Chocolate Making Tips from Candy Cupboard

Tempering Chocolate

    Tempering chocolate is an essential part of chocolate making and is easy to learn.

    First, chop a slab of chocolate into small pieces with a sharp knife on a clean, smooth surface. A baking pan works great for this job. Next, melt 75% of the chopped chocolate in the microwave or double boiler. Keep the remaining 25% chopped chocolate to the side.

     If you are using a microwave to melt the chocolate, use only short 5-10 second bursts, removing and stirring at each interval. You don't want to cook the chocolate. The maximum melting temperature for chocolate is 110 f.

     If you are using a double boiler be careful to not get any water into the chocolate as the two do not mix. Using warm water from the tap is sufficient heat to melt the chocolate. Stir to melt.

      Once the chocolate is melted, add the remaining 25% chopped chocolate to the melted batch, stir and cool. The working temperature for milk chocolate is 86-87 *f, and dark chocolate is 89-90 *f.

    You can test the chocolate batch to see if it is tempered by dipping a spoon into the batch and then cooling the test spoon in the fridge for 3-4 minutes. If it comes out hard, smooth and shiny, then you have success! If not, then check the temperature and cool or heat as required.

    Now you are ready to dip fruit, nuts, or mold chocolate. Have fun!