What is Seized Chocolate?

What is Seized Chocolate?

Ever melt chocolate and suddenly it turns grainy, thick, and impossible to work with? That, my friend, is seized chocolate.

Chocolate seizes when even a tiny bit of water comes into contact with it during melting. Instead of staying smooth and silky, the chocolate clumps up and loses its flow — not ideal for dipping, drizzling, or molding!

Why Does This Happen?

Chocolate is made up of dry particles (like cocoa and sugar) suspended in fat (cocoa butter). When water sneaks in, it causes the dry particles to clump together, turning your lovely melt into a lumpy mess.

How to Avoid It

• Make sure all your tools are completely dry — no steam, no water drops!
• Melt chocolate gently using a dry double boiler or microwave-safe bowl.
• Avoid using water based flavorings, extracts, or colors — opt for oil-soluble flavorings and oil-based coloring instead.

Can You Save It?

Sometimes! Add a bit of warm cream or vegetable oil and stir like crazy to smooth it out. While it won’t be ideal for tempering or coating, it might still work for ganache, sauces, or baking.

Tip: For foolproof melting, try using confectionery coatings — they’re more forgiving than real chocolate when it comes to moisture mishaps.