If this is possible and the dish does not require tempering, then it is not necessary to do it. But if you want chocolate to create a perfect surface and give out all its flavor, then this is what you need.

We all love practice, sometimes in the heat of the moment you may not even finish reading the recipe. But in the case of tempering, theory is important: this will make it easier to understand the whole process and not make a mistake.

In scientific terms, tempering is the process of melting and re-crystallizing cocoa butter into chocolate. You have a solid chocolate mass from which you need to create something else. But it is important to “replicate” the structure of the finished chocolate. By tempering it, you will achieve the same homogeneous cocoa butter structure, resulting in excellent quality chocolate.

Tempering chocolate at home

What you need to know first:
  • Tempering is the control of the temperature of chocolate. Without it, the chocolate will not set, will “grey”, and will quickly melt or break. Therefore, you will need a cooking thermometer.
  • You need to do three steps: melt, cool and heat the chocolate.
  • This is a quick process and should not take more than 10 minutes. Everything happens quickly, continuously: the first temperature is reached, immediately cool, and then heat up again to operating temperature!
  • Each stage requires careful preparation and repeated practice. If you don't succeed on the first try, don't despair!
  • The ideal room temperature when working with chocolate is 20° C.
You will need high-quality chocolate, it is advisable to purchase it at a confectionery store. The proportion of cocoa butter in it must be at least 33%, and the composition must contain cocoa mass.

Each type of chocolate requires its own temperature conditions:

  • bitter chocolate: heat to 49-55°C, let cool to 28°C, heat to 31-32°C.
  • milk chocolate: heat to 46-50°C, let cool to 27°C, heat to 29-30°C.
  • whitey chocolate: heat to 43-45°C, let cool to 26°C, heat to 28-29°C.
After these three stages, you cannot heat the chocolate, otherwise you will have to repeat everything again. At the last stage you only need to maintain the temperature.

To work you will need:

  • Cooking thermometer.
  • Silicone spatula for stirring.
  • Marble surface, as well as spatula and scraper - for the first method.
  • Saucepan with water.
  • Metal bowl for chocolate.
  • A container with cold water or ice - the liquid from it should not get into the chocolate.

Tempering chocolate on a table or marble board

  1. Melt it. Chop the chocolate with a knife and place in a water bath. Stirring continuously, bring to the desired temperature.
  2. Cool. Remove the melted chocolate from the water bath, continuing to stir. Two thirds of the mass pour onto cool marble surface.
It is very important to do the same movements for about 2 minutes: distribute the chocolate over the surface with a spatula and collect again using a scraper. The whole point here is that two thirds on the board are cooled until crystallization, and the one third, hot, is heated to operating temperature.

As soon as the chocolate on the board begins to thicken, place the mixture into 1/3 of the chocolate, stir, check the temperature. If it is close to desired, then continue stirring until it is perfect. If the temperature is much higher, repeat the procedure on a marble board and mix the chocolate again. The chocolate should be smooth and homogeneous - then it is ready for the next step.

  1. We heat it up. Before heating to operating temperature, check the quality of the tempered chocolate: dip a small piece of baking paper into it. At a temperature of 18°–20° C, it will stabilize in 3-5 minutes. If the chocolate does not pass the test, then you need to repeat steps 1-2.
If everything is good, then heat the chocolate to the desired temperature, but do not overheat! Just a few extra degrees and the finished product will not stabilize well and may turn white.

Stir the chocolate constantly. And check its fluidity: too thick chocolate should be diluted with cocoa butter.

Tempering chocolate in callets (drops, drops), chips)

Callets are flexible and easier to grind - this is their advantage. You can also buy multi-colored and even flavored callets! They are much easier to temper since they are already tempered and the cocoa butter is in the desired crystalline form.
  1. Melt it. Repeat all steps as in the first method, taking 2/3 of the chocolate mass.
  2. Cool. Stirring constantly, cool to the desired temperature, adding 1/3 of the callets. To do this, remove the melted chocolate from the stove and place it in a bowl of cold water or ice.
Don't forget to stir! Once the chocolate is perfectly smooth and the temperature is right, you can carry out a tempering test as in the previous method.
  1. We heat it up. If the chocolate is well tempered, bring it to working temperature. Transfer to a bowl of hot water and stir the chocolate for at least 2 minutes. Next we move on to creating the product.

