Making Home-Made Chocolates: Tempering Chocolate
Posted by Karen Hartin on March 31st, 2007
Nothing compares to the taste and texture of pure chocolate, whether it be light, dark, or white. It doesn't matter how good your home-made centers are if they don't have a good coating!
Pure chocolate MUST be tempered before using to dip your candies. Tempering is a process of raising and lowering the temperature of the melted chocolate, so the finished candies will harden properly, and have a nice, glossy finish.
For best results, you should always avoid trying to work with chocolate on hot and humid days, or you will undoubtedly be disappointed with the results. Ideally, the temperature of your work area should be at or below 68 degrees F, and humidity should be at or below 50%.
To properly temper chocolate, you will need the following basic tools:
- Double boiler
- Low-temperature thermometer. (2 thermometers are recommended, since you cannot put a wet thermometer into the chocolate)
- Small rubber spatula
Instructions
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the quicker it will melt.
- Fill the lower pan of your double-boiler with water at about 140 degrees F ( 60 degrees Celsius)
- Put approx 1/4 of your chocolate in the top pan, and set on top of the pan with the warm water. Stir vigorously with the spatula until the chocolate is almost melted. Add more chocolate, a quarter at a time, keeping the chocolate moving by stirring the entire time. Continue until all the chocolate is melted, and has a smooth consistency.
- Replace the hot water in the bottom pan with cold water, and replace the top pan, being VERY careful not to get any water in the chocolate. ( 1 drop of water can ruin a pound of chocolate!)
- Stir again until the temperature of the chocolate has cooled to 83 degrees F ( 28 degrees Celsius.
- This is the proper dipping temperature of chocolate. To maintain this temperature, replace the cold water in the bottom pan to water approx 85 degrees F ( 29 degrees Celsius)
- Start dipping, keeping an eye on the temperature of the chocolate. Replace water in the bottom pan if needed to maintain the temperature of the chocolate.
Associated News Items
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the recall of 4,455 Vintage soy milk chocolate bars because of an undeclared ingredient. ...more
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SRINAGAR, India - Ducking and laughing as his female relatives pelt him with fistfuls of almonds, dusty coconut chocolates and coins, Baseer Qadri, a groom in a very fancy turban, jumps into his car to race off to marry his bride. By the light of the moon, his entourage speeds through downtown. ...more
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Trade Winds (Honolulu Advertiser)
HAWAIIAN HOST INC. Hawaiian Host Inc., manufacturer of Hawaiian Host Chocolates, has hired Mark Yamada as controller and director of finance. Yamada is a veteran of finance and customer service, with extensive experience in business in Japan. ...more
Sweet dreams are made of this (The Scotsman)
IT WAS a furious debate that ignited regularly across the nation's playgrounds. More important than Grange Hill and more intractable than a Rubik's Cube. But now, it seems, we have an answer to what is the country's favourite chocolate bar. ...more
