Chocolate Tempering: Tips and Troubleshooting

[nduran]

I don't think there's a magic, universal figure that will apply to every type and brand of chocolate out there. You more or less have to eyeball it.

[rraaflaub]

Temperature ranges vary per brand and type, but if you've already rewarmed your tempered chocolate to 88F...you should be fine in so far as keeping your temper intact. The unwanted crystal structure types which would form at lower temperatures are already taken care of in your rewarm to 88F...they will be melted out already. They will not reform as your temperature drops (assuming you have the chocolate well in temper with plenty of crystals already), because the chocolate has already achieved the desired (and more stable) structure.

All I'm saying is...letting it cool a bit won't harm your temper so much, but it will make the chocolate hard to work with as it thickens. Is there a reason you want a lower temperature, or is it just that you find walking the line around 88F difficult?

[pringle007]

There is no reason why I want to lower the temp, I just wondered how low it could go. Its just one of the things I have always wanted to know about chocolate, as I have heard that you can let it cool down so far that it nearly hardens, then reheat it and you will still be in temper as long as you don't heat the chocolate to a temp that is higher than 90. That sounded a little fishy to me when I heard it, so I thought I'd come here and ask!

[Kerry Beal]

There is no reason why I want to lower the temp, I just wondered how low it could go. Its just one of the things I have always wanted to know about chocolate, as I have heard that you can let it cool down so far that it nearly hardens, then reheat it and you will still be in temper as long as you don't heat the chocolate to a temp that is higher than 90. That sounded a little fishy to me when I heard it, so I thought I'd come here and ask!

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You can 'temper' chocolate by simply heating it carefully so it never gets higher than it's working temperature when you start with tempered chocolate. Tempered block chocolate is 99+% beta crystals when you start.

I have had chocolate cool down considerably until almost solid, then heated it back up to somewhere in the working temperature range so that it is thin enough to work with and still get good contraction, shine and snap.

By the way, welcome to eG.

[naes]

There is no reason why I want to lower the temp, I just wondered how low it could go. Its just one of the things I have always wanted to know about chocolate, as I have heard that you can let it cool down so far that it nearly hardens, then reheat it and you will still be in temper as long as you don't heat the chocolate to a temp that is higher than 90. That sounded a little fishy to me when I heard it, so I thought I'd come here and ask!

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Kerry Beal is right. Once your chocolate is in temper, even if it cools considerably, you can just re-heat it as long as you don't exceed your top temper range. For dark chocolate, your target range to keep the chocolate workable should be 87 to 91. For milk or white chocolate, your temp range should be 84 to 87. Of course, as we've said, the low range isn't an issue because you can just heat it back up (slowly and carefully). It's the high range that you have to be very careful about. If you exceed the upper limit just slightly, you should re-test your temper because you might still be there.

If you're working with the chocolate for a long time in the temper range, especially if you're stirring a lot, you can actually become over-tempered. The chocolate gets really thick even though it is at the high end of the temper range. What's happening is you have too many of the crystals and they thicken the chocolate. To fix this just melt your chocolate to 110-120 to dissolve all the crystals and re-temper.

At least, that's been my somewhat limited experience.

Good luck!

Sean

[Kerry Beal]

If you're working with the chocolate for a long time in the temper range, especially if you're stirring a lot, you can actually become over-tempered.  The chocolate gets really thick even though it is at the high end of the temper range.  What's happening is you have too many of the crystals and they thicken the chocolate.  To fix this just melt your chocolate to 110-120 to dissolve all the crystals and re-temper.

At least, that's been my somewhat limited experience.

Good luck!

Sean

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You don't necessarily have to retemper the chocolate when it thickens.

When you have an overabundance of stable beta crystals and your chocolate becomes thick at normal working temperatures you can actually push the temperature up without losing temper. It can go as high as 34.5 C for dark, 32.5 for milk and 30.5 for white (sorry I don't think in fahranheit anymore). Another alternative is to add chocolate of about the same temperature but that is not in temper in order to dilute the beta crystals and make the chocolate less viscous.

[naes]

You don't necessarily have to retemper the chocolate when it thickens.

When you have an overabundance of stable beta crystals and your chocolate becomes thick at normal working temperatures you can actually push the temperature up without losing temper.  It can go as high as 34.5 C for dark, 32.5 for milk and 30.5 for white (sorry I don't think in fahranheit anymore).  Another alternative is to add chocolate of about the same temperature but that is not in temper in order to dilute the beta crystals and make the chocolate less viscous.

