Perfectly Melted Chocolate

When melting chocolate to use for decorating or as part of a recipe, you want the melted chocolate to be smooth and creamy. If not melted correctly, the chocolate can seize up and become hard and clumpy. This can happen if just a tiny amount of liquid or steam comes in contact with the chocolate when it is being melted. For best results, follow the detailed instructions below.

• Heat some water in a small saucepan but do not bring it to a boil.
• Place the chocolate in a small glass bowl that will fit into the pan of hot water without the water coming up over the sides.
• Place the bowl in the pan of hot water. Be sure the hot water only comes partially up the side of the bowl because you do not want any moisture to get into the chocolate and cause it to seize.
• Allow the bowl of chocolate to stand in the hot water; carefully stir occasionally.
• When the chocolate is almost all melted, remove it from the pan of water and stir until completely melted. For more methods on how to melt chocolate, see our information on All About Chocolate.