The Two Best Methods for Melting White Chocolate So That It Doesn’t Burn or Clump

If you frequently make desserts, it's worth learning how to melt white chocolate. Whether you like to eat it plain, in the form of a beloved candy bar, bake it into your favorite treats, or melt it over the top of fresh fruits and confections, there are many ways to enjoy this ingredient. But when it comes to melting white chocolate, a little caution is required as it can easily scorch. Learn the two best methods for melting white chocolate so it stays creamy, smooth, and delicious.

What Is White Chocolate?

"Delicious, tempting, and creamy, white chocolate is loved worldwide. You can dip strawberries in it, drizzle white chocolate over biscotti, add it to whipped cream and make a mousse, write with it on a cake, or temper it into solid blocks," says Maya Hayes, executive pastry chef, Ocean House Collection and Weekapaug Inn in Rhode Island. "White chocolate is composed of cocoa butter, milk powder, sugar, vanilla, and soy lecithin or other thickeners. While it contains cacao pod fats, it does not contain any of the cocoa solids that comprise the flavor of dark chocolate.

Why White Chocolate Can Be Difficult to Melt

According to Hayes, white chocolate melts in much the same way as dark chocolate, but you do have to be slightly more careful as it can be more temperamental: Its fat content means that white chocolate burns quite easily, "so it's important to melt it using indirect heat—otherwise, you'll be left with a clumpy, unusable mess."

The Best White Chocolate to Use for Melting

To achieve a smooth melted texture, use a bar of white chocolate or white chocolate chunks, not white chocolate chips. White chocolate chips contain stabilizers to keep the chip in that form even when melted in the oven—and they will not melt as nicely as chunks or a bar. If you use a bar, break it into evenly sized pieces before putting it in a bowl to melt.

Double Boiler Method

Follow these steps for melting white chocolate using a double boiler:

1. To create a double boiler, fill a saucepan with 1 inch of water and place it on the stovetop.
2. Place a metal or tempered glass bowl in the saucepan. (The bowl needs to be big enough that it fits over the top of the saucepan. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.)
3. Put the pieces of white chocolate in the bowl and heat the water in the saucepan to a boil before immediately turning it down to a gentle simmer. (If the heat is too high, the white chocolate may "burn" and create clumps.)
4. Once the chocolate has melted, turn off the heat and take the bowl out of the saucepan.
5. Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a cloth to absorb any water.

Microwave Method

Follow these steps to melt white chocolate using the microwave:

1. Place white chocolate chunks or pieces in a microwave-safe bowl.
2. Heat no more than 20 seconds at a time.
3. Each time you heat the chocolate, take it out of the microwave and stir. Continue to heat and stir until the white chocolate is fully melted—remember, it is easy to burn white chocolate.

Regardless of which method you opt for, when you're done, you'll have melted white chocolate to "dip your strawberries in, write on your cake with ... or to eat straight from the bowl," says Hayes. Let the white chocolate dessert brainstorming begin.