Description
Chocolate is one of the most popular United States treats and it's understandable you want to properly melt and set your chocolate at home. For chocolate to harden and shape properly it needs to be tempered. Chocolate can seize, burn or various issues that can be avoided so you can simply enjoy delicious chocolate. In this post, I'll hit on the basics of tempering chocolate.
Ingredients
Your Choice of and Amount of Chocolate needing Tempered, melt 3/4 of the amount needed to start with
Maintain These Tempering Temperatures Based on Type of Chocolate:
Dark chocolate Initially 122 °F then add remaining chocolate and maintain at 88 to 90°F (31 to 32°C)
Milk chocolate Initially 105 °F then add remaining chocolate and maintain at 86 to 88°F (30 to 31°C)
White chocolate Initially 105 °F then add remaining chocolate and maintain at 80 to 82°F(27 to 28°C)
Instructions
The oven method uses a heatproof bowl and the oven heated to 190°F, then turned off. Place 3/4 of chocolate in the heatproof bowl in the prewarmed oven. When milk chocolate or white chocolate reaches 105°F or 41°C.remove from heat and add remaining chocolate. Stir until temperature reaches 88°F for milk chocolate and 82°F for white chocolate. Maintain this temperature until you use the chocolate. When dark chocolate reaches 122°F remove from heat and add remaining chocolate. Stir until temperature reaches 90°F or 32°C. Maintain this temperature until you use the chocolate. Use the chart above according to the chocolate you are tempering.
The double broiler method uses a heatproof bowl for your chocolate with 1/2 inch of water in a pan or a double broiler pan. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch your water. For dark chocolate, use 3/4 of the chocolate needed and leave the double broiler overheat while melting the chocolate. Keep the pot over heat on simmer and maintain the tempering temperature until ready to use. However with milk and white chocolate, do not add these chocolates until the water is brought to a boil, then remove from heat and add 3/4 of the chocolate needed to the bowl. Check with an Instant read thermometer. You want the temperature to reach 105°F or 41°C for milk or white chocolate and 122°F for dark chocolate. When temperature is reached add the remaining reserved chocolate into the bowl and stir until reaches 88°F for milk chocolate and 82°F for white chocolate. or 90°F or 32°C for dark chocolate. Maintain this temperature until you use the chocolate.
The microwave method is easy and requires little equipment. If using a chocolate bar, first chop the chocolate into smaller pieces. Use 3/4 of the amount need in a microwavable bowl. Microwave 30 seconds at a time and stir between each session. Check with an Instant read thermometer. You want the temperature to reach 105°F or 41°C for milk or white chocolate and 122°F for dark chocolate. When temperature is reached add the remaining reserved chocolate into the bowl and stir until reaches 88°F for milk chocolate and 82°F for white chocolate. or 90°F or 32°C for dark chocolate. Maintain this temperature until you use the chocolate.
Notes
Chocolate can burn if it heated over 200°F and easily done when heated over an open flame. Chocolate can sees if it comes in contact with water, causing the chocolate to absorb and clump. The solution is to add more liquid such as cream, milk or water, but once the chocolate has seized, it cannot be tempered.
