Chocolate chips can be used as-is or melted down for anything you like. The good news is, these versatile little chunks of heaven are super easy to work with, no matter what you want to do with them.
You can put them in cookies and cakes or add them to sauces and ganaches easily.
The problem is – how exactly do you melt them? Is there a “right” way to do things and a “wrong” way? Read this to learn everything you need to know, and we will highlight just how easy it is!
How To Melt Chocolate Chips
There are two fantastic ways to melt chocolate chips: in a microwave or on the stovetop! Both methods are super easy, and will get you perfect results as long as you follow the instructions carefully!
Unfortunately, melting chocolate chips is not always as easy as you might think, and things can easily go wrong. So, listen up and take notes!
In A Microwave
The microwave is the fastest and arguably the most fool-proof way to melt your chocolate chips. You don’t need anything special, either, just your chocolate chips, a microwave-safe bowl, and a spatula or something similar!
You may need additional ingredients if you want to thin out your chocolate once it has melted, but this will be up to you! Not every recipe will need this (we will go through this shortly).
Now, to melt your chocolate chips in a microwave, follow these simple steps:
Measure out the amount of chocolate chips you are going to need and toss them in a microwave-safe bowl
Microwave the chocolate chips for 30 seconds
Remove the bowl (carefully) and stir the chocolate chips
Microwave the chocolate chips for another 20–25 seconds
Stir the chocolate chips again
Use 15-second intervals in the microwave to gradually melt them. Make sure that you stir them in between intervals!
Keep doing this until all the chocolate chips have melted and you have a smooth mixture. This could take a few rounds, depending on how full the bowl is.
On The Stovetop
To melt chocolate on the stovetop, you will use the double-boiler method. You’ll need a bowl and pit that fit together well.
The bowl should fit snugly over the pot so that no steam can escape, and it must not be touching the bottom of the pot (or the water that will go in the pot).
Once you have this setup ready to go, follow these steps:
Add roughly an inch of water to the pot and quit for it to start simmering
Measure out your chocolate chips while you wait for the water, and get them in a heatproof bowl that fits the pot well
Once the water is simmering, place the bowl of chocolate chips over the pot (again, make sure the bowl is not touching the water)
Slowly stir the chocolate as it begins to melt
This could take a few minutes, so have some patience! Make sure the water is never boiling violently, only keep it simmering for the best results.
Tips And Tricks For Melting Chocolate Chips
As we said before, it is easy to run into problems when you are melting chocolate because everything is not always as easy as it looks!
To help you out, we have put together a few things that you should be aware of before streaming to melt your chocolate – this knowledge could make your life a lot easier!
Always Heat The Chocolate Up Slowly
The biggest problem that people experience when it comes to melting chocolate is the heat. If you heat your chocolate up too quickly, it will become thick and lumpy, and it will lose its wonderful luster.
Instead, you need to have some patience and gradually heat up your chocolate. This is why you use increments with the microwave, and never allow the hot water to touch your chocolate on the stovetop!
Slow and steady wins the race, and your results will be beautiful.
You Can Thin Your Chocolate Out By Adding A Little Oil
If you do need to thin your chocolate out for whatever reason, this is easy enough to do. You can add some oil to the mix and give it a good stir to create a homogenous mixture.
The type of oil you choose will depend on you, but either vegetable or coconut oil work very well for this issue. Adding some oil will also help to make the chocolate shine again, so you can get it looking pretty.
How To Fix Seized Chocolate
Seized chocolate refers to when the chocolate has gone lumpy and thick – usually because it got heated up too quickly.
It could also happen when water somehow gets into the melted chocolate (a common issue if you melt your chocolate on the stovetop and forget to keep the heat down).
While it might seem counterintuitive, you can resolve this issue by adding some boiling water. However, this needs to be done slowly (one teaspoon at a time).
Make sure that you stir the mixture well between every new teaspoon, and just keep doing that until you have nice, smooth chocolate again.
Bear in mind, by doing this you are going to dilute your chocolate and it will become runnier. If this still works for you, great! However, in many cases this chocolate becomes useless.
So, unfortunately, it might be better to simply start again, and be a little more careful with the next batch.
Final Thoughts
You can melt chocolate easily either via the microwave or the stovetop. The microwave method is easier and faster, and you rarely seize the chocolate unless you don’t use intervals.
The stovetop method requires a little more patience and more could go wrong, but you usually get good results, too.
Both options are fantastic and will get the job done. Just remember to think of those tips and tricks we mentioned above, and don’t get ahead of yourself.
It’s easy for things to go wrong when you aren’t paying attention!
