Ingredients
FOR MELTING, TRY ANY OF THESE:
chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, dark, white)
flavored baking chips (vanilla, peanut butter, butterscotch, etc.)
other melting chocolate available in bars, chunks & pellets
Directions
Supplies needed:
--a slow cooker
--heat tolerant jars or bowls that will fit inside the slow cooker; mason jars work well
--stirring and drizzling spoons
DIRECTIONS:
1. Put baking chips (or other melting chocolate) in bowl(s) or jar(s) and set inside slow cooker. If using more than one, make sure there is a little space between jars/bowls.
2. Add hot water to the slow cooker approx. half way up the sides of the jars/bowls. WARNING: be careful not to get any water inside the jars. Water will make the melted chocolate seize & thicken.
3. Turn the slow cooker on high. Don't cover it--you don't want moisture to form inside the lid and drop down into the chocolate. After 30 minutes, stir the chips; if not completely melted, continue heating until all of the chips melt in as they are stirred. (Slow cookers can vary, so keep an eye on it to determine when your chips are completely melted.)
4. Once chips are all melted, lower slow cooker heat to the low or warm setting.
NOTE: If you want to speed up the melting, you can zap the jars in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stopping and stirring each time, just until the chips all melt in when stirred. Then transfer to the slow cooker.
5. Chocolate is ready for dipping, drizzling or pouring. It will keep its thin, melted consistency for at least 2-3 hours.
TIPS:
--As you're using the melted chocolate, if you discover that you need more, stir in more baking chips; they will keep melting into the mixture.
--When you lift individual jars out of the slow cooker to use them, be careful not to drip water into the other jars--water will ruin the melted chocolate.
--Dip, drizzle & pour. Use a spoon for drizzling melted chocolate onto cookies & candy. For candy bark, pour melted chocolate directly from the jar into the pan or mold. For dunking bigger items like cookies, a bowl will work better than a jar for melting the chocolate.
--For cleanup, use a rubber spatula to scrape out as much of the remaining melted chocolate in the jars/bowls as possible. The jars/bowls go into the dishwasher; pour out the water from the slow cooker and dry with a towel.
First make sure that your canning jars will fit in your slow cooker with 1" of head space above jars. Pour sweetened condensed milk into jars, put on lid and ring; finger tighten the rings. Place the jars into slow cooker. Add hot tap water, enough to cover the jar tops with 1" of water. Cook on low for 9-11 hours. Use tongs to remove a jar after 9 hours to see if color has caramelized and darkened enough; if not return to slow cooker until desired color is achieved. Use tongs to keep jars upright as you remove them from the slow cooker; rest on top of dish towel. Gently remove rings and wipe off water and any rust that may have formed on lid. Leave undisturbed until jars reach room temperature. Transfer to refrigerator. Keeps for at least 1 month.
