Magical transformations
In many foodie circles the microwave is dismissed as a tool used by the lazy non-cook. Melting chocolate is tricky: softening it over bubbling water involves the risk of water spilling over into the chocolate and rendering it unusable. Giving it the microwave treatment involves no such danger, as long as you err on the side of cooking for too short a time, rather than too long.
White chocolate (which strictly speaking is not chocolate at all, as it contains no cocoa solids and can contain up to 55% of sugar), is useful as decoration as in the picture above by professional photographer Ilian (click on the photo to see more of his work). But to my mind adding it to cheesecake or making it into a mousse is not a good idea. First it’s harder to melt than dark or milk chocolate, often ‘seizing up’ and becoming lumpy. Then it is simply far too sweet.
Coming up next…… some ideas of what to do with melted chocolate.













