By This informative guide will let you know the important things to remember when you are tempering chocolate by yourself or with a chocolate melting machine.
Chocolate types will matter-
Basically, any ‘real’ chocolate types like dark, milk, or white ones can be tempered; they simply need to be tempered at various temperatures. In order to get the best possible chocolate, you’ll need to go for one that has a high cocoa butter concentration and no wax. Do not rely on pre-packaged, commercially available candy bars.
Chocolate dipped truffles should have a bar of dipping chocolate that complements the filling’s flavor profile. Depending on where the chocolate is sourced, it might taste nutty, spicy, or even fruity.
Things to do-
Cocoa butter and solids, sugar, and occasionally milk solids make up real chocolate (in milk and white chocolates).
You should steer clear of chocolate that has been coated in wax. Additives such as wax are prevalent in ready-to-eat chocolates because they help keep the chocolate firm at room temperature and lend a glossy shine.
Soy lecithin is also a no-no when it comes to chocolate. As a result, this ingredient is utilized to assist preserve baking chocolate from melting and losing its structure when cooked.
Compound vs. Real Chocolate-
Real chocolate must be used to temper the chocolate. Because it is made from cocoa butter, it does not include any other kind of fat. Real chocolate that has been tempered melts on your tongue at room temperature.
Compound or coating chocolate, which does not include cocoa butter, is considered fraudulent.
Chocolate from Couverture (French for “Couverture”)-
In order to temper, couverture chocolate is created using particular ingredients. Due to its greater butter-to-cocoa solids ratio, this type is the simplest to temper with chocolate melting machine and hence the most sought after by chocolate makers.
This is quite useful, but it isn’t required. Even if your chocolate isn’t couverture, you will be alright provided it’s of decent quality.
Dark, Milk, and White–
All of these forms of chocolate may be tempered by you. However, the quantity of cocoa butter in each differs; therefore, the tempering procedure requires different temperatures for each.
Conclusion
As a general rule of thumb, dark chocolate (half sweet or bittersweet) is best for tempering. It is the most stable and straightforward to temper since it contains just cocoa butter, solids, and sugar. As a bonus, it’s one of those that snap open when you cut into it. In the 60% to 70% cocoa range, you should look for excellent dark chocolate.
