Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

I'm doing my trial run of chocolate covered strawberries. I bought Baker's tub of discs which could be microwaved, but I opted to do the "double broiler". It worked great. So, while the strawberries were chilling, I start to melt the white chips ( I bought Ghiardelli- the only white there was) and decided to microwave them. I burnt them! In the trash they went. I then waited a bit and tried melting them with the double broiler method. That one got messed up b/c the bowl I used was too low and the pot had too much water, I went to poor some out, water got into the chocolate and bam, that batch was ruined. So, I take a break again. Clean out the original bowl (used w/ milk chocolate) and start over, again. The chips start to melt, things seem to be looking up. But it doesn't seem to get as smooth and liquidy as the milk chocolate did.

Is that because it's while chocolate?

Is it because it was chips?

Is it me??

TIA!

Re: Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

I have been in your spot before. What I figured out to do was melt them in increments of 45 seconds at 50 % power stiring in between. And, to give it a shine, added 1 TBSP of crisco cooking sticks or a drop of vegetable oil. HTH



Edited for spelling.

Message edited 10/16/2009 10:00:23 PM.

Re: Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

White chocolate is really hard to melt IMO. I usually get it at a chocolate store....like Grandma's kitchen in Wantagh of Lucky Duck in Farmingdale. You have to melt it REALLY slowly over the double boiler. I will usually keep the flame really low and turn it on and off to keep it from getting too hot. If it gets too hot, or burns just a touch you are done.
Also, they sell flakes (forgot the name) that you can add to it to melt them and it helps prevent the burning.

Re: Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

What about a fondue pot?

Re: Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

I used to melt chocolate all the time. I would melt it in a pot with a very very low heat stirring continuously. When the chocolate started melting, I removed it from the heat and kept stirring - there was often enough heat to melt the rest of the chocolate.

Re: Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

White chocolate is a pain to melt. I do it in a double boiler- it takes a really long time and I stir it constantly, but eventually it does melt.

Re: Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

I've melted white chocolate (ghirardelli) in a sandwich bag. I broke the baking bars in pieces and nuked in increments, then cut a little hole to pipe it... I've never used it for dipping though - sorry!

Re: Any hints on how to melt WHITE chocolate? (I had 3 failed attempts!)

The white chocolate just needs a bit of fat added to it. A few drops of veg oil should help get it to the consistency you want.