To use chocolate, it must first be tempered. When properly tempered, chocolate can be used successfully for any and all types of chocolate candies, coatings, and decorations. Even if already tempered, it will need to be tempered again.
Tempering rules apply only to real chocolate — not confectionery coatings, coating chocolate, chocolate bark coatings, or other such substitutes — which are usually vegetable based and often artificially flavored — thus may not even contain any actual chocolate. The taste is inferior to that of real chocolate, but they are easily and quickly melted for use in place of tempered chocolate.
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You do not to have to temper chocolate, however, to simply use it as a flavoring agent. Just melt it and simply stir it in with other ingredients according to recipe directions. As long as you don’t burn it, it will be fine.
Never let the temperature of the chocolate exceed 120°F for dark chocolate. Do not exceed 105°F for milk or white chocolate.
The exception to this would be if using dark chocolate as a flavoring agent.
If using dark chocolate as a flavoring, either use cocoa powder, melt already tempered dark chocolate, or temper the chocolate yourself first.
Chocolate can be purchase in 10 pound blocks that may or may not have been previously tempered from a chocolate supplier. However, some grocery stores will sell broken up chunks of these blocks in their bulk section.
Because it has a lower fat content, dark chocolate is a little trickier and can effect the texture of cakes as well as the texture of cookie, pastry, or bread dough. Therefore, it must be tempered. Once tempered, however, it only has to melted to be used as a flavoring agent.
You can temper chocolate ahead of time and allow it to set (harden) then store for future use as a flavoring agent which then only has to be melted.
My personal most favorite dark chocolate to use for flavoring (as well as simply eating) and that is already tempered is Hershey’s Special Dark candy bars. Technically, it isn’t really dark chocolate, but is a semi-sweet chocolate. It makes an excellent substitute, however, for true dark chocolate as well as serving as an actual semi-sweet chocolate.
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Tempering Chocolate
Finely chop 1-1/2 to 2 pounds of solid chocolate — or simply use chocolate chips or discs.
Place two-thirds of the chocolate in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
Place a candy thermometer in the chocolate and stir gently with a rubber spatula.
Keep the spatula in the chocolate at all times and move gently and slowly back and forth to stir.
Never let the temperature of the chocolate exceed 120°F for dark chocolate. Do not exceed 105°F for milk or white chocolate.
When the chocolate has fully melted, remove the bowl from heat and set it on an absorbent kitchen towel or paper towel due the condensation on the bottom of the bowl. Spatula should remain in the chocolate.
Removing the spatula results in the chocolate setting/hardening on the spatula and this chocolate is then at a different stage than the rest of the chocolate being tempered. If you forget, then get another spatula.
Stir in the remaining third of the chocolate a little at a time — 1/3 to 1/2 — letting it melt each time before adding more.
Let the chocolate cool to at least 82°F or a little less. If it is warmer, keep stirring and let it cool some more.
Once the chocolate is 82°F or slightly less, place it back over the simmering water to reheat.
For dark chocolate, reheat to 88°F to 91°F. For milk and white chocolate, reheat to 85°F to 87°F.
Immediately remove the bowl off the heat once you have reached the right temperature.
Spread a small spoonful of chocolate thinly over a piece of parchment or waxed paper.
If it looks dull or streaky, put it back on the heat and start over — tempering the chocolate again.
If it sets quickly with a glossy finish and no streaks, the chocolate is in temper.
Once melted chocolate has been tempered, it must be used before it cools and starts to set.
If it cools to about 84°F to 86°F but it is still liquid, simply reheat to the desired liquid consistency and temperature. Otherwise, it should be re-tempered.
For dark chocolate, reheat to 88°F to 91°F. For milk and white chocolate, reheat to 85°F to 87°F.
If you keep your chocolate within the specified temperature ranges, it will stay in temper, be easy to use, and produce a beautiful sheen and have that perfect texture in which it has a nice snap yet melts in the mouth. If it falls below the given range, it should be re-tempered.
Again:
Never let the temperature of the chocolate exceed 120°F for dark chocolate. Do not exceed 105°F for milk or white chocolate.
If you exceed the temperature range, the chocolate will break. It becomes clumpy, dull, dry, very brittle, and will taste scorched. It is awful and cannot be used. Throw it out, get new chocolate, and start over.
Once properly tempered, the chocolate can be used to coat candies, poured into molds for solid chocolate candies or molded shells, or piped or drizzled free handed or onto stenciled waxed paper to create intricate designs, shapes, or figures for decorating cakes, — or it can be piped, drizzled, or dipped for all sorts of cookies and pastries.
Properly tempered, you will have a smooth (not clumpy or streaked), durable yet snappy (not brittle), shiny (not dull), and becomes wonderfully tasting melt-in-your-mouth chocolate.
It is not difficult to temper chocolate, but does take a little practice.
As you become greatly experienced, it is possible to temper chocolate without use of thermometer. It has very subtle signs such as the appearance and how it feels as you slowly and gently run the rubber spatula through it. However, it is always risky to temper without use of thermometer no matter how experienced.
Can chocolate be tempered in the microwave?
YES! It is slightly trickier, but far easier and faster once you get the hang of it. Just do so very carefully in very short bursts, remove and stir with a clean and dry spatula each time taking it out, and be careful of the temperature ranges. It also helps greatly if you learn the other method first and get used to what it should look like and the texture.
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