How to temper chocolate | Good Food

Wondering how to achieve perfectly set chocolate with a smooth and glossy finish? Follow our expert guide to tempering dark, milk and white chocolate, using basic kitchen equipment. This tempered chocolate can be used to make moulded shapes such as Easter eggs or everyday confectionary such as chocolate truffles.

Find out more about working with chocolate in our guides on how to melt chocolate, how to melt chocolate in the microwave and how to make a chocolate mirror glaze.

Meet our contributor Matt

Matt Adlard is a best-selling author of Bake It Better and The Science of Baking, and one of the most followed UK baking personalities. His work has been featured in numerous outlets and he’s appeared across several TV shows including Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch & BBC’s Saturday Kitchen. For Matt, the ‘seeding’ method is the easiest to do at home, as it gives you the most control, especially as temperatures are so important.

Tempering chocolate is often one of the most intimidating techniques for home bakers, typically ending in a stressful mess! One of the most common mistakes happens at the very beginning, with bakers using the wrong type of chocolate. This means, despite all the hard work, it’s impossible to even achieve a proper temper. Couverture chocolate is imperative as its high cocoa butter content allows it to form the correct crystal structure, for a shiny, snappy final product.

Quick answer: how to temper chocolate in 5 steps

1. Melt roughly chopped chocolate to 45–50°C (all chocolate).
2. Cool by adding finely chopped chocolate to 28–29°C (dark), 27–28°C (milk), or 26–27°C (white).
3. Reheat to 31–32°C (dark), 29–30°C (milk), or 28–29°C (white).
4. Stir until smooth and glossy.
5. Pour into moulds and leave to set.

Best temperature for tempering dark, milk and white chocolate

Why these temperatures matter

Unlike compound chocolate which often contains oils, couverture chocolate contains cocoa butter, a vital ingredient to creating a perfectly tempered chocolate. Cocoa butter can exist in 6 different crystalline structures, but the goal of tempering chocolate is to promote the formation of type V crystals, as these are responsible for the iconic snap and shine in tempered chocolate. In order to form these, when melting the chocolate, you must hit specific temperatures, often called the ‘tempering curve’. The tempering curve can vary slightly between brands of chocolate but there are also general temperature guides you can follow which will work for almost all brands.

If the tempering curve isn’t followed or the chocolate is overheated, then the type V crystals will not form or will melt completely, resulting in a dull, soft and streaky chocolate

What does ‘tempering chocolate’ mean?

Tempering involves the process of slowly heating and then cooling chocolate so that the fat molecules crystallise evenly, resulting in a smooth, shiny finish when the chocolate sets. When tempered properly, it should produce a ‘snap’ when broken, while untempered chocolate will be dull and not break cleanly. Tempering also means chocolate can be worked with at a higher melting point, allowing it to be used for making moulded shapes and confectionary such as truffles and Easter eggs.

When do I need to use tempered chocolate?

Tempering chocolate offers the distinct advantage of a glossy finish and a satisfying snap when broken, making it perfect for a variety of confectionery creations. Whether you’re crafting handmade chocolates, decadent truffles, or beautifully dipped sweets and fruits, tempered chocolate elevates your treats to a professional standard. It’s also essential for chocolate bars and moulded shapes, like Easter eggs, ensuring they look as delightful as they taste. In contrast, using melted, untempered chocolate produces a dull, soft finish that lacks the appealing texture and shine.

Melting middle truffles
Chocolate dipped strawberries
Homemade Easter eggs
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Salted fruit ’n’ nut bark

Tempering chocolate by seeding

This tempering method uses the addition of finely chopped pieces, discs or pistoles of chocolate into already-melted chocolate. Adding stable, crystallised chocolate lowers the temperature naturally, enabling regular crystallisation of the chocolate mass. The method is a replacement for using a marble working surface or a cold-water bath.

What is the best chocolate for tempering?

• We would recommend using high quality bars of chocolate or couverture chocolate. The latter melts quicker due to a higher cocoa mass, and is normally available as large buttons.
• If using bars, finely chop the chocolate with a serrated knife as this will melt more evenly.
• Chocolate chips are not ideal for tempering, as they often contain added ingredients that help them retain their shape. These stabilisers can hinder their ability to melt evenly, making it difficult to achieve the smooth consistency required for successful tempering.

Can you temper chocolate without a thermometer?

It is theoretically possible to temper chocolate by comparing it with your body temperature; using a thermometer allows for much more precise measurements and less likelihood of ruining the chocolate. Even slightly overheating the chocolate above the recommended range can result in it seizing and no longer being usable for tempered confectionary.

Check out our article on the best sugar thermometers to get inspiration on upgrading your kitchen kit.

Watch our video on how to temper chocolate:

What equipment you’ll need for tempering chocolate

• 400g good quality chocolate,
• 1 serrated knife,
• 1 kitchen thermometer,
• 1 flexible spatula
• 1 food processor fitted with a blade attachment.

