When do you NEED to temper chocolate?

Chocolate tempering is generally required (or at least highly encouraged) when you’re using it for things like dipping biscotti , drizzling on florentines , or candy-making, including any instance where you’re using a chocolate mold. These are all applications where you need the chocolate to set firmly, stay solid at room temperature, and maintain a sleek, shiny appearance. You don’t need to temper chocolate to use it in a batter, frosting, pudding, mousse, or chocolate ganache.

What kind of bowl is best for tempering chocolate in the microwave?

A microwave-safe ceramic or glass bowl will work best for this method. I do not recommend using a plastic bowl.

How can I tell if my chocolate is tempered?

Tempered chocolate sets within a few minutes, has a glossy, streak-free finish, and breaks with a clean snap. Chocolate that’s out of temper can look dull, streaky, or mottled, melts easily when touched, and doesn’t hold its shape well at room temperature.

How should I store chocolate to keep it in temper?

Chocolate should be stored in a cool, dry place - not the refrigerator! - ideally between 65ºF-68ºF. Storing it at a higher temperature or exposing it to moisture can cause it to bloom, which is when you’ll see white or light brown streaks across the surface.

How can I make chocolate shiny without tempering it?

While there isn’t a substitute for tempering chocolate, there are a few ways to maintain chocolate’s shine once it's melted. One option is to add a small amount of coconut oil to your chocolate before you melt it - about 1 tsp per 6 ounces of chocolate is a good place to start. If you’re making a chocolate glaze, try adding 1 tablespoon of corn syrup for each cup of chocolate.

How to Temper Chocolate in the Microwave

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Learn how to temper chocolate the easy way, in the microwave! Tempered chocolate dries in minutes with a shiny finish and snappy texture, making it perfect for dipping, drizzling, and candy making!

Author: Alexandra
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 12 ounces tempered chocolate 1x
Category: how-to
Method: microwave

Ingredients

Scale

12+ ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

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Instructions

Place about 2/3 of the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, setting aside the remaining 1/3 to use as seed.
Warm the chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to melt another 15-20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate has melted and reached a temperature between 114ºF-120ºF. As the chocolate nears this temperature, it helps to decrease the microwave time to shorter bursts (5-10 seconds).
Add the reserved seed chocolate a bit at a time, stirring vigorously until all of the seed has melted before adding more, wiping down the sides of bowl often as you stir. Continue until the chocolate has cooled to 88ºF- 90ºF. At this point, the chocolate should be in temper and ready to use. A good way to test this is to drizzle it on a piece of parchment; it should set within a few minutes and have a shiny finish.
To keep the chocolate at working temperature, you can set the bowl on top of a heating pad at low heat while you work. If the chocolate drops below 88ºF, reheat in the microwave in very small increments until it reaches 88ºF- 9oºF again.

Notes

Best Chocolate to Use for Tempering:

Use good quality chocolate for tempering, not chocolate chips or candy coating. If using chocolate that has bloomed (white or light-colored streaks will have formed across the surface), you must cool the chocolate to 84ºF before raising it back up to working temperature. See "Troubleshooting" below for more information.
Tempering temperatures differ for white and milk chocolate. See the temperature chart in the post above for details.

Storing Tempered Chocolate:

If you temper more chocolate than you need, pour the remainder into a chocolate mold or spread it out in a thin layer across a sheet of parchment paper. Once set, place it in an airtight, zip-top bag and store in a cool, dry place.

Troubleshooting:

If you've followed the instructions above and your chocolate does not appear to be tempered, continue to stir it until it cools to 84ºF. Then, reheat it in the microwave in very short increments to bring it back up to working temperature (88ºF - 90ºF). Lowering the temperature in this manner will increase the formation of good beta crystals that keep chocolate in temper.

Find it online: https://www.brighteyedbaker.com/how-to-temper-chocolate-thermapen-giveaway/