Ingredients

• 3 ounces bittersweet or milk chocolate

Instructions

1. Have ready a 3- to 4-quart saucepan and a metal bowl large enough to fit on top. Make sure that when saucepan is filled one third full with water, bottom of bowl is not touching water.
2. Chop chocolate into no larger than 1/4-inch dice and transfer three fourths to metal bowl. Fill saucepan one third full with water and bring water to a boil. Remove pan from heat. Set bowl with chocolate over pan (do not let bowl touch water) and melt chocolate, stirring, until a digital or chocolate thermometer inserted at least 1/2 inch into chocolate registers 118°–120°F. for bittersweet chocolate or 116°–118°F. for milk chocolate. (If chocolate does not reach desired temperature, remove bowl, return water in pan to a boil, and repeat procedure).
3. Remove bowl from pan and cool chocolate by adding remaining chopped chocolate and stirring until smooth. Let chocolate cool until thermometer registers 80°F.
4. Return water in pan to a boil and remove from heat. Set bowl over pan and reheat melted chocolate, stirring until thermometer registers 88°–91°F. for bittersweet chocolate or 85°–87°F. for milk chocolate.