Melting Chocolate

Use good-quality chocolate chips or chocolate bar (broken into pieces) (“Common Ingredients”). Melt chocolate in a microwave or on the stovetop in a double boiler or bain-marie. For both methods, watch carefully as chocolate will not be usable if it overheats and seizes (balls up).

If melting in a microwave, heat for thirty to forty seconds. Stop and stir. Then heat for another thirty to forty seconds. Some solid pieces will remain, but they will dissolve while stirring. The chocolate is done when it stirs easily and has a smooth consistency. Depending on the microwave, time can vary by ten seconds. Start with the lower time and increase if necessary. In my own microwave, I have good luck microwaving for thirty seconds, stirring the chocolate, then microwaving for an additional forty seconds.