The Best Way to Melt Chocolate - CHOW Tip

Alice Medrich, also known as the First Lady of Chocolate and author of Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies, ditches the double boiler for this superior method of melting chocolate.

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TRANSCRIPT
We've all been taught that the best way to melt chocolate is in the top of a double boiler over, but not touching, barely simmering water. The problem with that is you can't see the water. It can come to a boil without your noticing it and create steam and that can easily scorch your chocolate. Here's a better way. Chop your chocolate, I'm using Scharffen Berger, you can use whatever you like. Put it in a stainless steel bowl and put directly in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. The advantage is you can see the water. If it comes to a boil you can easily turn it off or down. You don't have to worry about super-hot steam scorching the chocolate. Don't worry that the bowl seems to be sitting directly on the bottom of the skillet, there's a thin film of water that protects the chocolate from the direct heat of the burner. Stir the chocolate frequently and remove the bowl when the chocolate is mostly melted. Stir off heat until the remaining chocolate is smooth.