Hershey’s chocolate is pretty good, there’s no denying that. The beauty of Hershey’s chocolate, however, is that it tastes great (better, even) when it is melted.
You can use your melted chocolate to dip fruit into, glaze cakes with, or even just drizzle onto your dessert. Maybe you just want to eat it out of the bowl with a spoon – hey, we’re not judging you. We’ve all been there.
There is an endless list of uses for melted Hershey’s chocolate, and the best part is, you can do all of this in the microwave.
Yes, that’s right – the days of makeshift bain marie’s are over – all you need is a working microwave, a microwaveable container, some Hershey’s chocolate, and you’ll be in heaven.
What Is Hershey’s Chocolate Made From?
The main ingredients of any good chocolate are cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter, as well as some milk. Hershey’s are no different!
Their chocolate is made from the same ingredients, and it can come in a variety of forms – you can enjoy Hershey’s chocolate in bitesize kisses, as a syrup for your ice cream, a regular chocolate bar, and also as chips for your homemade cookies.
Hershey’s chocolate products are known for their pleasantly sweet, yet milky mixture of chocolate.
To melt your Hershey’s chocolate, break it into pieces and place them into a microwave-safe bowl. This step is really important, as some materials, such as metal, are really bad for your microwave and using them can end quite badly.
Always check to make sure that your equipment is microwave safe. If you can, try to use a clear, glass bowl – this will help you to observe how much the chocolate has melted whilst it is in the microwave.
Try to make sure that your chocolate pieces are all similar sizes, as this will ensure that smaller pieces don’t melt at a faster rate than other pieces.
You should place the bowl into the microwave food fifteen seconds each time – this will also ensure that you don’t burn the chocolate.
When the chocolate is starting to melt, it will take on a shiny appearance, and when you stir it, its structure will collapse under the weight of your spoon. Stir, and then place it back into the microwave for another fifteen seconds.
You can keep doing this until the Hershey’s chocolate has melted to your liking.
You can consider the chocolate fully melted when it becomes sauce-like in consistency, and at this point, you should stop putting it into the microwave in order to avoid burning.
The residual heat from the microwave will mean that the chocolate will melt for a little while after leaving the microwave. This means that the second you think the chocolate has melted and you can’t see any lumps, you should remove it.
Do Hershey’s Kisses Melt Well In The Microwave?
Whilst Hershey’s chocolate chips are one of the best options for melting Hershey’s chocolate in the microwave if you do not have these to hand, Hershey’s kisses are a great idea.
This is because Hershey’s kisses are much smaller than the chocolate bars, and you can skip the process of breaking all of the chocolate up so that it melts faster.
Hershey’s kisses can simply be unwrapped, placed in the bowl, and put into the microwave as described above.
Hershey’s kisses can be milk chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate, so you can choose based on your personal preference.
These different chocolates may have slightly different melting points, so pay attention to their progress whilst they are in the microwave to avoid overheating.
Hershey’s kisses have a melting point of 108 degrees Fahrenheit. The time that they will take to melt will be different based on the quantity of Hershey’s kiss you decide to melt.
One downside of Hershey’s kisses is that they have a wax coating that can be difficult to break down in the microwave. Keep putting it back into the microwave until all of your chocolate has become a smooth texture.
Always remember to remove any packaging that any chocolates come in, especially Hershey’s kisses. This is because they are packaged in foil, which can cause fires if accidentally placed into the microwave.
Keep track of all of your trash, and make sure that none of it ends up in your microwave!
If you can, try to choose Hershey’s kisses that have a cocoa butter content somewhere between 30% and 39%. This is the best cocoa butter content to melt your Hershey’s kisses for dipping sauce!
Do Hershey’s Chocolate Bars Melt Well In The Microwave?
Hershey’s chocolate bars actually have a lower melting point than Hershey’s kisses do. Hershey’s chocolate bars have a melting point of 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
This is actually in contrast to a lot of other baking chocolates, as other baking chocolates have higher melting points.
Hershey’s chocolate bars are probably the best product for melting in the microwave.
Whilst you have to break them up, which is unlike the chips and kisses, Hershey’s chocolate bars have a lower melting point, which means that they will take less time to melt in the microwave.
This is a good thing, but you should also be careful with this – the lower melting point also means that they are easier chocolate to burn. You should pay attention to your chocolate as it is in the microwave and take it out every fifteen seconds to stir and check on it.
If you decide to use a Hershey’s chocolate bar, make sure to break it up into similar-sized pieces to prevent burning. Once again, stop microwaving when your chocolate chunks start to resemble a sauce and stir out any lumps.
How To Make A Hershey’s Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Depending on the cocoa butter content of your chocolate, it will have a different melting point. Chocolate with higher melting points, such as Hershey’s, will be wonderful to melt for dipping.
Just make sure that you don’t burn it, as this type of chocolate is much easier to burn.
A great tip to transform your chocolate into the perfect dipping sauce is to add a splash of cream – make sure to stir this into the chocolate really well.
The sauce may look like it has seized up at first, but if you persevere, you’ll have a beautiful dipping sauce that you’re sure to love.
Final Thoughts
So, we’ve covered a lot of the key points that you need to keep in mind when melting Hershey’s chocolate. Here are a few of our best tips!
Different Chocolate – Different Melting Points
Remember that different types of chocolate – even different types of Hershey’s chocolate, will have different melting points. This can differ between the form that your chocolate bar comes in, as well as the type of chocolate – for example, white or dark.
Be extra careful not to burn your chocolate in the microwave, as the lower the melting point, the faster it will melt.
Don’t Use A Lid
Using a lid can lead to a build-up of steam. This steam can then drip back into your chocolate and cause it to seize up, ruining any chances you had of a gorgeous pot of melted chocolate.
No one wants that!
Dry Your Equipment
Whist we encourage that you wash your equipment, we also recommend that you ensure that it is completely dry before using it to stir your melted chocolate.
This is because, as mentioned above, water can cause your chocolate to seize up whilst in the microwave, rendering it useless for drizzling.
How To Save Seized Chocolate
Luckily, you can save this – add just a little bit of shortening (one tsp for every oz of chocolate), and give it a good stir.
It’s important that you use shortening for this, as butter will not work.
Microwave-Safe Bowl
Make sure that you use a microwaveable bowl (with a microwave-safe label). If possible, try to use a clear, glass bowl – this means that you can watch for burning as the chocolate melts.
Fifteen Seconds, Medium Heat
Melt your chocolate in fifteen-second increments, using medium heat to avoid burning. Make sure to stir in between.
Enjoy!
Hi! My name is Jessica, and I recently decided to set up the site My Baking Heart, as an extension of my love for baking. It is something I have enjoyed since being a young child, when I would bake cookies and cakes with my grandma
Over the years, I have developed my skills and love to try all kinds of baking, from genoise sponges, to peach cobbler, and everything in between. New recipes are so much fun to follow and recreate.
Through this site, I hope to teach others the basics of baking, from how to use certain equipment, to the best types of recipes to follow. My site is a mixture of useful informational content, recipes, and of course, review of the best types of baking equipment.
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