Chocolate melting behavior depends on ingredient composition: higher fat relative to cocoa solids lowers melting point. Dark chocolate, usually at least 50% cocoa solids, begins melting around 113°F; milk chocolate, with 10–50% solids plus dairy and milkfat, melts around 104°F; white chocolate, containing only cocoa butter and no cocoa solids, melts most readily around 99°F. Overheating causes chocolate to seize into a thick, lumpy texture and develop a bitter, burnt taste. Dark chocolate risks overheating around 120°F, while milk and white varieties can seize above 113°F. An instant-read candy thermometer is essential for tracking temperatures, especially when tempering.
The way that a certain chocolate melts has to do with its ingredient makeup: The more fat it contains in proportion to cocoa solids, the lower the melting point. Products labeled "dark chocolate" usually contain at least 50% cocoa solids and starts to melt around 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Milk chocolate contains 10% to 50% solids, plus added dairy and milkfat, so most varieties melt at a lower temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit. White chocolate contains no cocoa solids - just cocoa butter - so it melts the most readily, starting at 99 degrees Fahrenheit.
What happens if you heat chocolate way past its melting point? It will seize, turning unworkably thick and lumpy, and it could take on a bitter, burnt taste. Dark chocolate will overheat starting around 120 degrees Fahrenheit, while milk and white varieties risk seizing at temps above 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Even if you don't need to carefully temper it, a few extra tips you need for melting chocolate can further help you avoid a sad outcome.
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