How To Temper Chocolate At Home

Making your own chocolate truffles, chocolate bark and hand filled chocolates is a glorious indulgence. If you want them to look and taste just like the ones you might buy in a fancy chocolate shop then you will need to know how to temper chocolate to create a beautifully glossy appearance and crisp snap. Yes you can do this at home and it’s easier than you think. Here is a step-by-step process so you can master the technique for stunningly simple homemade chocolate.

Not only can tempering chocolate seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before but it’s also a bit of a hassle and can be overwhelming with all the different techniques on offer.

Let’s break down these obstacles together and I guarantee once you have tried it then you’ll be relieved how easy it can be once you find a technique that suits you.

You don’t need any fancy equipment although if you are just starting out then a digital thermometer is a great idea so you can get the feel of the different temperatures you are working with. There are other methods which we discuss below but they can take longer to get to grips with.

I’ll take you through the easiest way to temper the chocolate, how much you need to get started and give you troubleshooting tips all along the way.

So, let’s melt some chocolate! 

What Does Tempering Chocolate Mean?

Chocolate bars we buy from the supermarket have already been tempered but if we melt the chocolate we are taking it out of temper, which means that the crystallisation of the cocoa butter will run amok. We need to take these crystals into line by regulating the temperature of the chocolate during the melting process. You can recognise tempered chocolate by its shiny appearance, snappy texture and smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Think of the lovely glossy shine of an Easter egg right before you break it apart with a glorious crack.

Shelf Stability

Another reason for tempering chocolate is to improve its shelf life. The controlled crystalline structure means that the cocoa butter will solidfy into a form with a higher melting point so the chocolate can withstand room temperature fluctuations more. This will also provide protection against oxidation meaning the chocolate will last longer.

Chocolate Tempering Methods

There are three main methods for tempering chocolate and you can decide which is best for you depending on how experienced you are and what equipment you have at your disposal.

Marble Slab Method

The marble slab method gives a more consistent result if you are dealing with large amounts of chocolate but it does require you to have a large marble slab or countertop. This method requires you to cool and move around melted chocolate on a marble surface which regulates the temperature and crystal formation of the chocolate.

This isn’t the easiest method to get to grips with if you are new to tempering chocolate so the rest of this article will focus on the next method – the seeding method.

Seeding Method

The seeding method is the method I prefer and is more suitable for tempering chocolate at home. You can work with less chocolate and have more control, plus you are not pouring chocolate all over your domestic kitchen counter. Instead you melt your chocolate in a double boiler and add small pieces of already tempered chocolate (seed chocolate) to promote a stable crystal formation in the melted chocolate. The regulation of temperature control in this method is key and a digital thermometer is necessary for a beginner.

Microwave Method

It is possible to temper chocolate in the microwave by melting chocolate in short intervals. It is very similar to the seeding method except you are melting your chocolate in the microwave rather than over a heat source in your double boiler. Once you are comfortable using the seeding method then you like to try using the microwave and melt the chocolate in short bursts, but you will still need a digital thermometer and a chocolate seed to ensure the chocolate is melting at the right temperature throughout the process.

Tools and Equipment

It depends on which method you are using to temper your chocolate as to what tools you need.

However, if you are a beginner then I think that the seeding method is the most reliable and foolproof way and then you only need two pieces of equipment:

Double boiler. If you already have a double boiler or bain marie for melting your chocolate then I recommend using one as you’ll be using a minimum of 300g chocolate and the temperature regulation can be more difficult if you are using a glass bowl set over simmering water.

Digital thermometer. The only bit of special equipment required for the seeding method is a digital thermometer. I definitely have a preferred instrument – my thermapen (thermapen.co.uk) – as it reads the correct temperature immediately. Some of the cheaper digital thermometers do have to be held in the chocolate for thirty seconds or so to confirm an accurate reading which could be the pivotal amount of time to drive up your temperature and lead to over-tempering, plus they have annoying wires which really get in the way. Thermapens are not the cheapest but they come in different colours and if you shop around some of the colours are strangely cheaper than others.

