Tempering
Uncontrolled crystallization of cocoa butter typically results in crystals of varying size, some or all large enough to be clearly seen with the naked eye. This causes the surface of the chocolate to appear mottled and matte, and causes the chocolate to crumble rather than snap when broken. The uniform sheen and crisp bite of properly processed chocolate are the result of consistently small cocoa butter crystals produced by the tempering process.
The fats in cocoa butter can crystallize in six different forms (polymorphous crystallization). The primary purpose of tempering is to assure that only the best form is present. The six different crystal forms have different properties.
| Crystal | Melting Temp. | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| I | 17 °C (63 °F) | Soft, crumbly, melts too easily. |
| II | 21 °C (70 °F) | Soft, crumbly, melts too easily. |
| III | 26 °C (78 °F) | Firm, poor snap, melts too easily. |
| IV | 28 °C (82 °F) | Firm, good snap, melts too easily. |
| V | 34 °C (94 °F) | Glossy, firm, best snap, melts near body temperature (37 °C). |
| VI | 36 °C (97 °F) | Hard, takes weeks to form. |
Making chocolate considered “good” is about forming as many type V crystals as possible. This provides the best appearance and texture and creates the most stable crystals so the texture and appearance will not degrade over time. To accomplish this, the temperature is carefully manipulated during the crystallization.
Generally, the chocolate is first heated to 45 °C (115 °F) to melt all six forms of crystals. Next, the chocolate is cooled to about 27 °C (80 °F), which will allow crystal types IV and V to form. At this temperature, the chocolate is agitated to create many small crystal “seeds” which will serve as nuclei to create small crystals in the chocolate. The chocolate is then heated to about 31 °C (88 °F) to eliminate any type IV crystals, leaving just type V. After this point, any excessive heating of the chocolate will destroy the temper and this process will have to be repeated. However, there are other methods of chocolate tempering used. The most common variant is introducing already tempered, solid “seed” chocolate. The temper of chocolate can be measured with a chocolate temper meter to ensure accuracy and consistency. A sample cup is filled with the chocolate and placed in the unit which then displays or prints the results.
Chocolate tempering machines (or temperers) with computer controls can be used for producing consistently tempered chocolate, particularly for large volume applications.
Melting
The chocolate should be chopped into small pieces of similar size. Place the chooped chocolate into a stainless steel bowl. Put the bowl over a pan of simmering or hot water. Stir until the chocolate is melted. The bottom of the stainless steel should not touch the water in pan. Never melt the chocolate over direct heat as it will burn easily. Do not allow water to come contact with teh melted chocolate, as it will cause the chocolate thicken and become lumpy and unworkable.
Temperature are really important in tempering the chocolate. It’s because, we don’t want the chocolate become watery andunworkable.
