Tempering chocolate is important for getting it to have that 'snap' and that shine. If you are going to make truffles this is the only hard part, and it's not that hard.
Of course, what I'd really like is a tempering machine, but I can't afford one.
These directions are based on "Chocolates and Confections" by Peter Grewling in the "atHome with The Culinary Institute of America" series.
Chocolate, although it doesn't look it, is crystalline. And it can crystallize in two different forms. Tempering is getting all the chocolate to crystallize in the form we want.
The key to this method is that chocolate is sold alrady tempered, but when you melt it to use it goes out of temper. Now if we had a nice chunk of already tempered chololate it would be easy to get the melted chocolate back into temper. (Now where could I find a piece of tempered chocolate at this time of night <hint, hint>
| Weigh out the amount of chocolate you want to temper |
| Weigh out 1/4 as much additional chocolate for tempering (this is the "seed"). |
| Chop the chocolate to be tempered, melt in microwave (low power, stirring frequently) or over a water bath.
120 F for dark chocolate, 110 F for milk or white chocolate. Remove from heat. |
| Add the seed (unmelted, 25% as much) chocolate |
| Stir for 10 to 15 minutes until chocolate reaches 85 F (83 F for milk or white chocolate) |
| Test that the chocolate sets properly by dipping a spoon in it
If not then add a little more unmelted chocolate, stir for 3 to 4 minutes and repeat this step |
| Rewarm to 89 F for dark, 87 F for milk or white |
| Remove any unmelted seed |
| It is now ready to use |