Tempering chocolate in pieces ("blocks")

Confectioners use this method if they need a small batch of chocolate - up to a kilogram. Use chunk chocolate using the callet tempering method. Remove the unmelted part of the piece in the first step and proceed to steps 2-3.

Tempering in the microwave

This is an accelerated method, an alternative to a water bath. If you need to temper a small amount of chocolate, for example 100-200 grams, then this can be done in the microwave. This method is convenient, but you have to be careful not to overheat the chocolate. It is very convenient to use plastic containers for tempering chocolate. It is good because it does not hold heat for a long time and thus does not overheat the chocolate.

Place the container with chocolate in the microwave and heat in pulse mode for 15 seconds, stirring each time. Check the temperature. If it is below the melting point, then heat the chocolate for another 15 seconds, stir until the mass is smooth. Once the chocolate reaches the desired temperature, cool it in an ice bath, stirring thoroughly. Then heat to operating temperature.

We create masterpieces: cake decorations, figurines and chocolates

Method for flat figures and patterns:
  1. Prepare cling film or parchment paper for your work surface.
  2. Pour the tempered chocolate, spread it with a spatula, the layer thickness is at least 3 mm. Add decor as desired, cut out the desired shapes using metal cutters.
You can use special stencils where the chocolate is poured immediately.
  1. For the design, pour the chocolate into a piping bag and use a piping tip to pipe the chocolate onto your work surface.
  2. Leave until hardened in a cool, dry place.
Method for three-dimensional figures and patterns:
  1. There are two types of molds suitable for working with chocolate: polycarbonate and silicone. Be sure to wipe the first one with a cotton swab, and the second one should be dry and clean.
This will give you shiny chocolate that will release well from the mold.
  1. Using a brush, apply tempered chocolate to the entire surface of the mold. Remove excess and unevenness with a spatula.
  2. Place in the refrigerator until set. Then apply a second coat, place the molds on a flat surface and leave until hardened.

Amateur confectioners have probably heard about tempering chocolate, but not everyone knows what it is. But you can temper chocolate even at home. In this article you will find several easy recipes for this process that you can do yourself simply in your own kitchen.

If you decide to understand the intricacies of tempering chocolate, then you should start with the basics.

The process itself is the crystallization of cocoa butter, which occurs by heating chocolate to the melting point, then cooling it and reheating it.

At the same time, one of the main structural components of chocolate, namely cocoa butter, acquires a harder, denser state. This chocolate can be used to make various decorations for cakes and desserts, as it holds its shape well.

Which chocolate is best for tempering?

All types of chocolate are suitable for crystallization: milk, dark, and even white. Although the latter is more difficult to crystallize due to the low content of the key component - cocoa butter.

For beginners in this business, dark chocolate will be the ideal raw material - it takes on the desired shape more easily. Only the heat-resistant product is not suitable for the indicated purposes, as it is not intended to melt.

The nuances of melting different types of chocolate

We figured out which chocolate is best suited. The next step is to become familiar with the rules for proper tempering of chocolate. There are some nuances that need to be taken into account in order to avoid mistakes and prepare the perfect product.

  1. To work with chocolate, it is very important to regulate the room temperature - the norm is 17 degrees, and the maximum level is 22 degrees.
  2. Since not every home has a marble or granite board, it is enough to prepare the ice. You can add salt to it - it lowers the temperature.
  3. If you purchased a marble board, then you definitely had to additionally buy a spatula - a special spatula for working on marble.
  4. When melting dark chocolate, maintain a temperature of 45 - 50 degrees. This is followed by cooling to 27 degrees, and again heating to 32. You can further work with such chocolate, giving it different shapes.
  5. If you choose milk chocolate, stick to the following temperatures: first 40 - 45 degrees, then cooling at 25 - 26 degrees, and then heating to 29 - 30 degrees. After such manipulations, the chocolate is ready for use.
  6. Tempering white chocolate requires the following temperature limits: heat at 40 - 45 degrees, cool to 25 - 26 and heat to 29 - 30.

Advice. If the chocolate thickens quickly and you haven't had time to work with it, we recommend heating it or adding a little hot chocolate, but don't overdo it.

These are the small but significant nuances a beginner needs to know about tempering chocolate.