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Thanks for the tip! I'm just getting started with chocolate, so it's great to hear different ways of dealing with issues.

ICE teaches in Fahrenheit, so that's where my head is at for now. I'm sure I'll start to switch over to Celsius as I get out into the industry and start working.

Sean

[Edited for misspelling]

Edited March 18, 2007 by naes (log)

[Fibilou]

I don't have enough moulds to make all the chocolates in need in 1 go, but i only have use of hte digital probe for a couple of days. Can I temper a large batch and melt it as required without it going out of temper ?

[RuthWells]

I don't have enough moulds to make all the chocolates in need in 1 go, but i only have use of hte digital probe for a couple of days. Can I temper a large batch and melt it as required without it going out of temper ?

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Probably not. The window of temper is pretty small. If you can't keep your full chocolate mass in temper during your work session, you'll need to retemper as needed.

[John DePaula]

I don't have enough moulds to make all the chocolates in need in 1 go, but i only have use of hte digital probe for a couple of days. Can I temper a large batch and melt it as required without it going out of temper ?

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Probably not. The window of temper is pretty small*. If you can't keep your full chocolate mass in temper during your work session, you'll need to retemper as needed.

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That's correct.

*emphasis added

[alanamoana]

but that doesn't mean that you need a thermometer to maintain temper.

if you're practiced enough to get the feel of the chocolate while you do have the thermometer, you should be able to temper without it.

i never use a thermometer but always test the temper before i fill molds etc. don't usually have any problems. while temperature is important, it isn't the only factor that affects your temper: time and agitation are also important as long as you have the proper seed crystals developed in your chocolate.

[Fibilou]

Must have been beginner's luck because the temper came out perfectly - I have tempered dark chocolate (a long time ago) but never milk before. Really really pleased, will post a piccie when I get a chance.

[RuthWells]

Must have been beginner's luck because the temper came out perfectly - I have tempered dark chocolate (a long time ago) but never milk before. Really really pleased, will post a piccie when I get a chance.

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I love beginner's luck -- well done!

[Nyago123]

but that doesn't mean that you need a thermometer to maintain temper.

if you're practiced enough to get the feel of the chocolate while you do have the thermometer, you should be able to temper without it.

i never use a thermometer but always test the temper before i fill molds etc.  don't usually have any problems.  while temperature is important, it isn't the only factor that affects your temper: time and agitation are also important as long as you have the proper seed crystals developed in your chocolate.

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I want to second that opinion.

One of the reasons I stopped using a thermometer when hand tempering is not because I'm showing off my skills (well, maybe a little ) but because here even in the temperate (no pun intended) weather of San Diego, as humidity and other random conditions vary (air pressure? butterfly flapping its wings nearby?) , how long the chocolate is usable and how well it otherwise behaves (e.g. issues with sugar bloom) also varies, plus its a good way to learn how far you can go... even though the window is indeed narrow, it's not as inflexible as you might worry about.

Also, sometimes I'll semi-randomly mix couvertures to vary intensity or just to average taste. (For example, I've learned some batches of El Rey don't taste exactly the same as the next batch... I still like Venezuelan chocolate the best, but their at-site cacao farmer quality control is probably random.) In that case, my mix may not be at the exact temperature specifications given... in fact, I may have no way of knowing.

Also, being able to work with the chocolate by hand also allows you more flexibility in how you temper, because really there are a million ways you can get there. For example, Michael Antonorsi of Chuao Chocolatier once suggested to me & my classmates that instead of seeding with discs, seed with a giant block of chocolate and stir until tempered. Then just fish the block out when you're ready, which avoids having to worry about unmelted chunks. If you can recognize the temper by feel, it's much easier to pull something like that off.

Just blindly raising to temperature X and lowering to temperature Y and agitating, and/or mixing N grams of melted chocolate at temperature Z is a recipe for self-torment in the long run. Besides, playing with melted chocolate should be FUN.

[u2star]

What is everyones preferred method of tempering their chocolate??

Diane

[Kerry Beal]

What is everyones preferred method of tempering their chocolate??

Diane

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I've gone through different phases in my tempering life, but right now my favorite is the seed method. I've been using a coverture that is in a disc form, and that seems to be the simplest cleanest way to temper.

