Why should chocolate be tempered?
Chocolate, when untempered, is porous in texture and you often see cocoa fat migrated to the surface through spots, rings and a matte top.
By tempering your chocolate when you make, for example, confections or pralines, you get a beautiful, glossy surface. The chocolate also keeps its shape at room temperature and acquires a pleasant texture.
What do you need to temper chocolate at home?
- A thermometer (meat or sugar thermometer works fine)
- A Lickpot
- A microwave (can also be heated using a water bath)
- A microwave-safe bowl/bowl
Tempering dark chocolate (minimum 70 percent)
Remember to try to keep it as cool as possible in the room you work in. An ideal temperature for tempering is 17-20 degrees.
- Finely chop the chocolate and heat half the amount in the microwave or over a water bath. If heating in the microwave, heat the chocolate gently in short intervals (10-15 seconds) and stir between each time. When reheating through a water bath, you boil water in a pan that is allowed to simmer on low heat. You put the chocolate in a bowl that you place on top of the pan that covers the pan's edges. Stir at regular intervals here as well. It is important that the steam does not leak out and reach the chocolate.
- When the temperature reaches 48-50 degrees, remove the bowl from the heat or out of the microwave. Stir in the rest of the chocolate. The melted mass should then go down to 27-28 degrees.
- It is then heated again to 31-32 degrees. If you want to avoid the microwave or the water bath for the last few degrees, you can also use a heat gun or hair dryer and at the same time gently stir the mass.
Then do a solidification test by dipping a room-temperature spoon into the chocolate. If it solidifies within two minutes and has a shiny and fine surface, the chocolate is fully tempered.