Melting Chocolate

Learning to melt chocolate properly is one of the most important techniques because the chocolate must be in liquid form when you add it to cake batters, glazes, ganache and buttercreams.

Since chocolate melts in your mouth quickly at 98.6 degrees, it’s obvious that little heat is required to melt any brand of real chocolate—no matter what the amount. Excessive or direct heat will not only scorch the chocolate, sacrificing its flavor, but it may also separate the cocoa butter from the chocolate solids. Your goal in melting chocolate is to liquefy it, not to cook or heat it.