Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (2024)

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Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (15)Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (16)

Techniques for Tempering Chocolate

Our experts share advice for melting chocolate for baking and candy-making perfection.

Chocolate Tempering

Proper “tempering”—heating and cooling chocolate to stabilize it for making candies and confections—gives chocolate a smooth and glossy finish, keeps it from easily melting on your fingers, and allows it to set up beautifully for dipped and chocolate-covered treats.


How to Temper Chocolate

Watch your temperature! Use a candy thermometer to avoid heating chocolate above 130°F. Chocolate is very sensitive to heat and will scorch or seize easily.

Be sure that your work surface, pans, and tools are absolutely dry before melting chocolate. Even a drop of water or other liquid can cause chocolate to “seize up”

Read on for our expert advice on the best methods for tempering chocolate.

Tempering Chocolate Method 1

Grate or chop the desired amount ofchocolate. Place two-thirds of the chocolate in the top pan of a double boiler. Heat over hot but not boiling water, stirring constantly, until chocolate reaches 110°–115°F.

Place the top pan of the double boiler on a towel. Cool chocolate to 95°–100°F. Add the remaining chocolate to the top pan, stirring until melted. The chocolate is now ready to be used for molding candies, coating, or dipping.

Tempering Chocolate Method 2

Starting with a pound of broken chocolate, melt two-thirds of the chocolate over indirect heat, such as in the top pan of a double boiler. Melt just until the chocolate is liquid and smooth (at 110°–115°F).

When it is smooth, add the remaining one-third of broken chocolate and heat again until the entire chocolate becomes smooth.Pour the chocolate onto a marble or other cool, smooth, non-porous surface. Using a spatula, scrape and stir the chocolate across the surface to smooth and cool it. When the chocolate cools to 80°–82°F, return it to the top pan of the double boiler. Place over hot, not boiling, water. Heat and stir constantly, until it reaches 87°–91°F. Remove the top pan of the double boiler. The chocolate is now ready to be used for molding candies, coating, or dipping.

Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (17)Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (18)

Techniques for Melting Chocolate

PRO TIPS TURN OUT PROFESSIONAL-QUALITY CREATIONS IN NO TIME.

Chocolate Melting

Melting chocolate doesn't have to be a challenge. With the proper technique, it can be a smooth operation, and you'll have a velvety pool of luxurious Ghirardelli chocolate in no time. Our experts share advice for the best ways to melt chocolate.

How to Melt Chocolate

  • Break or cut chocolate into small (½ inch) pieces for even melting. Stir gently and frequently while melting.
  • Melt chocolate over low or medium-low heat or use a double boiler. Chocolate burns easily, so it's best to melt chocolate slowly.
  • Be sure that your work surface, pans, and tools are absolutely dry before melting chocolate. Even a drop of water or other liquid can cause chocolate to seize up.

Read on for the best ways to melt chocolate.

Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (19)Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (20)

Double Boiler

  • Breakchocolateinto small pieces, and place in top pan of double boiler over hot, but not boiling, water. A glass or metal mixing bowl on top of a saucepan half-full of water works as a stand-in if you don’t have a double boiler on hand.
  • Allow chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth.

Direct Heat

  • When you’re adding chocolate to a batter or melting with butter, the direct heat method works well, but it’s not the best choice for molding or dipping chocolate.
  • Place chopped or broken chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat and stir constantly to avoid scorching. Remove from heat when only small lumps of chocolate remain, and stir until completely melted.

Microwave

  • Place chocolate in microwave oven in a heatproof glass bowl or container and heat at medium power (50 perfect) for 30-second intervals. Remove and stir each time before returning to microwave and repeating. Each microwave is unique and affects the chocolate differently so please monitor closely. When only small lumps remain, remove and continue to stir until complete melting.

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Tempering Chocolate Tips & Melting Chocolate Techniques | Ghirardelli (2024)

FAQs

What are the tips and tricks for tempering chocolate? ›

Tempering Chocolate Method 1

Heat over hot but not boiling water, stirring constantly, until chocolate reaches 110°–115°F. Place the top pan of the double boiler on a towel. Cool chocolate to 95°–100°F. Add the remaining chocolate to the top pan, stirring until melted.

