Ever read a recipe that asks to temper (slowly melt) chocolate in a "bain marie," using a double boiler on a stovetop that slowly heats the chocolate until its beautiful and shiny?  Did you ever melt chocolate using a bain marie and feel so accomplised, because everything seemed to be going right and suddenly some steam gets into the chocolate and it seizes, causing your shiny, viscous molten lava to become a granular mess?  Anyone who has ever tried melting chocolate with a bain marie has encountered challenges in one form or another.  I thought I'd do an experiment with melting chocolate in a microwave and see what works and what doesn't.

Experimenting with melting chocolate.

I melted 4 containers of chocolate in the microwave.

1. No liquid before microwaving, but adding milk after microwaving.
2. Milk before microwaving.
3. Water before microwaving.
4. Coconut oil before microwaving.

Results of melting chocolate.

Adding a liquid AFTER the chocolate has melted causes the chocolate to "seize" (becoming a clumpy, granular mess).  The key is to add the liquid to the chocolate prior to microwaving it.  Obiviously adding milk tasted richer than adding water.  However, you could get away with adding water in those desperate times when you've run out of milk and you just need a chocolate sauce with your ice cream! Microwaving the chocolate with coconut oil had a pleasant surprise! Something definitely worth trying!

Have you tried melting chocolate with other types of liquids?  Let us know the outcome in the comment section below.

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