Know all there is to know about tempering chocolate

As a chocolatier, I consider tempering to be one of the most fascinating and crucial stages of my work with chocolate. Far more than a technique, it is a veritable ritual that brings out the magic of chocolate in all its facets.

A well-tempered chocolate is a chocolate that gleams, has a clean snap and irresistible smoothness as it melts in the mouth. Today, I would like to take you along with me into that universe where chemistry meets passion with the aim of creating chocolate wonders.

What is tempering?

Chocolate tempering is a process that precisely controls the crystallisation of the cacao butter contained in the cacao. As a matter of fact, cacao butter falls into six different crystal shapes during crystallisation. Of those shapes, the V is the one required to obtain a gleaming chocolate, stable and with a clean snap. Once obtained, these V-shaped crystals, referred to as «stable», are more temperature-resistant than the unstable crystals which, when reheated to beyond 28°C, melt again. This is a very important point in understanding the process.

Without tempering, the chocolate takes on a dull appearance, possibly even with a white bloom, and its texture will be soft or crumbly. In other words, it's the tempering that enables the creation of chocolate with that marvellous “snap” when you break into a bar, at the same time ensuring a good texture and a long shelf life.

The different tempering techniques

Each technique aims to obtain between 1% and 2% stable crystals for the next step in the production process (moulding or coating) and all require a mixture of time and movement to ensure that the temperature can play its role correctly.

Even though tempering machines are widely used in the making of chocolate, both artisanal and industrial, these days, it is perfectly possible to do without them and still obtain the same effect using manual methods.

« Tabling » or tempering on marble

This artisanal technique, still perfectly mastered by fewer and fewer chocolatiers, calls not only for space and time, but also a good deal of elbow grease. These are the main steps in the process:

1. The previously made chocolate is melted

First it is melted at a precise temperature, depending on the type of chocolate. This is generally done in a double boiler, taking care not to burn the chocolate (exceed the desired temperature).

• Dark chocolate: heated to between 50 and 55°C
• Milk chocolate: heated to between 45 and 50°C
• White chocolate: heated to between 40 and 45°C

2. The chocolate is then cooled on the marble slab to obtain V crystals.

A portion of the melted chocolate (generally two thirds) is poured onto a surface, such as a marble or granite slab or even an ordinary table. With the aid of a spatula and a triangle, the chocolate is continually spread out and scraped up again so that it cools down evenly and smoothly.

• Dark chocolate: cooled to around 28-29°C
• Milk chocolate: cooled to around 27-28°C
• White chocolate: cooled to around 26-27°C

3. The cooled portion is returned to its previous temperature, then the stable crystals are selected and other undesirable crystal shapes are melted.

The chocolate previously cooled is reincorporated into the one third of the still warm chocolate that remained in the double boiler. This blending results in the perfect temperature for the chocolate’s final use:

• Dark chocolate: around 31-32°C
• Milk chocolate: around 29-30°C
• White chocolate: around 28-29°C

Tempering by seeding

This is the method that I use most often because of its simplicity. It consists of melting 2/3 of the chocolate intended for tempering at 50-55°C (dark chocolate), then adding the last third in nibs and drops of a chocolate that has previously been perfectly tempered. The cold chocolate added will help to lower the temperature (to 32°C for dark) and create the excellent stable crystals. The temperatures given above always apply, the crystal-creating stage is not necessary as the crystals are provided by the unmelted chocolate.

For this technique, the crystal composition of the cold chocolate used is important:

• If the chocolate added has been perfectly tempered, then it will pose no problems, containing as it will stable crystals that will be distributed throughout the mass.
• If this is not the case, it will first be necessary to let the poorly tempered chocolate rest for at least 3 months before it can be used. Resting allows initially unstable crystals to become stable over time.
• In a less artisanal process, seeding may also be done by adding some cacao butter with a high concentration of stable crystals (eg, of the type Mycryo ou Magic Temper). Then all that needs to be done is to melt the chocolate, then bring the temperature down to 33°C and add stable cacao butter equivalent to 1.5% of the chocolate used, blend it in thoroughly and the result is perfect!

Tempering in the microwave

Far less traditional, this process is a practical one for small quantities. The chocolate simply needs to be heated in small stages of 10 to 15 seconds and stirred regularly until it reaches the required temperature (see above). The temperature should not be exceeded so as not to melt the stable crystals.