You cannot melt the chocolate and expect it to return solid while maintaining its original shine and firmness. You have to prepare it for it to crystallize in the right way. This process is called tempering, and it allows the crystals of the melted chocolate to re-aggregate so that the chocolate itself is shiny and pops when you break it. Here's how to give your chocolate creations the perfect shine and crunch.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Tempering By Adding Solid Chocolate
Step 1. Gather the tools, and preferably half a kilo or a kilo of chocolate
Break it into small pieces, or use chocolate discs, which you can find in specialty stores or even online. The more chocolate you use, the easier the process will be.
- Try to break up the chocolate as evenly as possible. A chocolate cut into equal pieces will melt more evenly and it will be difficult for it to burn. If you want, you can use a serrated knife to cut it into equal pieces or use chocolate chips.
- Set aside about 1/3 of the chopped chocolate for later use. You will not use it in the first stage of double boiling.
Step 2. Fill one of the bowls with ice water
Add enough for the other bowl - the one with the chocolate - to fit comfortably inside without letting the water out.
Step 3. Place the chopped chocolate in the dry steel bowl
Let it melt slowly in a bain-marie. The bowl should be larger than the pot and not completely immersed in the water, but resting on the edges of the pot.
- Do not bring the water under the chocolate to a boil. Also, don't turn the heat up to high to make it melt faster. In doing so, you risk making it burn, ruining the flavor and the tempering process.
- Be careful not to get water into the chocolate, or it will go crazy. This is very important.
Step 4. Heat the chocolate until it reaches a temperature between 45 and 46 ° C
once melted it should be warm to the touch. Put the bowl with the melted chocolate in the one with the ice water and start mixing slowly but steadily. When it starts to thicken and reaches a temperature between 35 and 37 ° C, then crystallization or "tempering" is taking place and then you can remove it from cold water.
Step 5. Add the chocolate you left aside to the melted one and mix
Incorporate the two consistencies of chocolate until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.
Step 6. Begin the test for tempering or crystallization at 32 ° C by dipping a spoon in the chocolate
It should appear hard and shiny within 2-3 minutes, at an ambient temperature between 18 and 22 ° C. If it is grainy and soft, keep stirring, using heat or cold as needed to keep it soft and workable, but not too runny.
It should be cool to the touch; a good test is to put a drop on the lower lip. If it's cold, the temperature is right
Step 7. Check the temperature
When the chocolate sets quickly, evenly, with a good sheen and no lumps, it is ready to use. You can use it for stuffing, for dipping biscuits, dried or fresh fruit or whatever you want. You can also flavor it with soluble oils (mint, lemon, orange, etc.).
Method 2 of 3: Tempering on Marble
Step 1. Put all the chocolate together and cut it into equal pieces
You can use a serrated knife, or use discs or chocolate chips and skip this step.
Set aside about 1/3 of the chopped chocolate for later use. You will not use it in the first stage of double boiling
Step 2. Heat a saucepan with water, but do not bring it to a boil
It must steam, but the water must not boil or you risk burning or melting the chocolate too quickly.
Step 3. Place the chocolate pieces in a dry steel bowl, and place it on the saucepan
Check that the bowl is resting against the edges of the saucepan, keeping any moisture away from the chocolate. If it ends up in water it could go crazy and therefore ruin itself.
Step 4. Melt the chocolate, stirring, until it reaches 43 ° C
Do not go beyond this temperature or it will burn.
Step 5. Pour the reserved chocolate into the melted one and continue stirring
Stir until you have a homogeneous mixture.
Step 6. Start tempering the chocolate on a smooth, cold surface such as a marble table
Remove the chocolate from the heat and spread about 2/3 of it on a cold surface. Then:
- With a spatula, work the chocolate by lifting it from the marble and pulling it, with quick and fluid movements. This process will make it smooth and cool it.
- Continue the tempering until it reaches a temperature between 26 and 27 ° C. Pour the cooled mixture into the one left in the pot and put it all back on the heat.
Step 7. While continuing to stir, wait for the chocolate to reach a temperature between 30 and 32 ° C
Remove the chocolate from the heat. Use it for stuffing, for biscuits, for dipping fruit etc.
Is chocolate sticky after a few minutes? It wasn't tempered properly then. It should be solid after 2 to 3 minutes maximum
Method 3 of 3: Understanding the Numbers
Step 1. Make a note of the different types of chocolate
Different types of chocolate have different concentrations of cocoa and cocoa butter. Knowing what chocolate you are working with is essential for proper tempering.
- Black chocolate (without milk) tempera between 31-32 ° C.
- Milk chocolate tempera between 30-31 ° C.
- White chocolate tempera between 27-28 ° C
Step 2. Understand how fats crystallize in persimmon butter
Here are different stages of crystallization in cocoa butter fats. To melt and temper good chocolate you need to let the crystals reach stage V of the process:
- Stage I - 17 ° C - Soft, grainy chocolate that melts too easily
- Stage II - 21 ° C - Soft, grainy chocolate that melts too easily
- Stage III - 26 ° C - Solid chocolate, does not crack well, melts too easily
- Stage IV - 28 ° C - Solid chocolate, breaks well, but melts too easily
- Stage V - 34 ° C - Shiny chocolate, breaks well, and melts almost at body temperature.
- Stage VI - 36 ° C - Hard chocolate, takes too long to form
Advice
- You can use a tempering thermometer, but you can also do without it.
- The precise temperature can vary by 1-2 ° C, depending on the type of chocolate.
- The precise temperature varies for the tempering of the black chocolate (which starts around 43 ° C). The chocolate cools to 3 ° C or less, and begins to set. It must then be heated up to about 32-33 ° C, and at that point it is processed and remains "tempered", ie it is crystallized well.
