Why You Should Avoid Adding Water While Melting Your Chocolate

Silky liquid chocolate is essential for dipping, decorating, and drizzling. Melted chocolate is crucial for merry celebrations and amorous declarations. Festive peppermint bark and charming chocolate-covered strawberries can't be prepared without it. Melting chocolate seems simple, but it's actually a delicate practice. Overheated chocolate can become stubborn and unspreadable, but chocolate that has come in contact with liquid can have the same effect. For smooth, velvety chocolate avoid introducing it to water.

You may be tempted to add a splash of water to melting chocolate in an attempt to achieve a liquidy texture. However, adding water will lead the chocolate to seize. Seizing occurs when moisture causes the sugar and cocoa particles to bind, making the chocolate stiffen. Seized chocolate becomes thick and grainy and is almost impossible to spread or pour. Seized chocolate can be saved with a couple of quick tricks, though it can't completely be restored to its fluid, candy factory-worthy form.

The easiest way to melt chocolate is in the microwave, in short 30-second spurts. It's important to check its progress regularly to avoid seizing. The best chocolate for melting has a high percentage of cocoa butter. It will melt quickly and smoothly. Dark chocolate melts quicker than other varieties and can easily be incorporated into recipes like velvety chocolate mousse.

Even after selecting the right chocolate, and carefully monitoring its progress, it's possible to end up with a lumpy liquid. You may find that your melted chocolate is too thick to work with and too heavy for dipping. If you need to thin out melted chocolate, resist adding even a splash of water. Instead you can gradually incorporate a neutral oil, like vegetable oil or cocoa butter, into the mix until you reach the desired consistency. Be sure to avoid any water-based food coloring gels. If you're looking to add a little color to chocolate candy melts it's safest to work with powdered food coloring or oil-based dyes.