How to fix seized or overheated chocolate — Tum Yum Yum — Tum Yum Yum (2024)

Written By Kelly C

Have you ever been making a chocolate based treat involving melting chocolate and had the horror of it seizing up and becoming a stiff, grainy, lumpy mess? I have! The worst thing is I rarely have chocolate spare to start over and in any case, what a waste it would be to bin it!

Never fear though, there is a way to save it and return it back to a smooth, satiny concoction.

I tend to find this happens when chocolate is heated too aggressively. Apparently chocolate is also prone to seizing when it comes in to contact with some kind of moisture during the melting process. So, what do you do to save it if your chocolate seizes?

Funnily enough, it’s super simple. First boil some water. Second, very slowly, as in 1-2 tsp at a time add in the boiling water and whisk the chocolate vigorously until the mixture is smooth again. The hot water will essentially melt the clumps back to a liquid consistency.

I have pictured the various stages of unseizing here. First you will see the chocolate will start to loosen but it will still be very grainy.

Next it will start to look quite smooth but almost oily. Don’t worry, keep going, adding just a teaspoon of water at a time at this stage.

Finally you will see the chocolate revert to a smooth and runny consistency.

The chocolate will still be perfectly usable for sauces, drizzles or when I last did this I used mine as an awesome topping on a rocky road. It will be diluted though and so I advise caution if planning to use it in baking. I believe there are ways to try and save seized chocolate for baking by adding additional fats but I have not personally tried this.

How to fix seized or overheated chocolate — Tum Yum Yum — Tum Yum Yum (2024)

FAQs

How to fix seized or overheated chocolate — Tum Yum Yum — Tum Yum Yum? ›

So, what do you do to save it if your chocolate seizes? Funnily enough, it's super simple. First boil some water. Second, very slowly, as in 1-2 tsp at a time add in the boiling water and whisk the chocolate vigorously until the mixture is smooth again.

Can you fix chocolate that has been overheated? ›

As mentioned above, the lumpy mixture is a result of overheating. To fix seized chocolate, you need to quickly cool it down to regain the original consistency. One of the best ways to go about this is by adding more chopped chunks of chocolate to fix the seized chocolate.

How do you fix burnt hot chocolate? ›

One method you can use is mixing teaspoons of boiling water into your seized chocolate over a double boiler. Add the teaspoons one at a time, mixing thoroughly each time, until your chocolate is liquid again.

How do you reset melted chocolate? ›

The way to fix seized chocolate is completely counterintuitive. It's done by actually adding a little bit of melted butter, oil, or water back into the mixture and stirring vigorously.

Can you fix seized chocolate with milk? ›

To fix seized chocolate, you can use one of the following methods: Add warm liquid: Gradually add a small amount of warm liquid (e.g., milk, cream, or water) to the seized chocolate while stirring continuously. Start with a teaspoon and increase as needed until the chocolate becomes smooth and glossy again.

Will melted chocolate with milk harden? ›

The first step to melting chocolate using milk or other liquid is to make sure you're using a sufficient amount of chocolate! If you use only a small volume of liquid, the chocolate will 'sieze. ' Chocolate that is seized will harden almost instantly to form a brittle, crumbly, dull, frustrating mess. Not ideal!

How do you cool down hot chocolate? ›

That said, to cool down the temperature of your hot chocolate quickly (especially if the mug of hot chocolate is for a child), use about an ounce or two less hot milk when adding it to the mix, and pour in the same amount of cold milk at the end to cool it down.

How do you cool down chocolate? ›

Pour the chocolate onto a marble or other cool, smooth, non-porous surface. Using a spatula, scrape and stir the chocolate across the surface to smooth and cool it. When the chocolate cools to 80°–82°F, return it to the top pan of the double boiler.

Can you add butter to seized chocolate? ›

Add a small amount of hot cream or fat—cooking oil or butter—to it as it will help smooth the chocolate's texture and bring back that luxurious creaminess we all love.

Can you still eat seized chocolate? ›

To fix slightly seized chocolate, try adding hot cream to the chocolate and incorporating it by gently stirring with a rubber spatula. It may take a few minutes to fully incorporate. You can then use this mixture as a ganache or for a sauce.

How do you fix burnt chocolate fondue? ›

Simply add a bit more hot cream, gradually stirring until the chocolate becomes smooth again. Adding water or a little liqueur would be even more effective, since it lacks water and not fat.

How to unseize chocolate? ›

Funnily enough, it's super simple. First boil some water. Second, very slowly, as in 1-2 tsp at a time add in the boiling water and whisk the chocolate vigorously until the mixture is smooth again. The hot water will essentially melt the clumps back to a liquid consistency.

Is warming chocolate reversible? ›

Melting chocolate is an irreversible change. Heating materials always causes reversible changes. An irreversible change is one that cannot be changed back. Reversible changes create new materials.

Why won't my chocolate set after melting? ›

The chocolate wasn't tempered (or pre-crystallised)

As a result, your chocolate won't harden and will continue to feel wet. Always temper your chocolate properly before working with it. How to temper chocolate?

How do you thin seized white chocolate? ›

Once chocolate has seized it's not easy to coax it back to liquid form. Sometimes whisking a tablespoon of warm water into the chocolate works, then add more water a teaspoon at a time until the chocolate is smooth. Or try adding a few drops of vegetable oil or clarified butter (as it's water content has been removed).

How to fix chocolate that has turned white? ›

If your chocolate has bloomed and it's, don't worry, because there are still ways to save your chocolate. Chocolate bloom can be repaired by melting the chocolate down, stirring it, then pouring it into a mold and allowing it to cool, bringing the fat back into the solution.

Why is my chocolate not setting? ›

It could be that your room temperature is too high. If the temperature is over 68 F, this can cause problems. The ideal setting temperature is between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. It could also be that the chocolate wasn't tempered, because untempered chocolate takes quite a bit longer to set.

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