Microwave Chocolate Tempering Recipes

HOW TO TEMPER CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Place your chocolate in a plastic or silicone bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds. Then stir
• Heat again for another 30 seconds, stir, then 15 seconds, stir, then 10 seconds, stir. Make sure your temperature never goes above 90ºF for dark chocolate. 86F for milk chocolate and 84F for white chocolate. DO NOT RUSH THIS
• If your chocolate is not fully melted then only do another 5 seconds until it is melted
• Now your chocolate is in temper and ready to use!

WHITE CHOCOLATE COCONUT GANACHE TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in microwave or double boiler and cool to 90F. Add coconut milk and mix well. Put mixture aside and let it set up. Do not refrigerate.
• When mixture has set and is firm, place the bowl on top a double boiler or in the microwave until warmed throughout. Beat mixture until smooth and creamy. Add the shredded coconut and mix well. The consistency should be like spreadable frosting and can now be used this way.
• If you want to make truffles, let mixture set again, either at room temperature or in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Once set, scoop mixture and roll by hand into balls. Finish by either dipping in tempered chocolate and using the back of a spoon to make spikey designs, or by rolling in cocoa, sugar crystals or shredded coconut.

HOW TO TEMPER CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Tempering Chocolate: Tempering is important because it determines the final gloss, hardness, and contraction of the chocolate. When you melt chocolate, the molecules of fat separate. In order to put them back together, you temper it. There are a variety of ways to do it.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. The chocolate should be only slightly warmer than your bottom lip, and it will retain its shape even when mostly melted. Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. You can also use an immersion blender to break up the lumps and start the recrystallization process. Usually, the chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. I like to use a glass bowl because it retains the heat and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, tempering is achieved by adding small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. I usually use an immersion blender to mix them together.

MICROWAVE CHOCOLATE TEMPERING

Steps:

• Place the chocolate in a 4-quart glass bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, and then stir with a clean spatula. Repeat 2 more times. Microwave on high for 15 seconds, and then stir. Repeat 2 to 4 more times or until the chocolate reaches 100 degrees F. Microwave on high for 10 seconds, and then stir. Repeat 5 more times or until the chocolate reaches 115 degrees F.
• Remove from the microwave and cool by stirring occasionally until the chocolate reaches 95 degrees F. Add the cocoa butter and stir continuously until the cocoa butter melts and the chocolate cools to 90 degrees F.
• Test the temper of the chocolate by spreading a small amount in an even layer on a metal surface set over an ice pack. It should set within 3 minutes and be shiny and streak free.
• Maintain the 90-degree temperature by briefly heating the chocolate with a 10-second blast of warm heat from a hair dryer. Use immediately for dipping fruit, pretzels, cookies, etc.