Oven Method

Though slower than the bain-marie method, this process has many advantages: no water or moisture is involved, the risk of the chocolate burning is lower, and you can keep the chocolate warm for longer. Most pastry chefs and chocolatiers have ‘warm cupboards’, which are kept at around 50°C. Some of you may be lucky enough to have one in your kitchen. If not, set your oven to its lowest setting, place roughly broken chocolate in a shallow ovenproof dish and leave it in the oven for 10–15 minutes until the chocolate has melted. It may look like it has not melted, as chocolate often holds its form when soft, so prod it with a spoon to see if it collapses. Give it a stir and it is ready for use.