This is the description of a water bath which is a safe and successful way to melt chocolate. A water bath is simply a dish over heated water in a saucepan, but there's some tips below that will help you make the perfect water bath.
Chocolate Melting Tips
Setting up the Water Bath
- Saucepan and Dish: Start with a saucepan and dish combination which fit together well. The dish should rest comfortably in the top of the saucepan without falling in. The saucepan should be deep enough that the dish won't touch the water. The dish should be stainless steel as this keeps its heat the best, but ceramic or glass can also work.
- Water Depth: There should be enough water in the bottom to generate steam but not enough that the dish is touching the water. This is generally around 5cm of water.
- Temperature: I boil the water first with the stainless steel dish in place, then turn off the heat once boiled and add the chocolate to the dish. This ensures the chocolate doesn't get too hot. If it isn't melting fast enough, turn onto very low heat and watch/stir continuously.