Tempering chocolate is an essential technique in pastry. It will ensure a glossy and crisp finish. Pastry chefs use the technique to make moulds or chocolate shavings, to coat chocolates and to make sculptures.
Adjust the amount of dark chocolate used depending on your choice of recipe.
Chefs tip: Once you have gone through the tempering process it is wise to check the process has been done correctly before using the chocolate. Take a kitchen paper towel and fold it in half. Dip the folded area into the chocolate and allow to set in a cool place for up to five minutes. If properly tempered, the chocolate should set evenly within this time and feel dry to the touch.
- Step 1 :
Coarsely chop 300 g dark (preferably couverture) chocolate. Place 2/3 of the chocolate in a bowl; melt over a bain-marie of gently simmering water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water because the chocolate will get to hot and shine can be lost as a result.
- Step 2 :
Heat until the temperature reaches 45°C on a cooking thermometer. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate. Stir with a spatula from time to time.
- Step 3 :
As soon as the temperature cools to 27°C, return the bowl to the bain-marie and reheat, stirring gently until the chocolate reaches 32°C. When the chocolate is smooth and shiny, it is ready to be used.
If you are tempering milk chocolate, melt to 45°C, cool to 26°C, and reheat to 29°C.
If you are tempering white chocolate, melt to 40°C, cool to 25°C and reheat to 28°C.
This technique was used in our chocolate marshmallows recipe - why not give it a try now?
FAQs
The Short Version: Vacuum seal any amount of chocolate in a bag. Drop it into a water bath set at 115°F and let it sit until completely melted, about 5 minutes. Set your sous vide cooker temperature to 81°F and add ice to the water bath until the temperature drops to 81°.
What will ruin chocolate while tempering it? ›
Two important things to avoid: Scorching (microwave); and getting any water in the chocolate (simmering water). Both of these things will ruin your chocolate and you'll have to start over. Water in melted chocolate "seizes" it, causing instant recrystallization – not in a good way. The chocolate will be unworkable.
How do you melt chocolate and keep it in temper? ›
Melt the chocolate and bring it to 100 degrees F, stirring, then place the bowl in a larger bowl of cold water; stir in the remaining chocolate until melted (the temperature should drop to about 82 degrees F). Place the bowl back over the simmering water.
Why is tempering chocolate so hard? ›
This is due to the latent heat of crystallization. As chocolate is crystallizing it gives off heat (an exothermic reaction) and can get warm enough to throw itself out of temper. This issue with latent heat is also why it is important to cool pieces when they are rapidly crystallizing.
What are the 3 important factors involved in tempering chocolate? ›
The objective in tempering is to arrange the physical “packing” of stable cocoa butter crystals in the right number and size. The three critical variables that affect the type, size, and number of cocoa butter crystals being formed during chocolate tempering are: temperature, time, and agitation.
When should you not temper chocolate? ›
Baking chocolate and chocolate chips made for cookies, are not meant to be tempered. These are specifically formulated to melt at very high temperature (so that they do not completely melt away in your oven!) and they do not contain enough cocoa butter to temper.
How long to let tempered chocolate set? ›
An indicator that you tempered chocolate correctly is that it has a nice snap. Many instructions say to do a tester of the tempered chocolate on a knife or piece or baking paper, saying the chocolate should set in 2-3 minutes.
How do you store chocolate after tempering it? ›
Tempered chocolate products stay hard at cool room temperature. Avoid storing at warm temperatures and at high humidity to protect the tempered chocolate's structure.
Why won't my melted chocolate harden? ›
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 do you temper chocolate for dummies? ›
Tempering Chocolate Method 1
Heat over hot but not boiling water, stirring constantly, until chocolate reaches 110°–115°F. Place the top pan of the double boiler on a towel. Cool chocolate to 95°–100°F. Add the remaining chocolate to the top pan, stirring until melted.
The process of heating and cooling melts the chocolate's fat crystals and then rebuilds them. In a nutshell, you heat the chocolate to 110°F, cool it to 80°F, and then reheat it to 90°F. As long as it stays around 90°F, the chocolate will hold its temper.
What is the best chocolate for tempering? ›
What is the best chocolate for tempering? We would recommend using high quality bars of chocolate or couverture chocolate. The latter melts quicker due to a higher cocoa mass, and is normally available as large buttons. If using bars, finely chop the chocolate with a serrated knife as this will melt more evenly.
What is the table top method of tempering chocolate? ›
To temper chocolate by tabling, melt the chocolate to 122°F/50°C for dark and 105°F/40°C for milk or white to remove all existing cocoa butter crystals. Pour 1/2 to 2/3 of the melted chocolate onto a scrupulously clean and absolutely dry marble slab.
What kind of thermometer is best for tempering chocolate? ›
If you're going to be table tempering (as opposed to tempering in a bowl) then the mass of chocolate may not be thick enough to use a probe thermometer. In which case an infrared thermometer is a good choice for tempering chocolate – they are not a good choice for caramels.
What supermarket chocolate is best for tempering? ›
What is the best chocolate for tempering? We would recommend using high quality bars of chocolate or couverture chocolate. The latter melts quicker due to a higher cocoa mass, and is normally available as large buttons. If using bars, finely chop the chocolate with a serrated knife as this will melt more evenly.
