How To Temper Chocolate!

I never really thought about tempering chocolate.  Even when I started to make chocolate covered snacks I didn't think it was necessary for the recipes I was creating... I was wrong.  The main reason I began to research tempering chocolate was because I couldn't get my chocolate covered berries not to melt within seconds of putting them in my hand.  Aside from raising the melting temperature so your chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hands, tempering has a few other advantages.

• You will avoid fat and sugar bloom, the unappealing white streaks and or blotches that can unattractively take over perfectly good chocolate.
• Tempered chocolate cools faster
• It gives your chocolate a shiny, glossy appearance.
• Your chocolate will have a clean snap when you break it.

It seems like a daunting task but it really isn't.  Also since I don't make large quantities at a time the heating and cooling process is very short. 

1. Use a double boiler or just rest a metal bowl over a saucepan with 1 inch of water.  Bring the water to a simmer, then add half of your chocolate to the bowl and stir till its smooth and melted. Put the other half of your chocolate to the side for later. Using a thermometer bring your chocolate to the correct temperature: 115°-120° then remove it from the heat.
2. Now you want to add the other half of the chocolate you put aside. This is the seeding process and helps to bring the chocolate temperature down. Continue to stir until smooth. 
   
3. The last step is to bring your chocolate back up to the perfect temperature, for most dark chocolate it's between 88° and 91°.  To do this just place the bowl back over your hot water and stir till you reach the desired temperature.  Then you are done and ready to create whatever chocolate creations you can dream of.

 *You can also temper chocolate using your microwave like in this instructional video below