How to melt Chocolates in Instant Pot + 2 Bonus Recipes

Chocolate Covered Treats are one of the easiest treats that you can customise as per need of the hour. And using instant pot as a double boiler to melt chocolates would be your best friend hereon. 

This post covers everything you need to know about, "How to melt chocolates in Instant Pot" along with 2 bonus recipes. 

Everything you need to know about melting chocolates in the Instant Pot

Well, honestly I spent the last 60 mins just writing and hitting the backspace key then re-writing again because I really don't know how to write this post on How to use Instant Pot as a double boiler.

Because it is not like a regular bread recipe post or a dessert post or a cake recipe post, where I talk about:
The ingredients or

A Unique and easy technique to get it right or

Tips and Tricks to make the process easier or

Any important pointers that you need to know to have a successful trial of the recipe in the first attempt.

 This post is a little different.

It is more of a "How to Basics" that doesn't really involve any recipe as such but I will try my best to include all the details you need to know about getting the right consistency of melted chocolates to make any kind of chocolate covered treats.

Let us start with,

What is the best chocolate for melting?

There are two kinds of people - one who absolutely enjoy reading blogs, author's stories or the important tips, techniques and methods that they share.

The other who absolutely hate scrolling to get to the recipe part.

In short what I am trying to say is, I have already shared a detailed post on Chocolates - Everything you need to know.

So I will spare all the blabbering behind the types of chocolates, why does my chocolate clump, why did my chocolate sieze etc in this post and directly share the end result but if you are someone who loves reading then please feel free to check that post by clicking on the link here.

The easiest and best form of chocolates to use for any kind of chocolate decorations or for home baking purpose has to be - Compound Chocolates.

• Basic ones being - Those named as Chocolate Melts in the grocery stores the common brand being Nestle or Cadbury
   
• The ones labelled as Baking Chocolate in the form of bars. Again the common brands being Nestle or Cadbury (this is not a sponsored post.. how I wish it were 😉 )
• Candy melts -works great for dipping too as it set relatively faster than compound chocolates.
• Almond Barks 
• If you do not mind spending a little more you can try Ghiradelli chocolate for dipping as well.

However, there is one particular variety that I would ask you to avoid and that is CHOCOLATE CHIPS.

Chocolate chips are designed in a way to hold their shape while baking.

You might have noted this while making a Chocolate Chip Cookie. You can check out the recipe for an eggless version from here. 

It does not melt easily and retains its shape and hence you do not want to use it as it would not melt easily like a regular compound chocolate will and it will remain thick.

Now that you know what chocolate to use, let me clear your thoughts on can you melt chocolate in instant pot?

How to Melt Chocolate in Instant Pot

We will be using Instant Pot as a double boiler to melt chocolates.

For those of you who do not know Double Boiler is basically a method of cooking which relies on steam.

Basically, you have a pot of gently simmering water and a larger bowl that sits on top of it. Yes, that just sits and is not immersed.

As the water doesn’t touch the upper bowl, the ingredients get the perfect amount of heat to melt or cook from the steam coming from the base pot.

The main purpose of this set-up is to gently heat delicate food like custards, chocolate, sauces or even lemon curd.

And this is were our might Instant Pot comes into play.

In order to make Instant Pot Melted Chocolates we would need:

1. Instant Pot, of course!! 

2. A stainless steel or glass bowl that sits on top of the instant pot. 

3. Compound Chocolates 

Step 1:

Add 2 cups of water to you Instant Pot (Image 1) and select the Saute Mode (Image 2). 

Step 2:

Once the water starts simmering and you see steam coming from it. Place the metal or glass bowl on top of it (Image 3).

Step 3:

Add chocolate melts or chopped chocolate to it (Image 4).

Cancel the saute mode and switch to keep warm mode (Image 5).

Stir until chocolate is dissolved (Image 6). 

Keep the keep warm mode on to keep the chocolates in the melted form only.

Use in a variety of recipes as you desire.