Tempering chocolate in a water bath

To melt chocolate in a water bath, do the following:

  1. We place our callets in a container and place it in a water bath. The bottom of the bowl with chocolate should not touch the water.
  2. As soon as the chocolate has melted and acquired a liquid consistency, remove it from the heat and wrap it in a towel to maintain the temperature.
  3. Add a slice of chocolate that has already been tempered to the liquid composition (it is needed to start the crystallization process). Stir the chocolate to achieve a homogeneous consistency.

This method does not require a lot of time, and the chocolate is ultimately ready for making bars, chocolates, or creating decorations of certain shapes.

Important. The amount of chocolate that needs to be added to the melted chocolate depends on the temperature of the latter. The higher it is, the more solid cold chocolate you need to add.

How to melt in the microwave

If you are not a fan of using a water bath - it’s long, cumbersome, inconvenient - then there is a great way for you to temper chocolate in the microwave:

  1. First you need to prepare the chocolate for melting. For this you will need a grater. Grate the chocolate on it and place it in a container.
  2. The microwave power should be 800 - 1000 W. We heat the chocolate and monitor its condition every 15 seconds. It shouldn't overheat.
  3. At the moment when the mass has almost melted and only a small part of the chips remains, take out the chocolate.
  4. Stir it until smooth and add a slice of cold tempered chocolate, which will complete the crystallization process.

This simple method can be used at home.

On an open fire

Tempering chocolate over an open fire will not work., since it does not tolerate such high temperatures.

Also, the product does not like humidity - and this applies to any method of crystallization - so the container in which you will cook must be dry.

Tempering chocolate for cake decoration

For those new to the art of confectionery, we suggest trying to form a flower out of tempered chocolate.

To do this, you will need to melt the chocolate in callets in the microwave, weighing out approximately 100 g of white (if you use dyes) or dark:

  1. Place the chocolate in a plastic container in the microwave for 30 seconds, every 10 to 15 of which we check the condition of the product.
  2. When it melts, its temperature will be within 45 degrees. Next, mix the mass and add 25% callets to complete the tempering. Stir the mixture until smooth.
  3. If you chose white chocolate, add fat-soluble coloring at this stage. If you use a dark one, then you can already begin to form flower petals or other decoration elements.
  4. Check the chocolate for its ability to set. To do this, take a teaspoon and dip it into the sweet mixture, and then wait a little. If the chocolate hardens quickly, you did everything right. Otherwise, start tempering again.
  5. Fill the sphere mold with a small amount of chocolate and spread evenly so that it forms a thin layer. We form the base for the flower using a ring wrapped inside with acetate ribbon.
  6. Pour chocolate into the ring - this is the base on which the flower will be attached. We assemble our decoration: grease the base of the petal, that is, the attachment point, with chocolate and attach it to the base. We place 3 petals in the middle of the flower, and attach the rest around it. The result is a very beautiful, worthy decoration for your dessert.

To prepare the glaze

In order for the glaze to have an attractive, high-quality appearance, it can be tempered. The method is identical to the above, as it is the most convenient and reliable.

How to do it at home:

  1. The chocolate is heated to 45 degrees, and then chocolate callets are added in an amount equal to ⅓ of the melted volume.
  2. The chocolate is mixed and heated to 30 degrees.

This glaze can be stored in a closed container in a cool place.

Making liquid chocolate for fondue

The recipe for making liquid chocolate will come in handy for those who, for some reason, have not yet purchased a fondue maker. In this case, the chocolate should not harden, but rather, it should be constantly maintained in a liquid state.

To do this, choose a quality product. The heat when melting chocolate should be low. After kindling, it is advisable to add a piece of butter, but at the same time maintain the correct proportions, according to the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • chocolate – 200 g;
  • butter – 50 g;
  • liqueur – 1 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

  1. Chop the chocolate and melt in a water bath, stirring constantly.
  2. Next, add a piece of butter.
  3. When the mixture comes to a boil, add liqueur (it is used to add flavor).
  4. If fondue is made for children, replace the liqueur with syrup.

The composition is ready for use. You can dip pieces of various fruits, berries on skewers, as well as marshmallows and similar sweets into it.

Now even a beginner, for whom the name itself previously sounded intimidating, can confidently repeat the interesting process of tempering chocolate at home. Be sure to invite guests and please them with various delicacies made from such chocolate - you don’t get to try such a delicacy very often.

