How to properly make melted chocolate in the microwave or in a water bath

Delicious chocolate glaze is often used to decorate cakes, pastries, ice cream and many other desserts. It is very easy to prepare and anyone can easily do it at home. There are many different ways to melt chocolate. Get to know some techniques and remember a few secrets.

How to melt chocolate in the microwave

One of the simplest ways to carry out such a process. Some people have doubts about whether they can melt chocolate in the microwave. In vain, because a microwave oven is ideal for this; with its help you will be able to do everything quickly and accurately. To avoid spoiling the product, remember a few useful tips:

The microwave is most suitable for melting dark and milk chocolate containing at least 50% cocoa. The resulting mass should be used as a filling or other component of the dish. This is not suitable for decoration.
Choose a good bowl: a deep, heat-resistant glass or ceramic bowl designed specifically for use in the microwave. The container should not warm up too much on its own, because the melted chocolate mass will form lumps and a whitish coating will appear on the surface.
The tiles should be broken into small, identical pieces to ensure quick and even melting. You can even grate it.
Every 30 seconds, stop the process and stir the chocolate mass.
Power must be chosen average. Processing time depends on the weight of the product:

up to 50 g – 1 minute;
0.25 kg – 3 minutes;
0.5 kg – 3 minutes 30 seconds;
0.5-1 kg – 4 minutes.

How to melt chocolate in a double boiler

This method is time-tested. It is based on maintaining a given temperature using two containers of different diameters. Ensures uniform and gradual heating. If you don’t know how to quickly melt chocolate in a water bath, follow these instructions:

Take a couple of pans of different diameters. Pour water into a large one and boil it, and then reduce the heat to low.
The smaller pan must be completely dry; the presence of even a couple of drops of water in it is a mistake that will ruin your efforts. Place equal pieces of chocolate there.
Place the small pan on top of the larger one so that the water does not touch the bottom. As soon as the pieces begin to melt, stir them with a silicone or wooden spatula (the first option is preferable) without ceasing. Once completely dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and pour the liquid mass into a cold container.

How to melt chocolate on the stove

This method is one of the most labor-intensive, but if you do not have a microwave and dishes for a water bath, you can use it. If you want to know how to properly melt chocolate on the stove, remember the following:

Select a saucepan with a very thick bottom and place a chocolate bar there, divided into equal pieces.
Turn on the stove and turn the heat to low. Place a pan on it.
As soon as the slices begin to melt at the edges, start stirring them and do not stop until the mass completely turns into liquid.

How to properly melt chocolate at home

You already know about the main methods, but these are not all the features of the process. The ideal melted chocolate is obtained by adding a small amount of sour cream, milk or butter to the mixture. Before you start cooking, use these recommendations:

Choose tiles without fillers. Chocolate with additives melts unevenly. Porous one won’t work either, because it doesn’t contain enough cocoa, but there are a lot of different impurities.
Chocolate must contain at least 55% cocoa, for white the threshold is lower - 35%.
You can't make a good glaze out of dessert bars.
It is advisable to bring the chocolate to room temperature before starting to melt it. If the tile is too cold, the desired consistency of the glaze will not be achieved.

Chocolate with butter

Number of servings: 1 person.
Calorie content of the dish: 1258 kcal.
Kitchen: homemade.

The easiest way to melt chocolate is in a water bath with butter. As a result, you will get a shiny, homogeneous mass that quickly hardens, forming a mirror-like glossy surface on a delicious dessert. You can decorate cakes, pastries, ice cream, and other homemade sweets with this melted chocolate. Be sure to remember how to make melted chocolate with butter.

Ingredients:

chocolate (at least 55% cocoa) – 175 g;
butter (not less than 82% fat) – 175 g.

Cooking method:

Bring the ingredients of the dish to room temperature.
Boil water in a large saucepan and immediately turn the heat to low.
Place equal sized pieces of chocolate and slices of butter into a bowl of smaller diameter.
Place a small saucepan on top of a large one. As soon as the chocolate pieces begin to melt, begin to gently stir the mixture.
When all the ingredients have dissolved and the mixture is smooth and shiny, remove it from the heat. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Melted chocolate with milk

Cooking time: half an hour.
Number of servings: 1 person.
Calorie content of the dish: 1005 kcal.
Purpose: decoration for desserts.
Kitchen: homemade.

Melted chocolate with milk is very easy to prepare and is suitable for absolutely any dessert. The most important thing is to maintain the proportions, otherwise the mass may turn out to be more liquid than required. It is advisable to use full-fat milk for the recipe; this will significantly improve the taste characteristics of the finished product. Remember how to prepare glaze this way and be sure to try it in practice.

Ingredients:

milk or black chocolate – 0.2 kg;
milk – 6 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

Bring food to room temperature.
Prepare two pans. Boil water in one, reduce heat to low.
Break the chocolate bar into the second container. Pour in 3 tablespoons of milk. Place in a water bath.
When the chocolate pieces begin to melt, pour in the other half of the milk and stir continuously. Remove from heat once the mixture is completely homogeneous.

Chocolate with sour cream

Cooking time: 20-25 minutes.
Number of servings: 1 person.
Calorie content of the dish: 1678 kcal.
Purpose: decoration for desserts.
Kitchen: homemade.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

To make the following frosting recipe, you will need to melt sour cream with chocolate, a little butter, vanilla, powdered sugar and corn syrup. It turns out very sweet, so it will be an ideal decoration for those desserts that are intended specifically for children. Try not to forget how to make chocolate frosting with sour cream.

Ingredients:

sour cream – 1 glass;
powdered sugar – 2 cups;
vanillin – 2 tsp;
corn syrup – 3 tbsp. l.;
dark chocolate – 0.2 kg;
butter – 50 g.

