Key Tips for Melting, Moulding, and Colouring Chocolate

Working with chocolate can be simple and fun when you follow a few key tips. These will help you achieve smooth, glossy chocolate that sets beautifully in moulds.

Choose the Right Chocolate

Avoid using chocolate blocks from the confectionery aisle. These are formulated for eating and often do not reset properly once melted. Instead, use compound chocolate melts or candy melts, which are designed specifically for melting and moulding. Find them here at Kiwicakes 

Avoid Chocolate Seizing

Chocolate and water do not mix. Even a single drop of water or steam can cause chocolate to seize, turning it into a thick, grainy paste. Make sure all bowls, utensils, and spatulas are completely dry before you begin.

Use Even Pieces

If your chocolate melts are large, chop them into smaller, evenly sized pieces. Uniform pieces melt faster and more evenly.

Prevent Overheating

Chocolate burns easily. Heat it only until about 80% melted, then remove it from the heat and stir until completely smooth. The remaining heat will finish melting the chocolate.

Fixing Seized Chocolate

If your chocolate does seize, try stirring in a teaspoon of vegetable oil or cocoa butter. This can sometimes help loosen the mixture and restore a smoother texture.

Colouring Chocolate

Always use oil-based food colouring when colouring chocolate. Brands such as Colour Mill (available from Kiwicakes here) work well.

Avoid gel or paste food colours, as they contain water and will cause the chocolate to seize.

Colour tips:

• For black chocolate, start with milk or dark melts rather than white melts, then add black colouring.

• Red chocolate can be difficult to achieve with colouring alone, so pre-coloured candy melts are often the easiest option.

Flavouring Chocolate

When flavouring chocolate, always use oil-based flavourings. A popular option is the LorAnn Oils range, available from Kiwicakes here, which is specifically designed for use with chocolate and candy making.

Avoid water-based flavourings or extracts, as they contain moisture that will cause the chocolate to seize and become thick or grainy. Oil-based flavours blend smoothly into melted chocolate, allowing you to add flavour without affecting the texture or finish.

Using Chocolate Moulds

Silicone and plastic chocolate moulds do not need to be greased. As chocolate sets, it naturally shrinks slightly away from the mould.

Once fully set, simply tap the mould gently and the chocolates should release easily.

You'll find a great range of seasonal moulds as well as bar moulds to make your viral Dubai bar at Kiwicakes here

Methods for Melting Chocolate

Double Boiler Method

This method offers the most control and helps produce smooth, glossy chocolate.

Setup
Place a tight-fitting heatproof bowl over a saucepan containing 1–2 inches of barely simmering water.

Important: The bowl should not touch the water.

Method
Add the chocolate melts to the bowl and stir continuously with a rubber spatula until just melted. Remove from heat and continue stirring until smooth.

Microwave Method

This is the quickest method but requires care to avoid overheating.

Setup
Place chocolate melts in a microwave-safe container. Plastic bowls are ideal because they do not conduct heat as quickly as glass. Glass bowls can become hotter than the chocolate’s melting point, which may burn the chocolate.

Method
Microwave at 50% power in 20–30 second bursts. The total time will vary depending on the amount of chocolate.

Tip
Stir thoroughly between each burst to distribute the heat evenly—even if the chocolate still looks mostly unmelted.