When chocolate is heated and cooled while the product is used in the sweet-making process, crystallization occurs, resulting in crystals of varying sizes. This process allows the product to be used to create all sorts of sweet masterpieces, but this can only be achieved using tempered chocolate.

What does it mean to temper chocolate and why is it necessary?

Tempering, or crystallization, is the process of heating and cooling chocolate to a specific temperature. Why temper chocolate, what is it for? During the crystallization of this sweet product, it acquires a stable form. By heating and cooling the product to certain temperatures, it becomes hard, brittle and glossy.

First, you need to understand what it means to temper chocolate. The essence of the procedure is that the product is first heated, then cooled and its temperature slightly increased again. First, the tile is heated to a temperature of 40-45 degrees, then cooled to 25-26 and the temperature is slightly increased again. At the end of tempering, the chocolate mass should have the following temperature, depending on the type of product used:

  • black – 31-32;
  • dairy – 29-30;
  • white – 28.

Tempering is carried out for the following purposes:

  • eliminate the formation of plaque, which looks like unattractive white stripes or spots on the surface of finished chocolate products;
  • increase the temperature at which chocolate products begin to melt on their own upon contact with fingers;
  • speed up the cooling process of the chocolate mass during the preparation of sweets, because tempered chocolate hardens within 5 minutes;
  • slightly reduce chocolate products after they harden, which allows confectioners to easily remove them from the molds;
  • Give sweets an attractive glossy shine and clear shape.

It is not difficult to identify chocolate bars and other products that have been properly tempered. They are stored at room temperature and do not melt, break well rather than crumble, and have a glossy shine and hard texture.

How to temper chocolate in a tempering machine

Several methods are used to crystallize chocolate. The most affordable and simplest of them is to use a special machine. Tempering chocolate in a tempering machine is carried out as follows: the product is placed in special equipment, where it is heated very slowly, after which it is cooled just as slowly. As a result of using such a tempering machine, a product that is both tasty and appetizing in appearance is obtained.

Many housewives want to know how to temper chocolate at home to avoid the formation of crystals. You can carry out crystallization at home in several ways - in a water bath or in the microwave.

How to temper chocolate in a water bath

How to temper chocolate in a water bath to prevent the formation of crystals? For those housewives who are going to prepare chocolates at home, professional confectioners recommend purchasing a special thermometer to control the crystallization process. Tempering in a water bath goes like this:

  • The chocolate bar is placed in a bowl and placed in a water bath.
  • The chocolate will melt slowly and once it becomes liquid, turn off the heat.
  • The bowl is removed from the pan that was used for the water bath and wrapped in a towel to retain heat.
  • A piece of cold, solid, already tempered chocolate is added to this mass; it will start the process of crystallization of the liquid chocolate mass. Everything needs to be stirred well so that the mass acquires a homogeneous consistency and cools to the desired temperature.

The process of tempering at home using this method will take very little time; after cooling, the product is ready for use.

How to properly temper chocolate in the microwave

How to properly temper chocolate in a microwave oven is a pressing question for housewives who do not want to use a water bath for this purpose. You can carry out crystallization in the microwave in the following way:

  • grate the chocolate bar, place the shavings in a plastic or glass bowl and put it in the microwave;
  • melt the chocolate chips, choosing a power of 800-1000 W, while checking the condition of the product every 15 seconds or even more often to prevent overheating;
  • When the mixture looks almost melted, but a few shavings are visible, remove the bowl from the microwave;
  • Gently stir the chocolate mass until smooth, just as in the previous cooking method, add cold chocolate, bring to the desired temperature, taking into account the type of chocolate.

The product processed in this way acquires an attractive shine and has a smooth structure that melts well in the mouth. Unfortunately, at home it is not always possible to carry out tempering the first time. To make sure that the product is in the right condition, spread it on parchment paper, wait 5 minutes and try to separate it: if the process is successful and the piece of chocolate looks shiny and not spotted, then everything was done correctly. Otherwise, you will have to start the process all over again.

Very useful information. The chocolate on my homemade sweets always melted or became covered with a white coating. Now I know why - it turns out chocolate needs to be tempered. Thank you for teaching me how to properly temper chocolate.

I knew how to temper chocolate at home. But this method is new to me. I really liked it, a very simple way to temper chocolate at home. Thanks from Dilijan. :)

Hello, dear Grandma Emma! I write you a review for each of your recipes. Because each of your recipes is a work of art. I bake cakes to order myself, with your help, of course. I am a professional cook, retired, but I always have something to learn from you, so it was this time, I learned how to temper chocolate.

