Your mom always told you to control your temper, and she was definitely right. You may not realize, however, that controlling your temper is also an important lesson to learn when working with baking chocolate! If you havent been to baking school, there is a good chance youve never heard of tempered chocolate before--which is why weve compiled everything youll ever need to know about tempering chocolate. We will even tell you about the best chocolate for tempering and tons of tips and tricks for how to temper your own chocolate at home! Keep reading to learn everything about tempered chocolate and the best uses for it.
What Is Tempered Chocolate?
Unless you regularly bake with chocolate, you probably havent thought about what tempered chocolate. Theres a specific scientific explanation that involves fatty acids, cocoa butter, and different types of crystal structures that form at different temperatures. So there are a lot of technical parts to it, but you dont really need to understand all of that to appreciate what tempering does for chocolate. Most of the chocolate you purchase in stores will be tempered already, so you are in luck there! The main issue is that when you are working with tempered chocolate, you have to make sure to keep it in a tempered state--or re-temper it--to ensure the right crystal structures form for the best results.
Benefits of Tempered Chocolate
Bakers and confectioners prefer to keep their chocolate in temper because it will give the best appearance on the shelf--and on your plate. Also, most bakers claim that tempered chocolate has the best flavor, so if you want to ensure that your chocolate is as delicious as possible, make sure you use tempered chocolate. The difference between tempered chocolate and untempered chocolate is in the crystal fat structures, and there are a few reasons that this structure is the most desirable in chocolate work. The most obvious is the appearance: tempered chocolate typically looks glossier and more uniform than untempered chocolate, which makes it ideal for professional-level candy making. Have you ever seen that strange white-ish film (called chocolate bloom) that sometimes appears on older chocolate? This happens because the chocolate has lost its temper (ha), causing little spots of cocoa butter to appear on the surface. This usually occurs because the chocolate has melted too quickly (or too slowly) to remain tempered--the crystal structures change and take the chocolate out of its tempered state. Fortunately, while that melted Snickers bar may not look so pretty, it should still taste pretty good! Another difference between tempered and untempered chocolate is the texture. Tempered chocolate is stronger, giving that satisfying bite you desire, and it remains this way longer than untempered chocolate. Imagine biting into the best chocolate covered strawberries and feeling that nice firm, smooth snap--way better than soft, mushy chocolate. If you want to impress your friends, you should definitely make sure you work with tempered chocolate whenever possible!
Working With Tempered Chocolate
Like we mentioned earlier, most of the chocolate you can find in stores will already be tempered. If you work with chocolate as it is, or mix it into a dough or batter, you probably wont have any issues. However, if you are melting the chocolate to work with it alone, such as to dipfruit or cover cakes, then you will definitely want to ensure that it remains in a tempered state for the most aesthetically pleasing results!How do you make sure you keep your chocolate tempered? Well, you can use a tempering machine, which is likely the easiest way! However, most people dont really have the need to keep a tempering machine around. Plus, many confectioners agree that the machine does not result in the best-quality product and prefer the old-fashioned methods. There are two common methods, one referred to as the seed method and one involving a tempering stone. Let us explore!The Seed MethodThis is the quickest and probably simplest way to temper chocolate. We recommend working with a large amount of chocolate, which will be ideal for dipping and pouring as well. Around 24 ounces is a good amount, and you can always use the remainder later and re-temper it, so you wont waste it if this is more than you need. The seeds referred to in this methods name are actually just small pieces of the chocolate that you add in while your mixture is cooling. Chop up all of your chocolate and melt about 70% of it in the microwave in a bowl, stirring at one minute and then at 15-20 second intervals, removing it before it is completely melted, as some of the chocolate will melt during stirring and you dont want it to burn. Check the temperature: your chocolate should reach 105-113 degrees (114-118 degrees for dark chocolate).Next, add the seeds or additional 30% of the chopped pieces, to the mixture slowly, creating a tempered mixture. Keep that thermometer on hand: once your chocolate reaches 84-86 degrees Fahrenheit (88-89 degrees for dark chocolate), then your chocolate is tempered and perfect for pouring and dipping!This method is especially effective for tempering chocolate chips, as the pieces will already be uniform and you wont have to chop them.The Tempering Stone MethodYou may actually have seen this method at fudge shops or specialty chocolate stores before, as it is really fun to watch! Melt the chocolate in your desired method--check out our tips for melting chocolate. Then, pour about two-thirds of your chocolate onto a tempering stone (usually a cool, hard surface), and use a scraper to continually scrape and reshape your chocolate. It will harden into a dull, pasty mush, as it is known. This part of the process reminds me of fudge makers! The fudgy mush is then mixed with the remainder of the melted chocolate and stirred until the mixture is consistent throughout. You should keep a thermometer on hand for this method as well, so you can ensure the chocolate remains in temper while you are working with it. Either method will temper the chocolate, but if you are working in large batches or on a professional level, this stone method is often preferred.
Tempering Different Chocolate Varieties
Of course, there are many different types of chocolate out there, and you may be working with any or all of them. The process for tempering is not that different for each one, but the temperatures that keep different chocolate varieties in temper vary. For instance, if you are tempering white chocolate, you will want it to reach 84 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas dark chocolate needs to stay a bit warmer, at 88-89 degrees. Also, tempering chocolates with different ingredients already in them, such as nuts or fruits, is not recommended. Feel free to add those later! You also will only want to temper real chocolate, which is made exclusively with cocoa butter. There are hybrid chocolates made with cocoa butter and other fats, but for cooking and baking, real chocolate is the best choice. Just check the ingredients on the label to make sure youre using real chocolate before attempting to temper it!
How to Test your Chocolate
If youre not sure whether or not your chocolate is tempered, dont worry, because there is a simple test. Simply place a drop or spread a thin layer on parchment paper, your tempering stone, or even on the tip of a knife. If the chocolate hardens evenly and with a bit of a shine to it, then your chocolate is tempered. You should be able to peel the layer off the parchment paper if your chocolate is in temper. If your chocolate fails these tests, again, dont worry, because you can always start the tempering process over from the beginning. If the chocolate hardens, or you do not use it all, you can always re-temper it later!No matter what delicious sweet treat you are creating with your melted chocolate, the tempering process will bring out the best flavors in the chocolate, as well as allow your chocolate creations to come out as beautifully as possible! You should always make sure you work with real chocolate for projects like these, and temper in whichever method you prefer: whether thats with a tempering stone or with the seed method. Whatever method you choose, just remember to invite all of your friends and family over to experience that nice, shiny chocolate with a perfect bite to it! You worked way too hard for that perfectly tempered chocolate, so make sure you get full credit for it--or, dont bother to share and save all the perfection for yourself!