For tiny amounts I'll temper on a slab.

[Tiny]

Table for anything up to a half hotel pan or block for larger batches....I like the block method b/c it reminds me of those infomercials....set it and forget it....

[SugarGirl]

I've been tempering chocolate using the seeding method in my chocolate melter for the past year without a problem, but all of a sudden today, I can't get a decent temper! Whenever I temper, the chocolate looks very grainy and streaky; one batch of bloomed chocolate is so light it almost looks like milk chocolate. It's become pretty cold in LA (well, for LA -- it's probably around 60 in the kitchen, maybe lower), and I'm wondering if that is affecting the temper? Is it setting too quickly? Has anyone had issues tempering in a cold kitchen? It was also raining today (though now it's stopped), but I'm not sure if humidity was a factor.

I've tried tempering with minimal amount of seed and keeping the temp around 90-91, but it doesn't seem to help really.

Any help would be appreciated!

[Kerry Beal]

I've been tempering chocolate using the seeding method in my chocolate melter for the past year without a problem, but all of a sudden today, I can't get a decent temper!  Whenever I temper, the chocolate looks very grainy and streaky; one batch of bloomed chocolate is so light it almost looks like milk chocolate.  It's become pretty cold in LA (well, for LA -- it's probably around 60 in the kitchen, maybe lower), and I'm wondering if that is affecting the temper?    Is it setting too quickly?  Has anyone had issues tempering in a cold kitchen?  It was also raining today (though now it's stopped), but I'm not sure if humidity was a factor.

I've tried tempering with minimal amount of seed and keeping the temp around 90-91, but it doesn't seem to help really.

Any help would be appreciated!

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What is the condition of the chocolate before starting? Is it looking bloomed in the bag? If so you might need to take it to a higher temperature before seeding.

Humidity can certainly interfere with temper and an unusual room temperature adds a complication.

[John DePaula]

I've been tempering chocolate using the seeding method in my chocolate melter for the past year without a problem, but all of a sudden today, I can't get a decent temper!  Whenever I temper, the chocolate looks very grainy and streaky; one batch of bloomed chocolate is so light it almost looks like milk chocolate.  It's become pretty cold in LA (well, for LA -- it's probably around 60 in the kitchen, maybe lower), and I'm wondering if that is affecting the temper?    Is it setting too quickly?  Has anyone had issues tempering in a cold kitchen?  It was also raining today (though now it's stopped), but I'm not sure if humidity was a factor.

I've tried tempering with minimal amount of seed and keeping the temp around 90-91, but it doesn't seem to help really.

Any help would be appreciated!

←

What is the condition of the chocolate before starting? Is it looking bloomed in the bag? If so you might need to take it to a higher temperature before seeding.

Humidity can certainly interfere with temper and an unusual room temperature adds a complication.

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If your seed chocolate is not already in temper then I don't think you can even use the seed method - you'll have to table it. And I agree with Kerry, you may have to take the initial batch up to, say, 60C to ensure that you've melted out all the bad crystals.

I always have lots of trouble when my workspace is much below 68F, though I know there are some here that often work in a cold kitchen.

[SugarGirl]

Sorry, to clarify, my melted chocolate is starting at 115 and I'm using pistoles straight from the box to seed it; the pistoles are in fine condition. I also tried taking the melted chocolate up to 120 yesterday, but the resulting temper after seeding didn't improve.

[Serj]

When I learned chocolate at school it was the middle of winter in Chicago and the kitchens used to get down to 32 degrees when the first class came in first thing in the morning (luckily I was in the afternoon class!). I used to have to wear 2 undershirts to keep from shivering. At work now, our chocolate room has excellent air conditioning, including a vent right above next to where we keep the chocolate warmer (unlike the rest of the bakeshop where they haven't hooked up the hood above the oven. Hm.) However, I still learned how to temper chocolate in the cold! It is possible...

Some tips- use a plastic bowl instead of a metal bowl, as it will insulate the chocolate better. Also, put something between your bowl and cold work surface to stop the chocolate at the bottom of the bowl from setting up immediately (a smaller bowl works well, as does a folded up towel). Also, keep a hairdryer handy. I also usually bring the temperature of the chocolate up slightly over 50C/122F (evidently there's a reason the mol d'art melters go up to 60C) the first time and find that it's okay to bring it up even slightly over 33C/91.4F without losing temper after taking it down to 27C/80.6F in between. The humidity here in the winter is usually around 70%.

