Do you have to work with a lot of chocolate? Then it is best to use a chocolate tempering machine. This method also requires the addition to melted chocolate to obtain the desired crystal structure.
You want to start or boost an artisan chocolate business. The question is whether I should immediately buy a cool and expensive car that will definitely do the job for me (because it is cool and expensive), or will I get a cheaper alternative that will also solve this problem? To answer this question, you need to take into account a number of factors, which we will discuss below.
GOOD TO KNOW
Why is fluidity so important?
The thickness of the shell and the crispy crunch of your chocolate products depend on the fluidity of the chocolate: a more fluid chocolate allows you to get a thinner shell with a sonorous crunch.
By working with chocolate of the right fluidity, you save time: less fluid chocolate allows large molds to be molded much faster. More fluid chocolate is best for molds with complex patterns, and it is necessary to pour the chocolate into the molds 2-3 times.
Why recrystallize chocolate?
Precrystallization makes the chocolate hard, giving it a beautiful satiny sheen and a crisp crunch. As the chocolate cools, it shrinks, making it easier to remove from the mold. Poorly crystallized or non-crystallized chocolate becomes gray and dull.
What is “tempering” or “precrystallization”?
The purpose of tempering is to pre-crystallize the cocoa butter in the chocolate so that it is ready for the next use. During the tempering process, the cocoa butter in chocolate assumes a stable crystalline form. This guarantees you a perfect end product with a satin sheen and crisp crunch. As the chocolate cools, it shrinks, making it easier to remove from the mold. If you simply melt the chocolate (at 40-45°C) and let it cool down to a suitable operating temperature, the final product will come out without a glossy sheen. But if you properly bring the chocolate to the correct operating temperature, you are guaranteed an excellent result. That’s what tempering means to us: bringing the chocolate to the correct operating temperature while maintaining the cocoa butter’s crystal structure. Next, you will learn
- Step 1: Melt the chocolate in the tempering machine (set the thermostat to 45°C), then reduce to ± 31°C (for dark chocolate) or to ± 29°C (for milk and white chocolate).
- Step 2: Add 5% Callets™ immediately at ambient temperature (18-20°C).
- Step 3: In the machine, the Callets™ are mixed into the melted chocolate, distributing the hard Callets™ crystals thoroughly and evenly. Have you noticed that Callets™ melt too quickly? This means that the chocolate is still too hot. Add a few Callets™ to bring the temperature down and continue mixing in the machine.
- Step 4: That’s it: your chocolate is smooth, thick, and ready to use! For tempering systems other than wheel-type machines, we recommend that you contact your supplier.
Which Callebaut chocolate needs to be tempered?
It is necessary to temper each type of chocolate before using it for casting chocolate molds and hollow figures, or for icing cakes and chocolate products. In a word, if you want the chocolate to have a beautiful satin sheen and a sonorous crunch, it must be tempered.
If you use chocolate as a flavor additive (for example, in chocolate mousses or Bavarian cream), just melt it, without tempering. Our recipes clearly state if the chocolate needs to be tempered.
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