The one on the left was dipped with perfectly tempered chocolate. The one on the right was not.
Have you ever melted chocolate and allowed it to set, only to find a weird white blush on your chocolate? I have!! It stinks! Well, not literally. It just isn’t as pretty. Why does this happen? Your chocolate was too hot. Simple as that.
When it comes to chocolate, tempering the chocolate (or checking for the correct temperature) is the key to turning out praise worthy treats. Tempering sounds fancy, but it’s not.
Here is what I do to Temper:
1) When I melt my chocolate (whether in a double boiler or the microwave), I always leave some of the chocolate out (about an 1/8 of what you started with). For a 16 ounce bag, I leave out ¼ of a cup.
2) When I am melting the chocolate, I want to use the least amount of heat possible. With a double boiler, use low heat. When melting in the microwave, use only 50% power.
3) When using a double boiler, stir constantly. Never walk away. When using the microwave, heat at 50% power for intervals of 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in between each interval.
4) Stop using a heat source when the chocolate is almost melted. If you wait for it to be completely melted, it will be way too hot.
5) Chocolate’s perfect temperature is 98 degrees, the same as the temperature of your lips. So, check your chocolate for the correct temperature by placing a small amount on your lips. If you feel any heat, it’s too hot.
6) If you find the chocolate too hot, add half of your reserved chocolate and stir until it’s melted. Check the heat again using the lip test. If you still feel heat, stir in the rest of your reserve.
Your chocolates should look great if you follow these steps. Good luck and enjoy your creations!
The one on the left was dipped with perfectly tempered chocolate. The one on the right was not.
Have you ever melted chocolate and allowed it to set, only to find a weird white blush on your chocolate? I have!! It stinks! Well, not literally. It just isn’t as pretty. Why does this happen? Your chocolate was too hot. Simple as that.
When it comes to chocolate, tempering the chocolate (or checking for the correct temperature) is the key to turning out praise worthy treats. Tempering sounds fancy, but it’s not.
Here is what I do to Temper:
1) When I melt my chocolate (whether in a double boiler or the microwave), I always leave some of the chocolate out (about an 1/8 of what you started with). For a 16 ounce bag, I leave out ¼ of a cup.
2) When I am melting the chocolate, I want to use the least amount of heat possible. With a double boiler, use low heat. When melting in the microwave, use only 50% power.
3) When using a double boiler, stir constantly. Never walk away. When using the microwave, heat at 50% power for intervals of 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in between each interval.
4) Stop using a heat source when the chocolate is almost melted. If you wait for it to be completely melted, it will be way too hot.
5) Chocolate’s perfect temperature is 98 degrees, the same as the temperature of your lips. So, check your chocolate for the correct temperature by placing a small amount on your lips. If you feel any heat, it’s too hot.
6) If you find the chocolate too hot, add half of your reserved chocolate and stir until it’s melted. Check the heat again using the lip test. If you still feel heat, stir in the rest of your reserve.
Your chocolates should look great if you follow these steps. Good luck and enjoy your creations!
Thanks for the info. I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of chocolate you use for dipping? Will chocolate chips work?
ReplyDeleteI have to make a bunch of truffles for thanksgiving and don't really want to buy expensive chocolate, but at the same time don't like the taste of candy melts.
I use Wilton Candy Melts for dipping. Have you tried this kind? The chocolate is way better than a chocolate bark. Once the coating is dry, it's a nice crisp shell. If you do use chocolate chips, the coating will not harden and they will be a bit soft (really melts in your hands). There are better candy melts out there, but they are a bit pricey. Hope this helps!!
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