What is the difference between tempering chocolate and melting chocolate

Tempering Tempering chocolate is a multi-step process that involves heating, cooling and then reheating chocolate to control its delicate cocoa butter content. Melting Melting chocolate is the first step in the tempering process, and involves heating solid chocolate until it becomes a liquid. Baking Techniques Tempering. A chocolate temperer is a tabletop machine melts and tempers small quantities of chocolate so that the end product has a smooth, crisp and shiny finish!

It uses very precise time and varying temperatures, while also continuously mixing the chocolate, to give you perfectly tempered chocolate. Which one is best for me? The main difference is how you want your finished products to look!

A chocolate tempering machine will produce a hard, shiny finish whereas a melter will produce a softer, dull finish. Both will taste good, so it comes down to visual appeal tempered chocolate looks more "professional".

When you walk into a chocolate shop and see beautiful glossy truffles with a hard shell, those are made with tempered chocolate! A chocolate temperer is a must have piece of machinery for candy making. Melting chocolate is great for making brownies or certain chocolate cakes and chocolate sauces. Tempering is recommended for creating a crisp, shiny chocolate coating for truffles or when making chocolate decorations for a cake.

Melting Chocolate Heat chocolate to degrees F between degrees C. Do not place chocolate directly on heat source. Ideally, chocolate should be melted in double boiler. When using the microwave, melt chocolate in 8-second increments. We gave some additional tips for how to melt chocolate in our Homemade Good News Vol. Tip: When dipping fruits in chocolate: dry each piece of fruit thoroughly on paper towels first to keep moisture from ruining your chocolate.

Melting chocolate works just fine for many recipes performed at home for family and friends. However, if you want to take it a step further, you can temper your chocolate in one of three ways:. Obviously, most home chefs do not have access to a tempering machine. Chef Eddy recommends tempering chocolate by using the cool surface method for home chefs with some experience, or the seeding method for beginners.

What are chocolate wafers used for? Can you temper chocolate melts? Keeping chocolate in temper Once melted chocolate has been tempered, it must be used before it cools and sets. If it has completely cooled and solidified, it should be re-tempered. Can you melt normal chocolate for cooking? Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and only microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each time.

Once chocolate is looking almost melted with just a few lumps, don't microwave it again just stir the chocolate until it is completely smooth. How do you temper chocolate for molds? Tempering Chocolate Instructions Place your chocolate in a plastic or silicone bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds. Heat again for another 30 seconds, stir, then 15 seconds, stir, then 10 seconds, stir.

If your chocolate is not fully melted then only do another 5 seconds until it is melted. Can I use chocolate chips instead of melting wafers?

You can use chocolate chips for quick-and-dirty dipping; they're meant to survive in the oven, after all, so a few gentle zaps in the microwave won't do much damage. Chips don't contain enough cocoa butter to temper, so the melted chocolate will harden with a streaked or swirled appearance. Can I use cooking chocolate instead of chocolate chips? The baking chocolate tends to melt quickly, where the chocolate chips generally hold their shape when baked.