Tempering chocolate require controlling the chocolate’s temperature to allow the cocoa butter (an fat in chocolate) to form stable crystals. Cocoa butter can form many type of crystals, but some of them are unstable. Chocolate containing unstable cocoa butter crystals can appear dull and waxily.
If you temper chocolate correct, it will form Form V cocoa butter crystals, which will allow the chocolate to maintain a glossy shine and firm snap when broken. If you dont temper chocolate correctly, it can develop bloom, which is the appearance of white streak on the chocolate’s surface. The process of tempering chocolate involve three phase: melting chocolate completely, cooling the chocolate, and rewarming the chocolate to the proper working temperature.
How to Temper Chocolate
During the first phase, you should melt chocolate to destroy any existing cocoa butter crystals. During the second phase, the chocolate is cooled to encourage the formation of Form V cocoa butter crystals. During the third phase, the chocolate is warmed to the proper working temperature so that any unstable cocoa butter crystals melts while the stable Form V cocoa butter crystals remain.
Different types of chocolate has different working temperatures. Dark chocolate should be warmed to 122 degree Fahrenheit, while white chocolate should be warmed to 110 degrees Fahrenheit because white chocolate contains more sugar and cocoa mass than dark chocolate. There are many methods of tempering chocolate.
The seeding method involve adding unmelted chocolate piece, called seeds, to the melted chocolate. These unmelted chocolate pieces will introduce Form V cocoa butter crystals into the melted chocolate and will lower the temperature of the melted chocolate as they melt. The tabling method involve spreading melted chocolate on a cold marble slab and moving the chocolate with a spatula.
The cold slab will draw heat away from the chocolate and the movement will allow the cocoa butter crystals to distribute throughout the chocolate. Additionally, another method of tempering chocolate involve using a microwave to melt the chocolate. However, you must take care when using a microwave because hot spots can form and scorch the sugar in the chocolate.
Temperature precision is essential when tempering chocolate. Small changes in temperature can prevent the formation of Form V cocoa butter crystals. To measure the chocolate temperature, use a digital thermometer and ensure that the digital thermometer is accurate.
Another potential problem when tempering chocolate is the presence of moisture. Even a small amount of moisture can cause the chocolate to seize, which transform the chocolate into a thick, grainy sludge. Ensure all tool used to temper chocolate are dry to avoid introducing moisture.
If any problem occur during the tempering of chocolate, you can usually fix them by adjusting the chocolate’s temperature. If the chocolate becomes too thick to properly pour, it likely contains too much heat, so add more tempering time to allow the chocolate to cool. If the chocolate becomes too sticky, it likely contains too much tempering time, so reheat the chocolate and start the tempering process again.
Fat bloom can happen if the temperature of the chocolate fluctuate while setting. Sugar bloom can happen if moisture from condensation touch the chocolate while it is in its solid state. To avoid bloom in chocolate, store the chocolate in a cool, dry place without odors.
Chocolate can absorb odors very easy, so store the chocolate in a sealed container to prevent chocolate from absorbing the smells in the environment.