Tempered Chocolate For Caramallows Recipes

HOW TO TEMPER CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• 1. Finely chop 1 1/2 to 2 pounds chocolate. Smaller amounts make it difficult to control the temperature changes.
• 2. Place two-thirds of the chocolate in a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Place a candy thermometer or digital thermometer in the chocolate and stir frequently with a rubber spatula.
• 3. Do not let the temperature of the chocolate exceed 120°F for dark chocolate or 105°F for milk or white chocolate. When the chocolate has fully melted, remove the bowl from heat. Wipe the bottom of the bowl to get rid of any condensation.
• 4. Stir in the remaining third of the chocolate a little at a time. Let it melt before adding more.
• 5. Let the chocolate cool to about 82°F. It it is warmer, keep stirring and let it cool some more. If it is cooler, begin reheating in the next step.
• 6. Once the chocolate is 82°F, place it back over simmering water. For dark chocolate, reheat to 88°F to 91°F. For milk and white chocolate, reheat to 85°F to 87°F. Remove the bowl from heat once you have reached the right temperature.
• 7. Spread a small spoonful of chocolate on a piece of wax paper. If it looks dull or streaky, re-temper the chocolate, starting with step 2. If it dries quickly with a glossy finish and no streaks, the chocolate is in temper.
• Keeping chocolate in temper
• Once melted chocolate has been tempered, it must be used before it cools and sets. If it cools to about 84°F to 86°F and is still fairly liquid, it can be reheated to a liquid consistency. If it has completely cooled and solidified, it should be re-tempered. Heat it for 5 to 10 seconds at a time, stirring and checking the temperature before reheating. For dark chocolate, reheat to 88°F to 91°F. For milk and white chocolate, reheat to 87°F to 88°F. If you keep your chocolate within these temperature ranges, it will stay in temper and be liquid enough to use.
• Easy alternatives to tempering chocolate
• Several products exist for those who do not want to temper chocolate. They are called confectionery coatings, coating chocolate, summer coating, or chocolate bark coatings. They are usually made of vegetable fats that melt smoothly and set up quickly to a finish that is very similar to tempered chocolate. They may not contain actual chocolate. Nothing can perfectly duplicate the taste and mouth-feel of tempered chocolate, but quality coatings can be good substitutes. They can be cooled and reheated quickly, and as often as necessary.

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!

CHOCOLATE COVERED CARAMELS

Steps:

• Grease an 8 x 8 inch square pan.
• In a heavy 4 quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat; add brown sugar, corn syrup and milk. Stirring constantly, heat to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour into prepared pan.
• When caramel has cooled and set, cut into 1 inch squares. Chill in refrigerator until firm.
• Melt chocolate with 1 tablespoon butter in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave. Stir until smooth.
• Dip caramel squares in chocolate and place on wax paper to cool.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED CARAMALLOWS

Steps:

• Make first caramel layer: Coat a rimmed 12 1/2-by-17 1/2-inch baking sheet with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides, then coat parchment with spray.
• Place 2 cups cream, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup corn syrup, and 6 tablespoons butter in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves and butter melts, about 5 minutes. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until mixture registers 245 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove pot from heat, and stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into prepared pan without scraping bottom of pot. Let stand.
• Make the marshmallow layer: Sprinkle gelatin over 1/3 cup water in a mixer bowl, and let soften, about 5 minutes.
• Mix sugar and remaining cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, undisturbed, until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes. (You may have to tilt pan to get an accurate read.) Remove pan from heat, and whisk sugar syrup and a pinch of salt into gelatin. Pour into a mixer bowl, and whisk on medium-high until cool and thick, about 10 minutes. Spread marshmallow evenly over caramel to cover, and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Prepare second caramel layer with remaining ingredients as in step 2. Pour over marshmallow layer, covering entire surface, and let stand, uncovered, until set, about 8 hours.
• Using a 1 1/4-inch round cutter, cut out 70 rounds. Using a fork, dunk each round in chocolate. Scrape bottom of fork against edge of bowl to remove excess, and place dipped candies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle nonpareils on top, and let stand until set.

TEMPERED CHOCOLATE FOR CARAMALLOWS

Steps:

• Place 1/2 pound chocolate in a metal bowl. Bring a saucepan with 2 inches of water to a simmer, then turn off heat. Set bowl with chocolate over saucepan, and let melt, stirring gently with a rubber spatula until chocolate registers 118 degrees on a candy thermometer. (Watch the chocolate carefully, as heating and cooling times can vary.) Remove bowl from saucepan. Add 1/4 pound unmelted chocolate to bowl, and stir, until chocolate cools to 84 degrees. (Remove any unmelted pieces with spatula.) Return bowl to saucepan, and let stand, and stir until chocolate registers 88 degrees to 90 degrees. Use immediately. Repeat with remaining chocolate.