, clumpy nightmare. For instance, when chocolate comes into contact with even the smallest amount of water, it seizes. Similarly, if chocolate is overheated, it will become thick and lumpy.
To thin melted chocolate, add a small amount of neutral oil, like vegetable oil or cocoa butter, stirring gently until it reaches the desired consistency. Melt slowly to avoid overheating, and keep water out to prevent the chocolate from seizing.
Place white chocolate chunks or pieces in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat no more than 20 seconds at a time. Each time you heat the chocolate, take it out of the microwave and stir. Continue to heat and stir until the white chocolate is fully melted—remember, it is easy to burn white chocolate.
What's the best trick for silky smooth melted chocolate? If you're looking for a little extra insurance, add about 1 teaspoon of coconut oil per 1 cup of chocolate before melting. The nearly flavorless oil helps the chocolate get extra smooth and gives it a glossy sheen.
You can keep melted chocolate from returning to a solid by maintaining it at a temperature between 88 and 90 F, according to Michigan State University. This is too cool for it to burn, but isn't warm enough for it to harden.
Chocolate seizes when it comes into contact with even a small amount of liquid or moisture during the melting process. This is because the water causes the sugar in the chocolate to dissolve and then form a syrup, which binds the cocoa particles together, creating a grainy, thick, and clumpy texture.
Add powdered dye as soon as the chocolate starts to melt. You can add oil-based dye after the chocolate melts, as long as you warmed the dye as described above. Liquid dye is less likely to cause seizing if added right away, before the chocolate melts. (This is why there is no need to warm the dye in advance.)
Milk Chocolate: Melt to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, seed and cool to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, reheat to 85 - 87 degrees Fahrenheit. White Chocolate: Melt to 113 degrees Fahrenheit, seed and cool to 79 degrees Fahrenheit, reheat to 82 - 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
Introduction: My name is Van Hayes, I am a thankful, friendly, smiling, calm, powerful, fine, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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