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Subscribe!Melting white chocolate
White chocolate is a weird bugger of a thing, not least because it’s not really a chocolate at all.
It’s also a bit of a bugger to work with, as it has a tendency to split and to burn easily. Melting it is no exception, but there are a couple of simple rules to follow, to not end up with a lumpy mess.
White chocolate should be melted in the same way as any other type of chocolate, in a bowl over gently simmering water. Don’t even think about trying to melt it in a microwave, you might as well just throw the packet in the bin before you start.
Because white chocolate has a very low burning point (about 44°C) you need to be careful about a couple of things. First make sure that the bowl your chocolate is in does not touch the water, and secondly make sure that the water is simmering very gently and not bubbling away madly.
It’s important not to let any water get into the bowl with the chocolate, because this will cause it to turn lumpy and grainy. Make sure that your bowl is dry before you start and don’t cover it with a lid, condensation will form on the underside of the lid and drop back down into the chocolate. You should also stir the chocolate with a metal spoon, instead of with plastic or wood, because both wood and plastic can contain moisture, and the melting chocolate might not like it.
If some water does manage to sneak in, then you can re-emulsify the chocolate as below.
The incredibly frustrating thing is that even when you do everything right, the cocoa butter in white chocolate can decide to split and leave you with a lumpy oily mess. If this does happen, don’t panic, remove it from the heat for a minute and whisk in a small amount of butter, until the whole lot re-emulsifies.
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September 18th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I like your hair. It’s rockin awesome. But more relevantly, thanks for the tips… i’ve always been deathly afraid of melting white chocolate. I feel more confident now and shall battle on!
December 18th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
I melted 60 oz of ghiradelli white choc chips last night in a double boiler and it set on me. I stirred it constantly. I added 2 teasp of peppermint extract to the chocolate during the melting process. I got frustrated when it was seizing and added 1 T of boiling water!!! Is there any hope for saving this mess? It was an expensive batch and I’d like to save it if possible. How could I do this? If I need to start over, what suggestions do you have for not having this happen again? I do need to add the peppermint liquid because it is for peppermint bark. Should I buy peppermint oil instead of extract? I needt o finish this bark tonight Рany suggestions?!!!!
December 21st, 2008 at 4:47 am
Hey John,
You really saved my life with your white chocolate melting technique. After burning through three Ghiradelli bars (at $4.00 a bar!) I finally got it right, with your advice.
Many thanks!
Tracy
February 14th, 2009 at 3:03 am
John,
Thanks so much for your tips! I am making Valentine’s desserts (white chocolate dipped strawberries with a semi-sweet drizzle) and it finally worked out…thank goodness because I needed it for tomorrow!
October 15th, 2009 at 11:03 am
The quality of the info is what keeps me on this site, thanks!
Greetings from Tim.
February 15th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
I’ve attempted to mix in extracts before and had issues as well… The best thing I’ve tried is to include the extract (peppermint, vanilla, rum, etc.) when you first put the chocolate in the pan to melt. It will become messy and appear that it won’t incorporate, but then upon mixing, it will mix in nicely into the chocolate without seizing (I do this all the time for a chocolate ganache I pour over cheesecakes I make and sell here in Connecticut, USA)