How to Easily Temper Chocolate

Member

By Elander Guthrie
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (8 Ratings)

You Don't Need a Chocolate Tempering Machine to Make Your Own Treats

There are few sweets more tempting than chocolate. Whether you prefer milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate, if you want to dress up your presentation by molding your chocolate into a custom shape, you will first need to temper it. Chocolate that is properly tempered has a smooth, luxurious feeling in the mouth and a very silky, even flavor. If it is done improperly or not at all, your chocolates will have a dull, flat, and possibly grainy texture. Improperly tempered chocolates also do not have the smooth, shiny finish that quality chocolates possess.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Quality Chocolate or Couverture
Medium Saucepan
Heavy Glass or Metal Bowl
Water
Silicone or Rubber Spatula
Cooking or Insta-Read Thermometer

Step 1

Dark Chocolate Is Ideal for Coating and Molding

Chop your chocolate or couverture evenly and into small pieces. If your chunks vary widely in size, they will not heat or melt evenly. Couverture is a special type of chocolate that is ideal for molding and coating, but a quality milk chocolate or, ideally, dark chocolate will work fine.
Step 2

Place your saucepan with an inch or so of water over medium low heat, then maintain at a simmer.
Step 3

Cover your saucepan with the bowl to create a double boiler. Make sure that the bowl fits snugly so no condensation forms inside the bowl.
Step 4

Add about half to two-thirds of your chopped chocolate to the double boiler and allow to melt, gently stirring constantly to ensure even heating.
Step 5

There is a Fine Line Between Tempered Chocolate and Burned

Check the temperature of your chocolate frequently using your thermometer, still stirring. When your chocolate reaches 112 degrees F, move on to the next step.
Step 6

Add the rest of the chocolate and allow to melt completely, then remove from the heat. You now have tempered chocolate!

Tips & Warnings

Rather than using a double boiler, some people prefer to place a heavy glass bowl over a heating pad. Doing so is a bit slower, but just as gentle and completely eliminates the chance of the chocolate seizing.
The key to tempering chocolate is to keep everything gentle and even.
If this seems like too much work, there are a number of chocolate tempering machines on the market, but they are expensive and should only be employed if you are going to be tempering a large amount of chocolate regularly.
Tempered chocolate is wonderful for dipping and molding.
Make sure that you don’t let even a single drop of water get into your chocolate. Chocolate is a very delicate product and
Stir your chocolate constantly to ensure even heating, but be careful to not beat it. Doing so will work air into the chocolate.
Be very careful to watch the temperature of your chocolate. It will scorch and burn easily.