Advantages of using Instant Pot to melt Chocolates: 

There was no more.. Damn.. it is hard again (no pun intended 😉 ).. I need to melt it again.. put it back in the microwave or switch on the stove.. the bowl is too hot.. etc..

All thanks to the Keep Warm Mode Setting of the Instant Pot.

1.  Yes, the Keep Warm Mode function helps to keep the water warm all the time thereby transferring heat to the metal bowl placed above it and hence the chocolate remains in the melted form for longer.

2.  Since Instant Pot works on electricity you can practically move it to any part of your house and not remain confined to the kitchen. Sit with your family.. enjoy your favourite show on the television and at the same time relish making chocolate covered treats for everyone.

3. That is my next favourite part.. involve your family too.. yes, kids would be more than happy to assist you with this as they would get to eat it then and there 😉 Everyone can join hands. 

4. You do not need to buy any other equipment like an additional double boiler and clutter your kitchen top. One appliance is enough to do all the job.

Different ways to use up the Instant Pot Melted Chocolate:

1. Chocolate covered strawberries are the most common dessert treats that you can make for any occasion. Be it for Valentine's Day, or serving it as Easter Carrots, for Baby Shower parties, New Year celebrations and so many others.

Simply dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate till the top. Allow the base coat to harden completely.

Fill a parchment paper cone with some more melted chocolate and draw lines on top as part of the decoration. Place sprinkles of choice to complete the look.

I made a tuxedo for the man of the house as a treat for Valentine' Day. 

2. Making chocolate cups out of it is my all-time favourite. I usually serve Mango Ice-Cream in them. You can basically serve anything in it from ice-creams to fruit salads or just simple whipped cream.

3. Every year I also make chocolate bars to gift my friends and family. You can easily customise the flavour option when you make it at home. 

3. Off-lately our favourite way of using melted chocolates is by making this smashable chocolate heart (It is trending all over the internet these days).

4. And whenever I have some chocolate left-over from any projects I often tend to make easy peasy Chocolate Barks out of it. Even after making today's recipe with the leftover that is what I made. You can use chocolate barks to decorate so many things like these cookie cups or cakes. 

5. Dipping cookies in melted chocolate is a joy in itself. So Satisfying. 

6. This technique would work like a charm while making donuts, eclairs and other pastries. 

7. Making chocolate decorations for cake decorating would be a breeze too. 

8. If you love making cakes and find writing on it difficult, then this tutorial using melted chocolate would be super helpful.

9. And the best.. Imagine a girls night out with Instant Pot as a Chocolate Fondue.. so cool right!!!

Bonus Recipes:

In this post find the recipe on how to make Buckeyes which is basically peanut butter balls and chocolate-covered Oreos that is literally a child's play.

Oh by the way, if you have some time handy, then you can try making your own homemade Oreo Cookies too. I have shared the recipe on the blog that you can check out from here. 

More Christmas Recipes

1. Christmas Tree Cupcakes
2. Christmas Brownies
3. Pinwheel Cookies.

UPDATE:

Post updated on 09 February 2020

Updating the post to add pictures on chocolate-covered strawberries and also chocolate covered oreo popsicles decorated as per Valentines Day theme.

If you like this recipe or happen to try it then share your experience below in the comments by giving it a STAR RATING or let me know by tagging me, tweeting me or Instagram me. I would love to connect with you and your posts. 

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Conclusion: 

Instant Pot melted chocolates is one of the basic hack that one can try.

The main advantage is its ability to keep the chocolates melted for a long duration of time without having the need or should I say without worrying about the chocolate hardening especially at this time of the year.

There are variety of recipes in which you can make use of this hack, like while making chocolate covered strawberries, pretzels and few others that I have mentioned in the post. 

I think I have pretty much covered all the doubts you might get while melting chocolates the right way.

Still if you have any other queries do let me know in the comments below and I will try to answer them all..

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I will see you soon with yet another recipe

Unitl then

Hugs

Sushma 

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