The Best Fat To Add To Chocolate Chips For A Melty Dip

Chocolate makes everything taste better. Well, nearly everything. That's why most cooks keep a bag of chocolate chips in the cupboard for when they want a sweet treat. (Here's the lowdown on the best chocolate chips to buy.) They're great in desserts and melt beautifully to make a chocolate sauce or dip. Some chocolate-covered treats, like strawberries or pretzels, are coated with tempered chocolate meant to harden as it cools. But how do you achieve a chocolate dip that stays smooth and creamy?

There are some great strategies for you to follow to make the ideal chocolate dip that doesn't harden quickly. The choice of fat plays a role in the consistency of your chocolate dip. For a soft and luscious dip, you'll want to opt for the fat found in milk products. Whether it's milk, half and half, or cream, the fat from milk helps keep your dip smooth and velvety. You'll want to avoid certain fats, such as coconut oil, which usually requires some heat to reach a liquid state and often returns to a solid state at room temperature. This is why coconut oil is often used to make a chocolate sauce that forms a hard shell when poured on ice cream.

Dairy-based fats, such as half and half or heavy cream, are the liquid gold you need for this chocolate chip dip. By using cream, you're basically making a looser version of chocolate ganache. This sauce is made by heating heavy cream and pouring the hot liquid over chopped-up pieces of chocolate. The ratio of chocolate to heavy cream in a ganache is close to one-to-one, with usually a bit more chocolate to cream for a thicker sauce. 

When making a dip, however, you'll want to add slightly more cream to create a more runny consistency. You may also want to experiment with how much chocolate you use. Traditional ganaches will firm up once chilled, and that's why they make a good base for chocolate truffles. For a melty dip, it would be better to start by melting your chocolate chips and then adding in warmed cream. This way, you can add cream until you reach your ideal consistency for your dip.

Sweeteners can also shape your chocolate dip's texture. You can try incorporating corn syrup instead of regular sugar. The syrup will blend with the melted chips better than sugar granules, making a smoother dip. One thing that you'll want to avoid, however, is adding water to the mix. Water may cause your chocolate to get clumpy, and that's the last thing you want in a dip. But don't worry if it happens to you — there are ways to fix seized chocolate.

Once the dip is finished, there are numerous ways to serve it. Pieces of fresh fruit, such as strawberries or pineapple, make a delicious complement to the chocolate. Small cubes of cakes or brownies are great, too. Dipping pretzels and other crunchy snacks can satisfy any salty-sweet cravings. For s'mores lovers, trying graham crackers with a bit of marshmallow creme can make for a tasty treat as well.