After testing five different methods against each other, here are my results. Side-by-side testing of chocolate melting methods

Yes, you can melt chocolate directly in a saucepan on the stovetop. Melting chocolate directly in a skillet or saucepan For the water bath method, a heatproof bowl of chocolate is set in a skillet of simmering water. Melting chocolate in a water bath Which relates to my second criterion: How many dishes do I have to wash? Because if there’s a method that takes a minute longer but results in fewer dishes, I’m going to choose that one every time. Editor’s tip: Don’t have a double boiler? A metal bowl over a saucepan works in a pinch. Just make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water in the pan.You can do it in a double boiler, but the easiest way is to put them in the microwave. Chocolate burns very easily, so never give them more than 30 seconds at a time at half power. Stir well before deciding if they need more time. If there are a few wafers remaining, a good stir will usually finish the melting. Now That You've Got Your Melted Chocolate, What Do You Do With It? Just like icing the top of a cake using melted chocolate, you can use chocolate to drizzle onto other sweet treats as well.

Editor’s tip: Worried some water might seep in? Place the sealed bag inside another resealable plastic bag for extra protection. The cocoa butter crystals are so strong when tempered, so that you can temper your chocolate by tempering cocoa butter only and then gently blending with the rest of the cocoa mass and cocoa solids. This is particularly useful technique if you are working with raw chocolate or have a limited space where you can’t temper large batches of chocolate. Melting points of the different crystallisation forms of cocoa butter Chocolate normally doesn’t melt at room temperature unless your room is very hot (over 30 Celsius or 86 Fahrenheit) or your chocolate is not properly tempered (which means that the chocolate structure is not strong enough to withstand the heat). Can you melt white and dark chocolate together? Here on my blog I usually try to just skim over details of my personal life. This is because I like my blog to be a space where people can come to get inspired, enjoy some eye candy, and maybe learn a bit about food. Some people like to use dark chocolate and more healthy ingredients in their chocolate bark, such as nuts and dried fruits, for a healthier delight. 8. Chocolate Candy MoldsIf you’re melting chocolate for any upcoming baking projects, choose a high-quality brand for the best results. We have a wide range of styles and flavors from top producers like Guittard, Valrhona, and more. Chocolate fondue is a great way to turn something so simple into a decadent dessert certain to impress your guests. 7. Chocolate Bark

Warning: your candies may turn out so pretty you’ll have to waste them because you can’t bring yourself to destroy something so perfect! 9. Chocolate-Covered Frozen Bananas If you use melting wafers, you don’t need to do any tempering. This is because these wafers contain vegetable oils rather than cocoa butter, and these oils don’t separate from the chocolate like cocoa butter can do. One More Option: CouvertureNumber of dishes to wash: 1.5 (since the saucepan is only full of water, you just have to empty the water and dry it)