Chocolate Tempering And Other Kitchen Tips

Have you ever wondered how people heat up chocolate like a pro? Well, it's not as hard as it seems. You just need to follow the procedures to get the desired result. If you want to create delicate sweets that include chocolate then couverture chocolate should be used. Couverture chocolate becomes more fluid when melted compared to normal chocolate and thus it is easier to process. The reason is the cocoa butter content. Couverture chocolate contains at least 31% whereas normal chocolate only contains 18%.

Couverture chocolate needs to be melted carefully otherwise the results may not be as desired which you can easily tell by a lack of shine, crumbly and grainy surface instead of smooth texture and crunchy snap. 

One of the most common mistakes during the melting process is the contact of the couverture with water or steam. As a result, the couverture immediately becomes solid and unusable. This often happens when the couverture is melted in a water bath. Therefore, it is best to use a Bain-Marie or a heat proof plastic bowl that is larger in diameter than the pot. Ideally the bowl fits into the pot without any gaps. 

When melting chocolate it is essential to monitor the temperature. This can be done best with a digital cooking thermometer. Overall, the melting temperature of couverture chocolate, depending on the type, should not exceed 40 - 45 °C (104 - 113 F) otherwise the chocolate structure will be destroyed. Simply melting chocolate in a water bath is by no means sufficient to achieve good results. It does take a little patience.

To bring the couverture chocolate to the correct processing temperature,
it has to go through the three phases of tempering. The reason lies in the
chemical structure of the cocoa butter.

Chocolate Tempering

The first step is to chop the chocolate as evenly as possible and put just about 2/3 of the total quantity into your heatproof bowl or a Bain-Marie. Heat some amount of water say, 5 cm, in a small pan and just pop the heatproof bowl or Bain-Marie on the pan (make sure the bottom of the heatproof bowl doesn't come into contact with the water). Allow your couverture chocolate to melt gradually at 40 - 45 °C (104 to 113 F). Once it turns to liquid, turn down the heat and remove the bowl or Bain-Marie from the small pan as you wrap a towel around the base for warmth. Add the remaining chocolate from the ones you chopped earlier and stir it until the couverture is cooled down below its melting point, depending on variety between 26 and 29 °C (79 - 84 F). Stir as little air as possible into the chocolate and always leave the spoon in the mass. The so-called pre-crystallization begins. 

When the added couverture has melted and the mixture becomes tough, put it in the water bath again and warm it up briefly to the processing temperature depending on the type of chocolate. This process cancels the pre-crystallization. Dark chocolate 31.1 - 32.2 °C (88 - 90 F), milk chocolate 30 - 31.1 °C (86 - 88 F), white chocolate 28.8 - 30 °C (84 - 86 F). 

This will take a short while. After all these steps are completed, you are ready for your chocolate production. If necessary repeatedly put the couverture into the water bath briefly to maintain the processing temperature.

Microwave Tempering for Busy People

This method is mainly for anyone with many jobs at hand, children or pets to look after, a train to catch, or just anything that takes a lot of time. Start by popping up the chocolate (already chopped) in a microwaveable container (preferably a plastic bowl) and melt it at about 900W. Keep checking it every 14 seconds and ensure that it doesn't get overheated. When your chocolate seems to have melted out (with small bits of bubbling on top of it), remove the chocolate from the microwave and stir gently. Stir until it gets smooth. With this stirring, it should get thick and is ready for consumption.

Bonus Tip

If you prefer to shop for chocolate rather than making it yourself, visit our store for a great selection of German and Swiss chocolates.

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