How to Temper Chocolate

Learn how to temper chocolate for all your chocolate dipping and candy-making needs! Tempering chocolate can be intimidating but my how-to guide will help you every step of the way.

Use tempered chocolate to make decadent treats! It’s perfect for dipping these peanut butter eggs, my easy Oreo balls, or making chocolate-covered pretzels. Your chocolate lovers will thank you!

What Does it Mean to Temper Chocolate?

Tempering chocolate is the precise process of heating and cooling chocolate. Basically, it’s melting the chocolate and then cooling the chocolate so that it hardens to the perfect texture. This texture should be smooth, shiny, and hard enough to “snap” when broken apart. Tempered chocolate will hold its shape at room temperature and is important for dipping and making chocolate candies.

Chocolate can be sensitive to temperature changes causing it to go out of temper. Once out of temper, the chocolate becomes dull, grainy, and soft. You have likely seen chocolate that has gray or white streaks on it. This is called “chocolate bloom” and indicates that the chocolate is out of temper. While the chocolate is perfectly edible, it’s not the same as tempered chocolate.

How to Temper Chocolate

There are three different ways to temper chocolate! Choose which method you would like to use.

1. Double Boiler: The double boiler method is when a glass or metal bowl is placed on top of a pot of steaming (not boiling or simmering) water to melt the chocolate. Once melted, the heated bowl of chocolate is removed and set in a bowl of cold water or ice to cool the chocolate down to the second temperature. Once cooled to the right temperature, the bowl is then placed back on the double boiler. This warms the chocolate up slightly to reach the final temperature for tempered chocolate.
2. Seeding: The seeding method is similar to the double boiler method. You will use a double boiler to melt the chopped chocolate. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the remaining ⅓ of chopped chocolate. This is called “seeding”. The chocolate is stirred until completely melted and has reached the second temperature. Place the bowl back on the double boiler for just a few moments until the chocolate has reached the final temperature and is in temper. If the chocolate is under the final temperature, continue stirring on the double boiler until it has warmed properly. If the chocolate goes over the final temperature, the tempering process will need to begin again and you will need additional chopped chocolate to seed with. 
3. Tabling: The tabling method uses a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Pour ⅔ of the melted chocolate onto a clean marble surface. Use a plastic bench scrape to spread the chocolate out into a large rectangle before gathering it back into a pool in the center of the marble. Repeat this 3-4 times before taking the temperature of the pool of chocolate. If it has reached the second temperature, scoop it all up and add it back to the bowl. If it has not reached the second temperature, continue to spread it out and gather it into a pool 1-2 times more before temping again. After you’ve added the cooled chocolate back to the bowl, stir it in with the remaining ⅓ of chocolate and temp it. If it is still warmer than the final temperature, remove ⅔ of it from the marble to spread and cool it 2-3 times before adding it back to the bowl. If it is cooler than the final temperature, place it on the double boiler for only a few seconds while stirring to bring it up the few degrees necessary to reach the final temperature. 

How to Make a Double Boiler

Knowing how to make a double boiler is helpful because it’s an important part of all 3 methods. You can buy a double boiler pot, but this is an easy version using a pot and bowl you most likely already have!

1. Pour Water Into the Pot: Use about 1 inch of water when using the double boiler method. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water in the pot! 
2. Place the Bowl on Top of the Pot: The bowl should be large enough to cover the top of the pot and sit on top of it, but not too large that it doesn’t sit well on top of it.
3. Add the Chocolate to the Bowl: Turn on the stove on low heat and slowly heat to melt the chocolate. Be patient and stir continuously, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to keep all of the chocolate moving.

How Do I Know If I Tempered My Chocolate Correctly?

Here are some simple ways to know if you tempered your chocolate correctly.

1. Parchment Paper: Use a spoon to drop a small dollop of chocolate or a smear of it onto a piece of parchment paper and let it set up.
2. Dip a Spoon or Knife: Dip a spoon or the tip of a knife in the chocolate and set it aside to set up. 
3. Refrigerator: You can place these in the refrigerator for no longer than 2-3 minutes to help the chocolate set up more quickly.
4. Smooth, Shiny, and Snaps: Tempered chocolate will set up quickly and will look very shiny and smooth. When you break it apart, it will have a clean snap. The chocolate should not look dull or be soft. 
5. No Streaks or Spots: If the chocolate has streaks, spots, or takes longer than 5 minutes to set then it is not in temper. You will have to start over!