Hi there. I'm having terrible trouble tempering my chocolate - I'm using it for dipping, coating, and topping. Currently I use Callebaut milk and dark callets, and for some reason always have better results with the milk - is dark more difficult to temper?? Everytime I attempt to temper the chocolate, it never turns out right. I always end up with small white spots on the milk chocolate, and the dark just doesn't seem to work at all. I tried to temper some dark callets and applied it over some caramel shortbread, but it was so streaky, white and blotchy when it set. I didn't spread it, just picked up the tin and moved it around until the base was covered - is this an error? I invested in a digital thermometer, hoping that this would take out all the guesswork, as previously I have just hoped for the best! Yesterday I was dipping some truffles - melted 3/4 of the milk chocolate over a double boiler, slowly to 45C, added the remaining 1/4, brought it down to 27-28C and then heated again to 30C. However, same results when set - small white spots on the surface. I sometimes get better results when pouring the chocolate onto baking parchment and spreading to set. I seem to get fewer white splotches but they are still there nonetheless. I want to see if anyone has any advice as I don't know what I am doing wrong! Should I stir the chocolate as it cools? Or just leave it undisturbed until it reaches the lower temperature? I also read somewhere about the callets looking dull and dusty as this could affect the tempering - as far as I'm aware there is nothing wrong with the callets, they aren't old and they're stored in an airtight box. Should I try a different brand? I am about to give up - I read this morning about using candy melts as an alternative? I've always been put off by them as I steer away from artificially flavoured things and would prefer to just use real chocolate - but I'm tempted to try it as I'm losing my patience with chocolate. Does anyone use candy melts? Are they significantly easier to use? Any help is appreciated! Thanks.
