Q&A for How to Melt Chocolate for Dipping

Melting chocolate is not actually real chocolate—it's something known as compound chocolate. Instead of being made with cocoa butter, it's made with other fats so that it stays stable. Melting chocolate used to taste more waxy than other types of chocolate, but lately more palatable products are on the market.

For chocolate-covered spoons, about a week. Marshmallows, 2-3 days if covered. Fruit, same day or night before - but if the fruit sweats too much, the chocolate will fall off.

You can thin chocolate by adding a little shortening.

Just add a small amount of paraffin wax to your chocolate when melting. It helps to give a sheen to your chocolate, and even thins it out a bit. Try about 1/2 bar for every 2 cups of chocolate chips.

You can keep it above a tea warmer (with candle), or microwave it for a few seconds every time it starts to harden.

You can use many different types of chocolate. What matters the most is the taste - if you enjoy eating it, you'll enjoy using it for dipping. You can try eating chocolate (bittersweet, semisweet, milk or white) or unsweetened chocolate bars. In terms of the style of chocolate, you can use chocolate chips, chocolate drops, chocolate bars (broken up) or chocolate discs. White chocolate is more difficult to work with as it tends to go crumbly and dry out quite quickly if not properly melted.

Yes. It will be fine as long as you don't get water in it or burn the chocolate.

There is nothing wrong with it.This can happen when chocolate hardens and it cold. It should still taste delicious.

The same as brown chocolate.

If they fall in, use a fork. Dip them with two spoons. Place the pretzel on one spoon and dip straight down, then remove it from the chocolate, flip the pretzel onto the other spoon, and dip again to coat both sides.

White chocolate needs careful treatment to ensure that it melts properly. Full instructions on how to do this can be found in the article on How to Melt White Chocolate .

No. Butter has water in it, so it could cause the chocolate to seize. Flavorless vegetable oil works better.

Dark chocolate melts faster. White chocolate is pretty hard to melt.

You can melt both at the same time or melt the chocolate first and then mix the butter in. Another method is to heat whipping cream in a pot and then pour it over a bowl of chocolate and butter, mixing until everything is combined.

Yes, they can.

You can use the dipping chocolate to dip anything. As for adding rum or brandy, it might not be a good idea as it might make the chocolate too watery.