The Most Common Chocolate Chip Melting Disaster And How To Avoid It

Chocolate chips are a great shortcut when you need some chocolatey flavor in your desserts, whether you're adding them as they are, or melting them first. Each type of chocolate chip has its place in the baking world, but if you burn them while melting, they're only fit for the trash. Thankfully, we spoke to Sofia Schlieben, Corporate Pastry Chef at JF Restaurants, who gave us some exclusive tips on how to avoid burning our chocolate.

"Each brand and type of chocolate has a different burn point, so the best rule is to go slow and be careful," Schlieben advised. "Chocolate can burn quickly once overheated." So not only does the brand of your chocolate chips matter, but also the kind you're using. 

Dark chocolate chips take the longest to melt because of their higher cocoa content, while milk chocolate chips melt a bit faster thanks to their added milk and sugar. White chocolate (which can be divisive) melts the quickest of all, so if you're using white chocolate chips, you'll need to be extra careful — they can go from melted to burnt in no time.

If you want to melt your chocolate chips without burning them, Sofia Schlieben gave The Takeout some foolproof suggestions. "There are two good ways to melt chocolate carefully: either over a bain-marie (a pot of hot water with a bowl on top, warmed gently by steam), or in a microwave-safe container in 30-second intervals, stirring every time — even early on, when it seems unnecessary," she advised. "Either way, stop heating when the chocolate is only halfway melted. Let the residual heat finish the job."

Melting your chocolate chips using either of these methods is slow enough that you don't risk burning your chocolate — or it seizing and becoming an unpleasant texture, which can also happen if you overheat it. Stirring often also ensures that the chocolate chips melt evenly, and avoids ending up with any burnt spots. 

If you already have burnt chocolate on your hands, you can try to strain it through a sieve to remove any burnt pieces. Smoothing out the consistency is possible with a little butter or oil — although it's still best to only use this chocolate when it's being added to other strong flavors, like a homemade chocolate cake (add coffee to make it even better). But with a little patience and the right technique, you can melt chocolate chips to perfection every time.