How To Temper Chocolate

If you’ve always admired stunning chocolate creations but have been too intimidated to try making them at home, Great Chocolate Showdown‘s Steve Hodge is here to guide you through the process. Although it may look nerve-wracking, Steve’s simple methods for tempering chocolate are seriously approachable for any home bakers skill level, and are sure to take your desserts to new heights. Read on for Steve’s best tips, and watch the video above to learn how to apply these skills to making your very own chocolate tic-tac-toe board.

What is Steve Hodge’s favourite chocolate tempering method?

Steve’s favourite method for tempering chocolate is table tempering, because not only is it easy to control the chocolate with this method, it’s also fun!

What pieces of equipment are essential to table temper chocolate?

The key pieces of equipment for table tempering chocolate are an offset, scraper, and spatula. You’ll also need a table to temper on, and Steve recommends a marble surface because it cools and heats quickly.

What are the key elements of table tempering chocolate?

“Time, temperature and movement,” according to Steve.

How do you table temper chocolate?

First, melt dark chocolate down to a temperature between 45-50°C. Pour ⅔ of the chocolate onto your marble surface, this will agitate the chocolate and cool it down quickly, ideally to a temperature of 27°C. Working quickly, add it back into the bowl of melted chocolate, stirring to combine. The chocolate should now be at 31°C, ideal for tempering.

Are there other methods for tempering chocolate?

Another chocolate tempering method that Steve recommends is the seeding method. To do this, Steve starts by melting ⅔ of ruby chocolate to 45°C. Then, he pours the remaining chocolate into the bowl, which cools it down, bringing it to the ideal ruby chocolate tempering temperature of 27°C.

Is all chocolate tempered at the same temperature?

It is not! Different chocolates (dark, milk, white, ruby and so on) require different temperatures for tempering. Be sure to research the correct temperature for the chocolate you’re using in advance.