Chocolate

Unsweetened, semisweet, or bittersweet, milk and white chocolates are used in recipes in this book. Make sure any chocolate you use tastes good on its own, because the chocolate is what gives the cookies their taste. I use a serrated knife to chop chocolate into 14-inch pieces before using it in a recipe or melting it.

To melt chocolate, place pieces in a heatproof bowl, then bring a saucepan half filled with water to a boil. Turn off the heat and put the bowl over the pan of hot water. Stir occasionally with a spoon or spatula until the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the pan and cool the chocolate slightly before using. Or place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, on half-power if possible, for about 20 to 30 seconds at a time, removing the bowl and stirring the chocolate occasionally, until it is melted.