Tempering chocolate involve controlling the temperature of the chocolate to influence the type of crystals that the cocoa butter within the chocolate make. Cocoa butter is the fat that is contained within chocolate, and cocoa butter can make many differents types of crystals. If the cocoa butter within the chocolate form the wrong type of crystals, the chocolate wont be glossy and will not have a clean snap when broken.
If the cocoa butter within the chocolate forms the correct type of crystals, the chocolate will be glossy and will have a clean snap when broken. By ensuring that the cocoa butter within the chocolate is guide to form only that correct type of crystal, the chocolate will remain firm and maintain its shiny appearance. Chocolate can be tempered according to specific temperature ranges because each type of chocolate contain different amounts of cocoa solids and cocoa butter.
How to Temper Chocolate
Dark chocolate contains more cocoa solids and cocoa butter than milk chocolate. Therefore, dark chocolate require higher temperatures during the tempering process. Milk chocolate contains less cocoa solids than dark chocolate.
Therefore, milk chocolate requires different temperatures than dark chocolate. Finally, white chocolate does not contain any cocoa solids. Therefore, white chocolate require the lowest temperatures of all types of chocolate.
You must use a thermometer to ensure that the chocolate remain within these set temperature ranges. To temper chocolate, the chocolate must be heated, cooled, and then reheated. To begin the process, you should heat the chocolate to ensure that each crystal of cocoa butter has melt.
After heating the chocolate, it should be cooled to ensure that the cocoa butter within the chocolate create the correct type of crystals. Finally, the chocolate should be slightly reheated to the desired working temperature to ensure that any unstable crystals within the chocolate is eliminated. If not performed correctly, the chocolate will initially appear to set, but eventually will either become soft or develop streaks within the chocolate.
It is essential that the chocolate reaches this final working temperature before its used for dipping chocolate or molding them into various shapes. There are three common methods for tempering chocolate. The first method is the marble slab method in which you spread chocolate on a cool marble slab and scrape it with a scraper tool.
This method work because the cool marble slab help to extract the heat from the chocolate quick. The second method is the seeding method in which you add solid pieces of already-tempered chocolate to the melted chocolate. This method works because the solid chocolate introduce the correct type of crystals into the melted chocolate.
Finally, the third method is the microwave method in which the chocolate is heated in short bursts in a microwave. This method require the chocolate to be stirred in the microwave to prevent overheating the chocolate. After completing the chocolate tempering cycle, it is essential to test the chocolate to ensure that the chocolate was properly tempered.
One way to test the chocolate is to place a portion of the chocolate on parchment paper and allow it to set at room temperature. Properly tempered chocolate will produce a clean shine on the parchment paper and will not have any soft spot. Another test is to break a piece of the chocolate.
Properly tempered chocolate will create a clean snap when broken, while improperly tempered chocolate will either bend or crumble when broken. Many problems can occur during the tempering of chocolate due to small errors. For instance, water can enter the chocolate which will cause the chocolate to seize into a grainy paste.
Additionally, if you overheat the chocolate during the tempering process, it will lose its flavor and become unusable. Finally, if the chocolate is cooled too much during the tempering process, it will become too thick to be easily used. To ensure that the chocolate maintain the results of the tempering process, it should be stored in a cool and dry location.
Heat can cause the chocolate to bloom which is the change in the surface of the chocolate caused by the cocoa butter within the chocolate changing crystals. The chocolate should also be stored away from light and humidity because both of these can also lead to changes in the surface of the chocolate. By storing the chocolate in an environment that is free of these factors, the chocolate will retain its shiny appearance and firm texture.