Tempering Chocolate
Tempering is not about following a rigid temperature chart as much as it is about managing the crystal structure of the cocoa butter. Once you recognize the physical cues—the thickening texture and the rapid set—you no longer need a thermometer to know your chocolate is ready.
Control the moisture and the movement.
Even a single drop of water will cause your chocolate to seize and turn into a grainy paste. Keep your workspace bone-dry and use a heavy-bottomed bowl to ensure even heat distribution.
- Heavy-bottomed glass or metal bowl
- Silicone spatula
- Offset spatula
- Digital thermometer
What goes in.
- 1 lbHigh-quality couverture chocolate (callets or finely chopped)
Creating a crystalline path
By adding unmelted, stable chocolate to fully melted chocolate, you 'seed' the mixture. The solid pieces act as a template, forcing the liquid cocoa butter to align into the correct, stable crystal structure as it cools.
The method.
Melt the base
Place two-thirds of your chocolate in a bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir constantly until the temperature reaches 115°F (46°C) for dark chocolate or 110°F (43°C) for milk chocolate.
Seed the melt
Remove the bowl from the heat. Gradually stir in the remaining one-third of the chocolate. The heat from the melted portion will slowly dissolve the solid bits.
Cool and stabilize
Continue stirring until the temperature drops to 88°F-90°F (31°C-32°C) for dark, or 84°F-86°F (29°C-30°C) for milk. The mixture will begin to look velvety and thicken slightly.
Test the set
Dip the tip of a knife into the chocolate and set it aside for three minutes. If it dries with a firm, even sheen without streaks, it is tempered.
Other turns to take.
Dark Chocolate
Needs a higher melting point and target temperature due to the absence of milk solids.
Milk/White Chocolate
Requires lower working temperatures because the added milk fat lowers the melting point of the cocoa butter.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Keep your chocolate away from direct flame; the residual heat of the steam is enough to melt it gently.
If the chocolate cools too much before you finish working, apply brief, three-second bursts of warm air from a hairdryer while stirring.
Do not scrape the sides of the bowl too vigorously, as cooler, un-tempered chocolate can cling to the edges and ruin your batch.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my chocolate turn streaky or gray?
This is called 'bloom.' It occurs when the cocoa butter crystals have fallen out of temper and migrated to the surface. It is harmless, but requires re-tempering to restore the shine.
Can I reuse seized chocolate?
Only by adding a small amount of warm liquid like cream or butter to create a ganache. You cannot successfully re-temper seized chocolate.
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