What are the 3 steps in melting or tempering chocolate? ›

Steps:
  1. Roughly chop the chocolate into bite size pieces. ...
  2. Fill a pot with 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) water and place on the stove. ...
  3. Let the chocolate warm over the hot water, uncovered, until it is about two-thirds melted. ...
  4. Once chocolate is about two-thirds melted, gently stir it to prevent burning.

What are the 3 important factors involved in tempering chocolate? ›

The objective in tempering is to arrange the physical “packing” of stable cocoa butter crystals in the right number and size. The three critical variables that affect the type, size, and number of cocoa butter crystals being formed during chocolate tempering are: temperature, time, and agitation.

What will ruin chocolate while tempering it? ›

The main cause of chocolate seizing is when water is mixed into the melted mixture. This can happen if you slip whilst heating it using a bain-marie. Or by not completing drying the marble surface or using a wet utensil. Seized chocolate is ruined, and there's really no going back.

How long does chocolate take to set after tempering? ›

If the chocolate is in temper it will harden quite quickly (within 3 to 5 minutes) and become firm and shiny. If you touch it, your finger will come away clean. The offset spatula on the top was dipped into chocolate that was melted and then allowed to cool; it's dull and not properly tempered.

How do you temper chocolate foolproof? ›

The process of heating and cooling melts the chocolate's fat crystals and then rebuilds them. In a nutshell, you heat the chocolate to 110°F, cool it to 80°F, and then reheat it to 90°F. As long as it stays around 90°F, the chocolate will hold its temper.

What is the simplest method for tempering chocolate called? ›

In his book The Encyclopedia of Chocolate, this top chef explains all the different techniques for tempering chocolate. He gives us three methods: tempering in a bain-marie (the most well-known and simplest technique), seeding and, finally, tabling, which is a little more complicated.

How to make chocolate shiny without tempering? ›

Coconut oil is the secret to achieving a super-shiny chocolate coating. It brings a little extra luster to melted chocolate, which, on its own, can become matte when dry. Not only does coconut oil make your chocolate coating shine, but it also helps the chocolate harden.

What is the best chocolate to temper? ›

What is the best chocolate for tempering? We would recommend using high quality bars of chocolate or couverture chocolate. The latter melts quicker due to a higher cocoa mass, and is normally available as large buttons. If using bars, finely chop the chocolate with a serrated knife as this will melt more evenly.

Why is tempering chocolate so hard? ›

This is due to the latent heat of crystallization. As chocolate is crystallizing it gives off heat (an exothermic reaction) and can get warm enough to throw itself out of temper. This issue with latent heat is also why it is important to cool pieces when they are rapidly crystallizing.

What happens if chocolate is not tempered? ›

If chocolate is not tempered properly, the cocoa butter crystallization is uncontrolled and uneven, resulting in a dull, streaky appearance. Untempered chocolate may feel rough or tacky with an almost chewy texture and is more susceptible to melting in hand.

How to know when chocolate is tempered? ›

Test your temper by dipping a small piece of parchment into your chocolate. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes. The chocolate should be smooth and firm. If it's streaky or runny, try stirring in more chocolate to the mixture to bring the temperature down further.

How to stop chocolate from hardening after melting? ›

I see a few possibilities:
  1. Adding a fat or something that lower it's freezing/hardening point. ...
  2. keeping the chocolate warm enough to be spreadable or even melted.
  3. Turning the chocolate into a chocolate spread like Nutella. ...
  4. Make a chocolate dessert cream.
Apr 28, 2024

How do you store chocolate after tempering it? ›

For best results, immediately shock cool the product in the refrigerator until fully set. Without proper cooling, product may appear dull and spotted. Remove from refrigerator and store in a cool environment, 60-70°F (15.5-21°C) with a relative humidity of 50% or less.

Do you put tempered chocolate in the fridge to set? ›

The fridge is a humid environment and the humidity or condensation caused by a sudden temperature change can cause the chocolate to bloom. It is best to let the chocolate set at the ideal cool room temperature.

What are the principles of tempering chocolate? ›

There are 2 basic principles of tempering, which are adding crystals and creating crystals.
  • adding crystals/seeding. Out of the two, adding crystals (also called seeding) is easier to do than creating crystals, as it doesn't require a lot of equipment or preparation. ...
  • creating crystals.
Jun 29, 2022

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