The Best Oil To Use When Thinning Out Melted Chocolate

There's little that can't be improved upon with a bit of decadent, melty chocolate. Whether you're taking your ice pops to sweeter heights with a drizzle of chocolate, dipping pretzels, potato chips, or other salty snacks into a cocoa-rich dip, or simply preparing to decorate cakes or cookies, it's imperative to know how to properly melt chocolate for your intended use. When it comes to using melted chocolate for decorating cakes, celebrity chef Duff Goldman, founder of Charm City Cakes (available to order on Goldbelly), and the "Ace of Cakes" himself, certainly knows a thing or two. His recommendation for how to thin melted chocolate is a little bit of coconut oil. This pantry staple is ideal because it doesn't take too much oil to help balance the consistency of the chocolate and, as such, won't overpower the chocolatey flavor with coconut essence. Per Goldman, "Chocolate is already so unstable that for some reason I find that coconut oil doesn't mess with the chemistry."

Using either butter or oil can make melting chocolate easier and, with specific regard to coconut oil, Goldman says, "a little goes a long way." Knowing how temperamental tempering chocolate can be, keeping your process simple and focused is best. Once you are able to thin our your melted chocolate with ease, the possibilities are limitless.

Between decorating sweets, dipping fruits or any other application your heart desires, the first step to getting perfectly melted chocolate is the process of melting it and achieving the ideal consistency. You'll need to choose between dark, milk, or white chocolate and pick between chocolate bars or melts. Goldman notes that candy melts often have added stabilizers, so you'll want to keep this in mind during the melting process. When selecting chocolate bars, look for high-quality types like a Guittard Semisweet Baking Bar or your favorite store-bought brand.

For ratios, roughly one tablespoon of coconut oil per one cup of chocolate should suffice. Always remember that you can add more as needed, but it's much more difficult to remove once the mixture begins to homogenize and thin out. Using a glass bowl for melting chocolate is ideal for better heat retention or you can use a double-boiler method. Add your coconut oil to the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly to ensure everything is fully combined. From there, you can put your melted chocolate to work on all manner of delicious treats that will surely satisfy.