How to Temper Chocolate
Tempering is the easiest part of working with chocolate — a little stirring is all that’s required.
Tempering allows the right crystal structure to form from the cocoa butter in chocolate, making the texture smooth, shiny and crisp. Chocolate that hasn’t been tempered is softer, melts more easily and often shows blooming or streaking.
Printable Multi-language Recipes
Yield: Equals the amount selected per recipe.
Equipment: Brod and Taylor Folding Proofer (without water tray), thermometer, bowls, and spoons or utensils.
All surfaces in contact with the chocolate should be thoroughly clean and dry. Consider the temperature and humidity of any surfaces or tools your chocolate will come in contact with. For example, a very cold spoon could develop condensation when moved to a warm area. The resulting moisture will likely cause your chocolate to seize, becoming lumpy and unworkable.
Timing: Varies according to the type and amount of chocolate selected. With the temperature set at 115 °F / 46 °C, a 1‑lb / 0.5‑kg solid block of dark chocolate will gently melt in about 2.5 hours. After it is melted, the Proofer can hold the melted chocolate for an extended time at 90 °F / 32 °C.
Ingredients
Dark, milk, or white chocolate containing cocoa butter.
Tempering Instructions:
Step One: Melt the Chocolate. Set up the Proofer with wire rack in place and the thermostat at 115 °F / 46 °C. The water tray may be placed underneath the rack, but make sure it is completely dry. The entire Proofer should be dry to prevent the chocolate from seizing. Place about 3/4 of the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, setting aside the other 1/4 to use as “seed” chocolate. Your chocolate can be white, milk or dark, but it should be real chocolate containing cocoa butter, not palm oil or other non-chocolate fats (candy melts or some brands of white chocolate should not be used for tempering). It is not necessary to chop the chocolate, but smaller pieces will melt considerably faster. Place the bowl on the wire rack in the Proofer and allow the chocolate to melt slowly and safely. A quarter pound / 113 g of chocolate will be completely melted in 60 minutes or less, larger quantities may take longer.
Step Two: Adjust the Proofer Temperature. When the chocolate is completely melted, remove it from the Proofer and lower the thermostat to the correct holding temperature, normally about 90 °F / 32 °C for dark chocolate or 86 °F / 30 °C for milk or white chocolate. Leave the top open briefly so the Proofer will cool.
Tempered chocolate (right) is smooth and shiny.
Peanut Butter Cup Recipe
Step Three: Seed the Chocolate. While the Proofer is cooling, add a piece (or pieces) of the reserved, un-melted chocolate to the bowl to provide seed crystals for the cooling chocolate. Stir continuously as the seed chocolate melts, and continue stirring until the temperature of the chocolate cools to 90 °F / 32 °C for dark chocolate or 86 °F / 30 °C for milk or white chocolate. To check if the chocolate is tempered, dip a spoon into the melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator until firm. The chocolate should be hard and smooth with no streaking. If this test is a success, place the chocolate back into the Proofer to hold at the right temperature to maintain the temper. If the chocolate is streaked, the tempering process may need to be repeated.
Chocolate Tempering Table
Below indicated is the temperature range to maintain temper while frequently stirring. Do not exceed the indicated temperature range.
Chocolate | Temperature range |
---|---|
Dark chocolate | 86-90 °F / 30-32 °C |
Milk chocolate | 84-86 °F / 29-30 °C |
White chocolate | 84-86 °F / 29-30 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why should I temper chocolate?
Tempering is the process of melting and cooling chocolate so it will be smoot and glossy when it sets. Chocolate that is not tempered can become streaked with white and may be soft. Tempering is key for making chocolate-dipped candies and treats. Chocolate covered strawberries, pretzels and dried fruits are more attractive when covered with tempered chocolate.
Chocolate that has been melted but not tempered after melting should really only be used in recipes that combine the chocolate with other ingredients, like a cake or brownies or ganache. If the chocolate is used by itself for a coating or bark or something like that, after melting it should really be tempered. The only exception might be if young kids are working with it, then that might be too much detail for them. Chocolate that has not been tempered will be soft, matte and will often show streaks.
Why should I remove the water tray?
Humidity will cause the chocolate to seize. The entire Proofer should be clean and dry to prevent the chocolate from seizing.
What does tempered chocolate look like?
Tempered chocolate should be shiny smooth and snap when broken.
How do I test to see if my chocolate is tempered?
Spread a small amount of melted chocolate on a plate; the chocolate should harden in a few minutes and should remain shiny. If it does not, repeat the tempering process.
What types of chocolate can be tempered?
Your chocolate can be white, milk or dark, but it should be real chocolate containing cocoa butter, not palm oil or other non-chocolate fats (candy melts or some brands of white chocolate should not be used for tempering).
Why won’t my white chocolate chips melt in the Proofer?
Some chocolate chips, especially white chocolate, are specially formulated not to melt so that they remain in chip form when baked in a cookie (instead of melting and leaving a hole in the baked good). Try a bar chocolate formulated with cocoa butter instead.
If my chocolate has streaks, what should I do?
Repeat the tempering process.
Can I re-use leftover tempered chocolate?
Let your leftover tempered chocolate harden, then cover it and store at room temperature. You can re-temper it up to two more times.
Will the temperature of my cooking utensils effect the chocolate temperature?
Yes. Many bakers hold their utensils and bowls at the desired set temperature in one corner of the Proofer to avoid problems in the tempering process.
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Can this be used to temper chocolate if you don’t have already tempered “seed” chocolate?
Nedra, Yes, the Proofer can be used to temper chocolate. Cocoa butter is the fat in cacao beans that give chocolate its stable properties. A bar or a chunk of chocolate should only contain real cocoa butter and no other type of fat to achieve tempering. The “seed” chocolate also needs to be tempered chocolate which is in hunks, shavings, bits, or wafers and generally is about 25-30 percent of the total amount of chocolate you are tempering. All the best in working with chocolate!
How long will the chocolste stay in temper in the proofer. I want to dip 2 lbs of ganache in tempered chocolate
Jennine, Cocoa butter is the fat in cacao beans that give chocolate its stable properties. A bar or a chunk of chocolate should only contain real cocoa butter and no other type of fat to achieve tempering. The “seed” chocolate also needs to be tempered chocolate which is in hunks, shavings, bits, or wafers and generally is about 25-30 percent of the total amount of chocolate you are tempering. We suggest you have at least 24 ounces of chocolate when you begin to temper in order to have enough for 2 lbs of ganache. This way you will have enough to work with when dipping. Keep in mind that the temperature of the ganache, your hands, the bowl and tools can affect the temperature of the tempered chocolate you are dipping in and affect whether it remains in temper. Dark chocolate should be held between 88-89F / 31C. Milk and white chocolates should be between 84-86F / 29-30C. If the bowl is resting on the base plate of the Proofer and set at the appropriate temperature (above), all you will need to do is stir occasionally to be certain the temperature remains constant. Enjoy making those chocolate treats.
Should the Proofer be in “PROOFER” state or “SLOW COOKER” state, for tempering chocolate?
Thank you for this question. The Proofer should be in Proofer Mode if you are following our Brod & Taylor recipe for tempering. It is possible to temper chocolate in the Slow Cook Mode but we have not created instructions for doing so and there is less risk of failure in the Proofer Mode unless you have worked with chocolate quite a bit and pay close attention during tempering with Slow Cook mode.
Can I use my Brod & Taylor to incubate cocoa butter into cocoa silk for chocolate tempering i.e hold the cocoa butter at 92.5 degrees (+/- 1 F) for 24 hours?