How to temper chocolate

1. Chop three-quarters of the chocolate (300g) on a chopping board using a serrated knife. Even better, use couverture chocolate (high-quality chocolate which contains more cocoa butter) in the form of fèves, buttons or pistoles.
2. Finely chop the remaining quarter (100g) or process it with the blade knife attachment of a food processor.
3. Place the roughly chopped chocolate in a bowl. Half-fill a saucepan with hot water, and put the bowl over it, making sure that the bowl does not touch the bottom of the saucepan. Slowly heat the water, ensuring it does not boil. Alternatively, use a microwave if you wish, but on defrost or at 500W maximum. Stir regularly using a flexible spatula so that the chocolate melts smoothly.
4. Check the temperature with a thermometer. When it reaches 55C-58C for bittersweet/dark, or 45C-50C for milk or white, remove the chocolate from the bain-marie.
5. Set aside a third of the melted chocolate in a bowl in a warm place. Add the remaining finely chopped quarter (100g) of the chocolate into the remaining two-thirds of the melted chocolate, stirring constantly. Dark chocolate should reach a temperature of 28C-29C; milk chocolate should reach 27C-28C; and white or coloured chocolate should reach 26C-27C.
6. Then add the melted chocolate that you have set aside to increase the temperature. Dark chocolate should reach 31C-32C; milk chocolate should reach 29C-30C; a white or coloured chocolate should reach 28C-29C. Stir until the right temperature is reached.
7. When the chocolate is at the correct temperature, pour it into your mould. Leave it in a cool place to set.

Tempering dark, milk or white chocolate

You can temper dark, milk and white chocolate but the temperatures you need to achieve are different.

How to temper dark chocolate

• Melting temperature is 45 – 50C and the tempered temperature is 31 – 32C.

How to temper milk chocolate

• Melting temperature is 45 – 50C and tempered temperature is 30 – 31C.

How to temper white chocolate

• Melting temperature is 45 – 50C and tempered temperature is 29 – 30C.

Top tip: If the chocolate has reached the right temperature and there are still pieces of unmelted chocolate, remove them before increasing the temperature. If you leave them, the chocolate will thicken very quickly and become sticky because of over-crystallisation.

This extract is taken from the Valrhona Chocolate book – Cooking with Chocolate published by Flammarion.

Tempering chocolate: common mistakes and questions

Why is my chocolate dull or streaky?

Chocolate appears dull or streaky when it has not been properly tempered. It should have a smooth, shiny finish and produces a ‘snap’ when broken.

Can you fix chocolate that’s bloomed?

If your chocolate has bloomed, meaning it has developed a dull appearance or white streaks, you can fix it by tempering it again. Properly tempered chocolate will regain its shine and snap.

How long does tempered chocolate take to set?

It should set within minutes, no longer than five minutes.

Can you temper chocolate in the microwave?

Yes, you can temper chocolate in the microwave. To do this, place the roughly chopped chocolate in a bowl and use the microwave on the defrost setting or at a maximum of 500W. It is important to stir the chocolate regularly with a flexible spatula so that it melts smoothly. Care must be taken to avoid overheating the chocolate, as even slightly exceeding the recommended temperature range can cause it to seize and become unusable for tempering. Using a kitchen thermometer is recommended to ensure the chocolate reaches the correct temperature for tempering.

What to make with tempered chocolate

1. Homemade Easter eggs

Put your tempering skills to the test by making your own beautiful homemade chocolate Easter eggs, using milk, white and plain chocolate. Once you’ve made your chocolatey creation, read up on how to decorate an Easter egg.

2. Easter chocolate bark

For the perfect alternative gift instead of Easter eggs, turn your hand to this attractive chocolate bark. It’s easy enough for kids to make, too.

3. Hazelnut rochers

Give these luxurious chocolate rochers a go for a special occasion. No one will be able to resist the smooth praline centre and crunchy outer chocolate shell…

4. Chocolate-dipped strawberries

Tempering your chocolate will give these chocolate-dipped strawberries a professional glossy finish. You could also drizzle over milk and white chocolate for the wow factor.

5. Blood orange & dark chocolate madeleines

Recreate these delicate madeleines for a delectable dessert. Best enjoyed fresh from the oven, they are dipped in dark chocolate and dusted with blood orange powder.

If you are tempering chocolate for the first time…

• If you are tempering chocolate for the first time, temper more chocolate than you need as a larger quantity changes temperature more slowly, giving you more time and control. Imagine how a large pot of water takes longer to boil than a small cup – the principle is the same. With smaller quantities of chocolate, the temperatures can spike or drop too quickly making it very difficult to stay within the tempering curve.
• Once your chocolate is properly tempered, you can very carefully use brief bursts of gentle heat, such as from a hairdryer or double boiler, to help maintain its working temperature. This can be useful if the chocolate begins to thicken or drop slightly below its ideal temperature range.
• Consider your room temperature too. If it is particularly warm, it will take longer for your tempered chocolate to set. Very briefly popping your finished chocolates into the fridge can help to speed up this process.

Feeling inspired? You might like these guides:

How to melt chocolate
How to melt chocolate in the microwave
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