Tempering Chocolate

Tempering chocolate is a process used to stabilize the cocoa butter crystals in chocolate, giving it a smooth texture, a shiny appearance and a good snap when broken.

The process of tempering chocolate involves heating the chocolate to a certain temperature, and then cooling it down to a specific temperature range. The specific temperatures depend on the type of chocolate being used, but typically, chocolate is heated to between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit (46 and 49 degrees Celsius), and then cooled to around 82-90 degrees Fahrenheit (28-32 degrees Celsius) for dark chocolate. The chocolate is then heated again to around 88-90 degrees Fahrenheit (31-32 degrees Celsius) for dark chocolate.

There are several methods to temper chocolate, such as:

• Table Method
• Seeding Method
• Melt and Cool Method
• Microwave Method

After the chocolate is tempered, it is ready to be used for molding, enrobing, dipping, or any other chocolate making process.

Properly tempered chocolate will have a glossy finish, a smooth texture, and will snap cleanly when broken.