Tempering Chocolate
- Chocolate
Tempering Chocolate
Featured in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin on February 3, 2006.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Chop chocolate with a serrated knife and place chocolate into a stainless steel bowl.
- Place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water.
- Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Never let any moisture (including steam or condensation) come in contact with the chocolate during the tempering process, or the chocolate will "seize".
- Stir the chocolate occasionally as it melts to keep it at an even temperature.
- Continue to heat the chocolate until it reaches a temperature of 105°F and 110°F, using an instant read thermometer for the most accurate results.
- Remove the chocolate from the heat, and add a large piece of unmelted chocolate (the seed).
- Stir until the temperature drops to between 87°F and 92°F.
- The chocolate should be kept at about 92°F until ready to use.
Note: if the chocolate scorches or becomes grainy, it can no longer be used, this is a sign of it being burnt. Use tempered chocolate for dipping or decorating strawberries, bananas, pretzels, cookies, and marshmallows, and cream puffs. Properly tempered chocolate can also be used for molding candies-the candies will release out of the molds more easily and retain a glossy finish.
