Your chocolate

Pick a type and a tempering method. We'll lay out the temperature ramp.

Chocolate type

Recommended for home chocolatiers — melt the chocolate, remove from heat, then stir in ~25% by weight of chopped, already-tempered seed chocolate. Cool stir until the target temperature is reached, then gently reheat to working temp.

Temperature unit

Dark chocolate (typically 55–70% cocoa), seeding method. Working temperature 88–90 °F.

Temperature ramp

  1. 1
    Melt
    113–120 °F

    Heat the chocolate over a double boiler or in 30-second microwave pulses (50% power), stirring between, until fully melted and all crystal forms broken.

  2. 2
    Cool / form Form V crystals
    81–84 °F

    Off the heat, stir in roughly 25% by weight of chopped, already-tempered seed chocolate. The seed brings Form V crystals into the melt; stir continuously while it dissolves and the temperature drops to this range.

  3. 3
    Working temp
    88–90 °F

    Gently reheat (over the double boiler or in 5-second microwave pulses) to this working range. Hold the temperature; the chocolate is in temper and ready to mold, dip, or enrobe.

Tests for a proper temper

  • Streak test: dab a teaspoon onto parchment. Properly tempered chocolate sets in 3–5 minutes at 65–70 °F room temperature with a glossy snap and no streaks.
  • Spatula test: dip a metal spatula and let it stand. Tempered chocolate firms uniformly in 2–4 minutes; out-of-temper chocolate stays tacky or shows bloom.
  • Mouthfeel test: tempered chocolate snaps cleanly when broken and melts smoothly on the tongue.

Powered by Ardent Seller — see the full Chocolate Tempering Tool