How to melt chocolate

The BBC Good Food cookery team show you how to melt chocolate and make chocolate curls for decoration.

Points to remember

  • Break chocolate and place into a heatproof bowl.
  • Sit over a pan of barely simmering water (a bain marie) and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally.
  • Once melted, use as required. Make curls by spreading melted chocolate over a baking sheet in a thin layer.
  • Leave to set until firm but not completely solid.
  • Hold a knife at a 45 degree angle to the surface of the chocolate and push along so it causes a thin layer to curl up.

  • Tip

    Melting chocolate

    Make sure that the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water, and that no water comes into contact with the melting chocolate, which will cause it to seize and become unusable.

  • Tip

    Melting chocolate

    Do not let the water get too hot - the chocolate may burn and then split.