Obviously make sure you use a thermometer with a probe and calibrate it regularly. I prefer to table but when I seed I chop up the chocolate in the food processor to help the pistoles melt faster. I usually let chocolate set in the freezer without any trouble.

I promise you that tempering in the cold is better than tempering in the hot humid summer when the air conditioning isn't working!

[tammylc]

Sorry, to clarify, my melted chocolate is starting at 115 and I'm using pistoles straight from the box to seed it; the pistoles are in fine condition.  I also tried taking the melted chocolate up to 120 yesterday, but the resulting temper after seeding didn't improve.

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Have you tried switching thermometers? Maybe you're not really hitting the temps you think you're hitting?

(I can imagine how frustrating this would be, so I hope that you've figured out something by now!)

[ExtraMSG]

Okay, so reading through this thread, I have some inclinations, but just want to feel better about my inclinations.

I am a total novice at tempering chocolate. I'm using the seed method, using a very dark chocolate (over 80%). I assumed I would have a higher working temperature, but I'm not sure.

In dipping the ganaches, I started at about 92 degrees. I assumed with such a dark chocolate that the working temp would be higher. Obviously I need to get a feel for what "in temper" looks like. I'm using a pyrex bowl over a light simmer to melt the chocolate, getting it above 115 then taking it off the steam. I used an inexpensive IR thermometer, so perhaps that's part of my problem as well.

In laying out the dipped chocolates, it seemed like the ones where the temp was higher all streaked and bloomed. By the time I was finished, the temp was reading about 85. Seemed like between 85 and 88 the chocolates came out best, though not especially shiny and there are some very light streaks in all of them (you have to get the light up to them at a low angle to notice), though no blooming in the later pieces.

It's a humid day today (raining), but my kitchen was right around 70.

Am I getting moisture in my chocolate? Fat from the ganache? Or is it just that I haven't gotten a good temper yet and need to practice more on finding the right feel and temperature? How long should 6 oz of chocolate in a glass bowl stay in temper in a 70 degree kitchen as it's being used for dipping? Should I be moving it back and forth from the steam to keep it in range? Are the mid-pieces without bloom even tempered or just less ugly un-tempered chocolate?

Edited February 24, 2009 by ExtraMSG (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Okay, so reading through this thread, I have some inclinations, but just want to feel better about my inclinations. 

I am a total novice at tempering chocolate.  I'm using the seed method, using a very dark chocolate (over 80%).  I assumed I would have a higher working temperature, but I'm not sure.

In dipping the ganaches, I started at about 92 degrees.  I assumed with such a dark chocolate that the working temp would be higher.  Obviously I need to get a feel for what "in temper" looks like.  I'm using a pyrex bowl over a light simmer to melt the chocolate, getting it above 115 then taking it off the steam.  I used an inexpensive IR thermometer, so perhaps that's part of my problem as well.

In laying out the dipped chocolates, it seemed like the ones where the temp was higher all streaked and bloomed.  By the time I was finished, the temp was reading about 85.  Seemed like between 85 and 88 the chocolates came out best, though not especially shiny and there are some very light streaks in all of them (you have to get the light up to them at a low angle to notice), though no blooming in the later pieces.

It's a humid day today (raining), but my kitchen was right around 70.

Am I getting moisture in my chocolate?  Fat from the ganache?  Or is it just that I haven't gotten a good temper yet and need to practice more on finding the right feel and temperature?  How long should 6 oz of chocolate in a glass bowl stay in temper in a 70 degree kitchen as it's being used for dipping?  Should I be moving it back and forth from the steam to keep it in range?  Are the mid-pieces without bloom even tempered or just less ugly un-tempered chocolate?

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The working temperature will be the same regardless of the percentage of the chocolate. As time goes on during the day and you have a bowl with more beta crystals in it you can push the temperature up - as high as 34.5C for dark chocolate.

Sounds like you were just working at too high a temperature and therefore weren't in temper. A high percentage chocolate might be thicker than a lower percentage at the same temperature - all depends how much of the 80% is cocoa solids and how much is cocoa butter.

I find a heat gun helpful in keeping the chocolate warm or 6 second spurts in the microwave. Small amounts of chocolate cool faster than large masses do.

If the middle pieces are still a bit streaky then they are probably just less untempered than the really streaky pieces.