Tempering chocolate at home: a description of the process

To independently prepare chocolate, you must strictly follow a certain technology. To do this, all the original components must go through certain stages of production. One of them - tempering chocolate - at home is not so easy to do. It is necessary to clearly imagine the process and the need for it.

The essence of the procedure

To properly conduct the tempering of chocolate at home, you need to understand what happens to the products resulting from this treatment. The main ingredient of the initial mass is cocoa butter. In the molten form it has a liquid and viscous consistency. After cooling, the mixture hardens. If the process proceeds uncontrolled, then crystals of different sizes are formed. This negatively affects the quality of the finished product. Tempering chocolate at home allows cocoa butter to gradually take on the most stable form. After that, the product will be easier to handle. In this form, its crystallization will pass more evenly.

The essence of the process is that the chocolate mass is first heated to a certain temperature. Then it needs to be cooled slightly. After that, the mixture is again heated. As a result, the product will be of the required quality, which will be stored for a long time without visible changes in its structure.

Purpose of the process

Before conducting tempering chocolate at home, you need to clearly visualize the consequences of this treatment. The result of this procedure is:

1. Increase the temperature at which the finished products of chocolate will melt in your hands. It is very important. After all, very few people like, for example, a candy that will begin to melt immediately when it comes into contact with the fingers.
2. Partially reduce the size of the finished product. So it will be easier to get it out of shape.
3. Eliminate the spontaneous formation of an unpleasant whitish coating on the surface of finished products in the form of strips or individual spots.
4. Accelerate the final cooling procedure. Specialists have determined that tempered chocolate freezes much faster. This is especially important in the case when the mass must be given a certain complex shape. Here sometimes the time count goes for seconds.
5. Give the product a pleasant gloss. The characteristic luster makes the product more attractive.

Such a product looks beautiful, breaks well and can be stored at room temperature for a long time without visible changes in the structure.

Special equipment

For such processing in production conditions, as a rule, a tempering machine is used. It consists of a container, inside of which there is a mixing device, which is driven by rotation with the help of an electric motor. The body of the apparatus is equipped with a steam jacket. From it, the heating elements work, which provide heating of the products placed in the tank. The desired temperature or other settings can be set using a special control panel. The steam jacket also has branch pipes for cold water and waste runoff. The tempering machine is needed in order to ensure a uniform viscosity of the chocolate mass, as well as to guarantee the mechanical stability of the finished product. These devices may differ:

• Capacity of working capacity (from 5 to 1000 liters);
• Overall dimensions;
• Type of agitating organ (screw or stirrer).

The choice of a device depends on the volume of production and the frequency of use.

At home, as a rule, more compact devices with a stirrer with a capacity of up to 1 kilogram are used.

Processing on a marble board

Anyone who likes to make all kinds of sweets himself, should know how to temper chocolate at home. You can do this in many ways. Each of them has its own advantages. The hostess can only choose for herself the most convenient option. As an example, we can consider a method using a marble plaque.

In this case it is necessary:

1. In a container, heat dark chocolate to 45 degrees.
2. 2/3 of this mass pour on a marble plaque.
3. Carefully "chase" it on the board with a spatula and pallets, until the product begins to crystallize. The temperature of the chocolate should decrease to 27 degrees. You can check this with a thermometer. For safety it is better to use a special device with a laser device.
4. Transfer the treated mass back to the container. The temperature of the mixture will reach 32 degrees. At the same time, you need to stir it constantly.

Now the mass can be poured into the mold, and if the work is done correctly, then in 3 minutes it will freeze.

Steam bath treatment

If you do not have a marble board, you can try another option. So, how to temper the chocolate at home? To do this, you need:

• pan;
• a bowl;
• Scapula.

The procedure includes the following operations:

1. Chocolate should be grinded arbitrarily and put the pieces in a bowl.
2. In the pot, pour the water and put it on a weak fire.
3. From above on it to establish a bowl with chocolate so that the bottom of it touches a liquid. In this case, the product will gradually melt.
4. As soon as the mass becomes liquid and its temperature reaches the desired value, the pan should be removed from the plate and wrapped with a towel to conserve heat. The content should not be frozen beforehand.
5. For the seed, add to the bowl a piece of solid, previously tempered chocolate.
6. Mix with a spatula until the temperature of the mass reaches the desired level.

Further, the prepared mixture can already be used for its intended purpose. It can be poured into a form or fashioned a figure using special tools.

Core metric

It should be ensured that during the tempering of chocolate the temperature corresponds to the desired level. Otherwise, all efforts will be reduced to zero.

It is worth noting that for each stage there are different temperature regimes. And for different types of chocolate, they are slightly different. This circumstance must be taken into account before starting work.

Adhering to these modes, you can get chocolate, which after hardening will meet all the declared characteristics. After processing, you first need to make a sample. For this, a couple of drops of the mixture must be applied to a film, table or paper. After 5-7 minutes it should harden. If the piece turned out smooth and glossy, the work can be considered completed. Otherwise, the procedure will have to be repeated.

Classical methods

There are certain methods of tempering chocolate, with which the initial product can be converted into a plastic mass with a pleasant glossy gloss without foreign impurities and impurities. In cooking, there are three main options:

1. On a cutting board made of marble.
2. Using a primer on a steam bath (or in a steamer).
3. In the microwave. In this case, the ground product must be collected in a special container. Put it in the oven and heat it at low power. Every 15 seconds, you need to get the dishes and mix thoroughly the melted chocolate. In this case, there must necessarily be small solid lumps. As soon as the whole mass becomes liquid and homogeneous, the container must be removed from the microwave and cooled to the desired temperature.

Any of these methods are applicable for home use. The choice of a particular option will depend on three factors:

• The amount of the initial product (for small volumes it is better to use a microwave oven);
• Availability of necessary equipment in the house;
• The wishes of the mistress.

Once all these questions are answered, work can begin.

Temperature control

If the landlady does not have a special non-contact thermometer, do not despair. This is not a reason to abandon the plan. As practice shows, it is very easy to carry out tempering chocolate without a thermometer. In this case, an ordinary kitchen thermometer is suitable. It is ideal, for example, to work on a marble board. You just need to put its contact part into the chocolate mass and watch the readings on the dial. True, not everyone likes this method. After all, in the process of measuring the device must be in contact with the product, and this is not entirely hygienic. Some landladies find another way out. For initial heating, they use a microwave oven. There, the temperature can be set independently and monitor the result on the monitor. In the remaining stages, the mass heating level is checked manually.

To do this, a drop of the mixture must be applied to the lower lip. It is the most delicate and sensitive organ of the human body. The drop should be cool. After all, the normal temperature of the body is 36.6 degrees. Such control in practice is very convenient and does not require the cost of additional equipment.