Hello. My chocolate, too, was always covered with a white coating and I couldn’t understand what was wrong, it seemed like I had already lived my life, but only in my old age did I learn how to temper chocolate at home. Thank you.

Hello my beloved Grandmother. I wish prosperity to your channel.... I learned how to cook, bake cakes and decorate.))) Always when I bring a cake to the table, prepared according to your recipe and decorated the way you decorate, everyone is delighted. Every master class from Grandma Emma and Daniela I learn something new for myself. For example, I didn’t know how to temper chocolate, I didn’t even know why temper chocolate, okay, to be honest, I didn’t even know what it was to temper chocolate. Now I know this every time. Thank you, health and happiness to your entire family. You are the best of the best.

I couldn’t understand why the chocolate melts? Now I understand - it turns out that untempered chocolate melts quickly, for example, chocolate on the same bars as Mars, Snickers melts slowly in your hands, because it is tempered, if it were dipped in regular chocolate, the chocolate would melt very quickly. I made Mars candies and then dipped them in melted chocolate. After hardening, I took out the candies and the chocolate melted before my eyes in a matter of seconds. Thank you, Grandma Emma, ​​for teaching me how to properly temper chocolate. Plus, this is an easy way to temper chocolate at home.

Hello dear Video Cooking! Although I am not a confectioner, I have been using tempered chocolate for baking for several years and, of course, I know how to temper chocolate at home. Until now, I used a different method and tempering chocolate has always been a rather labor-intensive process. Having tried your method, I was pleasantly surprised - it turned out to be both simpler and shorter. You, as always, rose to the occasion! Thanks a lot! Live long and delight us with new simple and complex tasty and necessary recipes.

Good evening! Well, everyone here writes how glad they are that they learned what tempering chocolate is and how to properly temper chocolate and so on, but I fundamentally disagree with them. I'm not interested at all. I do a great job in my kitchen with untempered chocolate and everyone is happy. It would be better if you showed a video recipe for solyanka or okroshka - this is food, this is interesting! You are actually a good cook and sometimes I also use your recipes. So please take my remark into account. Elena.

Gather your equipment and preferably half a kilo - a kilo of chocolate. Chop the chocolate finely or use chocolate discs, which are made by many manufacturers and sold in candy stores or online from professional chocolate suppliers. The more chocolate you use, the easier the process will be to control.

  • Try to chop the chocolate as evenly as possible. Chocolate that is cut evenly will also melt evenly and prevent burning. If you want, you can use a serrated knife to cut the chocolate into pieces, or you can look for chocolate chips that will melt evenly.
  • Set aside about 1/3 of the chopped chocolate for later use. It will not be used at the beginning of double boiling.

Fill one of your bowls with cold water. Fill it with enough water so that your second bowl of chocolate can sit in it without spilling.

Place the chocolate in a dry stainless steel bowl. Melt it by placing it over a bowl of slowly simmering water. The bowl should be larger than the pan so that it does not fall into the water and should be located at the edges of the pan.

  • Do not bring the water under the chocolate to a boil. Also, do not turn the gas on the stove higher. The more you try to melt the chocolate faster, the faster it will lead to burning, spoiling the taste and the tempering process.
  • Be careful not to let any water get into the chocolate or it will curdle. It is very important.

  • Heat the chocolate slowly until it reaches 43°-46°C. Once the chocolate has completely melted, it should be warm to the touch. Place a bowl of melted chocolate in a bowl of cold water and begin stirring slowly but constantly. Once it begins to thicken and reaches a temperature of 35°-38°C, crystallization or "tempering" will begin and you can remove the chocolate from the water.

    Add the remaining 1/3 of the untempered chocolate to the melted chocolate and stir. Mix the two forms of chocolate until the final mixture is smooth.

  • Start the tempering or crystallization test at 32°C by dipping a spoon into the chocolate. It should become firm, strong and shiny in 2 to 3 minutes, in 18°-22°F ambient temperature. If it turns out blotchy or dull, you'll want to keep stirring, using heat and cooling, to keep it soft and workable, but not too runny.

    • It should be cool to the touch; A good test to determine temperature is to place a piece on your lower lip. If you feel the chocolate is cool, the temperature is likely correct.