What Kind of Chocolate Do You Need?

I recommend buying good quality chocolate rather than relying on Green and Black bars, mainly due to the cost, as it is so much cheaper to buy chocolate in bulk online than in single bars from the supermarket. Also this kind of chocolate designed for proper chocolatiers will often come in the forms of couverture chocolate chips (these are not your regular chocolate chips for baking).

These chocolate chips will melt much quicker which will really help when you are adding your seed back into your chocolate. Now, you also can’t buy just any old chocolate chips, if you are spending your afternoon tempering chocolate and covering some delicious chocolate truffles then you really want the chocolate to be of the utmost quality with high cocoa butter content.

Of course you can spend a fortune with this as different brands can be very highly priced, but a good place to start is Belgian Callebaut chocolate chips as they are reasonably priced and have good cocoa butter content. I buy my chocolate online from www.chocolatetradingco.com as they have a very good selection. The different types of chocolate, dark, milk or white work to different crystallisation temperatures, so do read be careful that you follow the correct method for the correct type of chocolate.

How Much Chocolate Do You Need?

The minimum amount of chocolate you can temper successfully is about 300g, any less and you will have difficulty getting an accurate temperature reading. More chocolate means the temperature gauge can fully immerse in the chocolate, plus you will have more control with the more chocolate you are handling.

How To Temper Chocolate With The Seeding Method

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.

These instructions are for tempering 70% dark chocolate. For alternative types of chocolate see the chart underneath for understanding the different timings.

Measure and set aside ⅓ of the chocolate. Melt ⅔ of the chocolate slowly in a bowl over hot water until it reaches 55°C.

Remove from heat, place on a tea towel, and add the ⅓ chocolate seed, stirring until it drops to 27-28°C.

Place the bowl back on heat, bring it up to 31-32°C quickly. Your chocolate is now tempered and ready to use.

Tempering Different Kinds of Chocolate

Different types of chocolate will require alternative temperatures. This is due to the variation of cocoa solids, sugar and milk solids in the chocolate which means the composition and melting points are different. Here is a breakdown of the specific temperatures required for tempering each chocolate type.

It's worth noting that tempering dark chocolate is easier than milk or white chocolate as there’s fewer fats in the ingredient to interfere with the process. The milk fat can inhibit cocoa butter crystallisation meaning it’s trickier to reach a good temper. If you are a first-timer then learning how to temper dark chocolate is your best place to start before you move onto milk and white chocolate.

How Can You Use Tempered Chocolate

For most home uses you’ll not need tempered chocolate. However, it really comes into its own and is a useful skill to have up your sleeve for these uses:

• Making homemade moulded chocolate and Easter eggs.
• Chocolate gifts that look professional, like chocolate bark.
• Dipping biscuits, ice creams, candied fruit.
• Decorating cakes like producing chocolate cages or shards.

Leftover Chocolate

You might find you have some leftover chocolate, especially if you are making hand filled chocolates. The best use for this is to make some delicious chocolate bark.

If you have some chocolate that you’ve struggled to temper for whatever reason, maybe you were rushing it or it was a particularly hot day in your kitchen then you don’t need to throw it away. If you can’t begin again (which you can do) then you can use the chocolate for the following quick and easy recipes:

• Classic Chocolate Brownies
• Easy Chocolate Ganache (and make some cocoa dusted truffles)
• Chocolate Mousse

Easy Chocolate Recipes You’ll Love

Fleur de Sel Olive Oil Chocolate Truffles are perfect for using with your tempered chocolate. Rich, peppery from the olive oil, flavoured with the most delicate salt and with a crisp chocolate shell coating. –

This Flourless Chocolate Cake is an incredible recipe to have up your sleeve and I love to serve it when I have guests coming over as it’s easy to make ahead of time. It suits gluten-free dietary requirements as there is no flour at all and can easily be made with dairy or dairy-free ingredients.

An incredibly easy and heavenly Hot Chocolate Sauce which requires only 5 simple ingredients and less than 5 minutes work. Take your ice cream game to another level with this absolute crowd pleaser.