Hi Joyce, There’s not necessarily any “best” way to melt chocolate—it depends on how much chocolate and what you find most convenient. For a large amount of chocolate, you’ll probably want to use a double boiler, but if you have just an ounce or two, the microwave is most likely easier. For large amounts, you can use a double boiler or what I call a “makeshift boiler,” which is a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Place grated or coarsely chopped chocolate in the top of the double boiler (or the bowl) and place over an inch or so of simmering (not boiling) water. Make sure it is OVER the water, but not touching it. Stir the chocolate occasionally and be patient, it might take a while. Now here's the important part for avoiding burning (or "scorching") the chocolate: When it looks like one-half or two-thirds of the chocolate is melted, remove the top of the double boiler (or the bowl) from over the water and continue to stir until all of the chocolate is melted. The residual heat in the melted chocolate will melt the remaining solid chocolate. To melt smaller amounts (1 to 3 ounces) in the microwave, put chopped or grated chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on MEDIUM for 1 to 4 minutes. You’ll need to check and stir the chocolate frequently as different types (and amounts) of chocolate can take varying amounts of time. As when melting in a double-boiler, remove the chocolate from the microwave before it is completely melted and stir until liquefied and shiny. Note that chocolate chips, especially when melted in the microwave, may not look melted even when they are, so it can be easy to scorch the chocolate. The chips can be fully melted but still look like a pile of chips—once you stir them, you’ll find that they are melted.