There are several ways to melt chocolate. For any method, first chop the chocolate into small pieces. A serrated knife is a good choice for this.
Place the pieces of chocolate into a heatproof bowl, or the top of a double boiler, and place the uncovered bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. The bowl should be wide enough that any steam escaping from the pan will not enter the bowl. In addition, the bowl itself should not touch the water. This is because heat can adversely effect the flavor of chocolate, and excessive heat can burn it. In addition, contact with water can cause chocolate to seize up and become lumpy.
As you see the chocolate just begin to melt, remove the bowl from the heat and stir the chocolate to prevent it from overheating. Milk and white chocolate must be stirred frequently while melting because they contain milk solids that lump if unstirred.
You can also melt chocolate in a microwave on high power, stirring every 15 seconds.

Instructor: Bianca Henry