Cooking method:

Prepare everything you need for the water bath. Dissolve equal pieces of chocolate on it, stirring continuously. At the very end, add a piece of butter.
Stir until smooth, then add vanilla and corn syrup.
Beat the powdered sugar with sour cream. When the mass is homogeneous, add it in small portions to the glaze and stir.

How to make liquid chocolate

Cooking time: half an hour.
Number of servings: 4 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 1985 kcal.
Purpose: dessert drink.
Kitchen: homemade.
Difficulty of preparation: above average.

If you want to surprise your loved ones with an unusual homemade hot drink, make liquid chocolate for them. It turns out very aromatic and sweet. Hot cocoa drink will be an excellent addition to cake, cookies, pastries, and ice cream. Children and even adults will definitely like it; believe me, no one will refuse a cup of such delicious liquid chocolate.

Ingredients:

milk (not less than 3.2% fat) or cream (10-15%) – 0.5 l;
ground cinnamon – 0.5 tsp;
dark chocolate – 0.2 kg;
potato starch - 4 tbsp. l.;
whipped cream - for decoration;
cardamom, star anise, ground hot chili pepper or other spices - to taste.

Cooking method:

Heat the milk or cream in a water bath.
Enter starch. When it dissolves, place the chocolate pieces into the container.
When the mass becomes homogeneous and begins to thicken, add cinnamon and other spices of your choice.
Pour the drink into serving cups. Serve with cream.

Melted chocolate for cake

Cooking time: 20 minutes.
Number of servings: 1 person.
Calorie content of the dish: 2834 kcal.
Kitchen: homemade.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Every housewife who likes to make homemade cakes should learn how to prepare melted chocolate for a cake. As it hardens, it forms a beautiful, even crust on the delicious dessert, which will be cut evenly and softly. To prepare the glaze, you should take dark chocolate and cream of the highest fat content. You don't need any other ingredients for the dish.

Ingredients:

dark chocolate – 0.3 kg;
heavy cream – 0.3 l.

Cooking method:

Divide the chocolate into equal small pieces and place in the top pan of the water bath.
Add cream.
Stir the mixture until it becomes viscous and soft. Before use, cool and beat with a mixer.

How to properly melt chocolate for glaze

Cooking time: 35 minutes.
Number of servings: 1 person.
Calorie content of the dish: 2544 kcal.
Purpose: decoration for dessert.
Kitchen: homemade.
Difficulty of preparation: medium.

A wonderful chocolate glaze comes out with the addition of honey. It turns out very shiny. If you don't know how to melt chocolate for frosting, you can try the following recipes. To make it you will need honey, a little powdered sugar, butter, milk. The glaze should be cooled before pouring over the baked goods. It is suitable for a cake or other delicious dessert.

Ingredients:

chocolate – 150 g;
milk – 6 tbsp. l.;
honey – 6 tsp;
butter – 75 g;
powdered sugar – 6 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

In a water bath, melt the chocolate bar, broken into equal pieces.
In the process, add milk, powdered sugar, stir.
When the mass becomes homogeneous, remove it from the heat. Without stopping stirring, add honey and butter.

How to melt chocolate for fondue

Cooking time: 40 minutes.
Number of servings: 3 persons.
Calorie content of the dish: 1926 kcal.
Purpose: decoration for dessert.
Kitchen: homemade.
Difficulty of preparation: easy.

Chocolate for fondue or fountain must have the correct consistency, otherwise the serving will be ruined. For flavor, it is customary to add alcoholic drinks, for example, brandy, liqueur, cognac. However, if you are cooking for children, then this is completely optional. Marshmallows, nuts, pieces of dry and fresh fruit, marmalades and any other sweets are suitable for serving chocolate fondue.

Ingredients:

milk chocolate – 0.3 kg;
ground cinnamon - two pinches;
cream – 4.5 tbsp. l.;
strong coffee – 1.5 tbsp. l.;
cherry brandy – 3 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

Break the chocolate bar into pieces and place in a water bath.
When the product begins to melt, add cream, coffee, brandy. Lastly, add the cinnamon.
Bring the mixture until smooth and remove from heat.

Which chocolate is best to melt?

Each variety of this confectionery product has its own characteristics. You need to know them so as not to spoil the dish. The best taste would be melted “confectionery” or “table” chocolate. The most expensive variety is couverture. There is simply no better option for melting. It contains a lot of cocoa butter, and there are no additives at all. In addition, the color of the product affects it.

Liquid white chocolate

Many housewives believe that this variety is the most capricious. Melting white chocolate is not so difficult if you know a few subtleties and observe the temperature regime. The mass will be homogeneous and will not separate. You need to set up a water bath and turn off the heat completely when the water starts to boil. You should wait until all the bubbles disappear. Only then should you put a bowl with pieces of white chocolate. There is no need for additives in the form of butter or cream, the consistency will deteriorate. The mass is ideal for creating decorative patterns and inscriptions.

Milk chocolate

The most convenient option, especially for those people who are just experimenting with confectionery products. If you happen to have a milk chocolate bar, you are very lucky - when melted, it will turn into a viscous, moderately liquid mass. It is preferable to use such a product if you are preparing desserts for children. The glaze will be very sweet.

bitter chocolate

Working with such a product is a little more difficult. You can only melt dark chocolate at elevated temperatures. Due to the fact that it contains a lot of cocoa, the mass may be uneven or excessively liquid. The glaze from this type of chocolate bars will be bitter and slightly tart, which will really appeal to adults with a sweet tooth. It is suitable for very sweet desserts, for example, bird's milk.

Video: How to melt chocolate