Recipe
Tempering Chocolate (Seeding Method)
This method of tempering chocolate is the easiest for beginners. Follow each step carefully to achieve perfectly tempered chocolate with beautiful, shiny results.
Time: 20 minutes 
Difficulty: BeginnerUdstyr
- Microwave
- Microwave-safe plastic bowl or container
- Spatula
- Candy thermometer
Ingredients
- 200 g chocolate of your choice (minimum amount recommended)
Instructions
- Chop your chocolate or use chips / callets. Divide your chocolate into two portions: one that makes up 3/4 of the chocolate and another that makes up 1/4.
- Place the larger portion of chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt it in short intervals (20–30 seconds at a time), stirring thoroughly between each interval until the chocolate reaches the melting temperature (see Notes below).
- Remove the bowl from the microwave. Gradually stir the smaller portion of unmelted chocolate into the melted chocolate, one handful at a time, allowing it to fully melt. Check the temperature after incorporating each handful. Repeat this process until the chocolate reaches the working temperature (see Notes below).
- If you near the working temperature before all the chocolate has been added, finely chop the remaining chocolate into smaller pieces. This helps it melt more easily and lowers the temperature to the working temperature.
- The chocolate is tempered once it reaches the working temperature. Maintain the chocolate at working temperature while you work—do not let it drop below 25 °C (77 °F), or you will need to start the tempering process over again. You can easily reheat the chocolate slightly with a heat gun or hairdryer, stirring as needed.
Notes
Different types of chocolate contain different ingredients and ratios, which create small (but important) variations in the temperatures needed for tempering. Always check the melting and working temperatures for the type of chocolate you’re using:
- Dark chocolate: Melt to 50–55°C (122–131°F); working temperature is 31–32°C (88–90°F).
- Milk chocolate: Melt to 45–50°C (113–122°F); working temperature is 30–31°C (86–88°F).
- White chocolate: Melt to 40–45°C (104–113°F); working temperature is 28–29°C (82–84°F).