Temper couverture and chocolate correctly

Couverture: How to temper correctly

Why is tempering necessary at all? To answer this question, it is first necessary to explain the difference between couverture and chocolate, because as many people don't realise, there is a considerable difference. Chocolate is easy to buy in the supermarket, but with couverture it is a little more difficult. Why? Couverture is high-quality chocolate with a lower sugar content than conventional chocolate and a much higher cocoa and cocoa butter content. The last two ingredients are what make couverture so special and are the reason why it is more expensive than normal chocolate and also more difficult to find. In addition, the cocoa butter is the reason why couverture needs to be tempered in the first place, because if this is not done, the couverture may stick in the mould or turn grey. You also want a shiny and crispy result, don't you? We will now explain exactly what you need to bear in mind!

The optimum processing temperature: Temperature 3!

During tempering, each couverture goes through three stages. Melting, cooling and heating again. After the last stage, the couverture is at the optimum processing temperature. The temperatures vary depending on the couverture. If you follow the table below, nothing can really go wrong. To make sure that your couverture is really at the right temperature, you can also use a chocolate thermometer. The simplest method for tempering couverture is the injection method. In this method, 2/3 of the couverture is melted and then inoculated with 1/3 couverture drops. To make the whole thing a little easier to understand, let's go through it step by step using an example!

Couverture

Dark

Milk

White

Temperature 1

45 °C

Temperature 2

28-29 °C

27-28 °C

26-27 °C

Temperature 3

32-33 °C

31-32 °C

29-30 °C

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The vaccination method: step by step

We will carry out the example using 900 g of milk couverture.

Pour two thirds of the desired amount of couverture into the tempering device and set it to 45 °C. The ideal quantity recommended by us is 600 g = 2/3. Leave the couverture to melt with the lid closed for 4 to 6 hours.

As soon as the couverture has melted and reached 45°C, add the last third of the drops. For our ideal quantity, this would be 300 g = 1/3.

Stir the couverture drops into the melted couverture and set the tempering device back to 30 °C. Cover the couverture and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, stir the couverture well and leave to rest covered for a further 5 to 10 minutes.

Now only a few small couverture drops should really be visible. The chocolate is quite viscous and should have a temperature of 26 to 29 °C, this varies depending on the type of couverture. The couverture in the picture is still too thick and needs to be reheated.

The rather viscous couverture must now also be heated using a hot air blower until the optimum final temperature is reached. Depending on the type of couverture, this is between 30 and 33 °C. It is better to reheat carefully and in smaller stages than to overheat once, as otherwise the tempering process will have to be started again.

If you don't have a hot-air blower, you can also heat the thick couverture over a bain-marie. To do this, pour a little water into a pan and bring to the boil, then turn down to the lowest setting and heat the couverture in a suitable bowl over the steam. Heat the couverture carefully and not too hot.

Always pay attention to the pattern as shown above. The couverture is optimally tempered when a pattern can be made with a rubber scraper or spatula that remains recognisable on the surface of the couverture and does not disappear completely or appear very thick, as is the case in image 5.

Test the result using a sample. Dip a spatula into the couverture and allow the sample to set at room temperature (max. 24 °C) for 10 minutes. If the room temperature is too high, place the sample in the refrigerator for a short time.

If the couverture sets quickly and has a nice lustre, you can continue processing it. If the couverture is not optimally set or not set at all, you can find out in the following text what the causes may be and how you can counteract the problem.

Temperature control errors: The three most common reasons!

1: The couverture gets small grey dots after a while

Possible problem

The couverture sample has still not started to set after 10 minutes at room temperature. It is still very soft and wet. Couverture has been tempered too warm and therefore has too few stable fat crystals to set. The stable fat crystals therefore mix with the unstable ones, resulting in many grey and white dots.

Countermeasure

Add another handful of finely chopped couverture pieces to the warm couverture and stir in carefully. Depending on the amount of couverture melted, you should add approx. 5-10%. (For 500 g, this would be 25-50 g). Wait approx. 5 minutes until the pieces have melted well, stir well again and carry out another test. If it still does not set, you can add another 5% of chopped chocolate.

2: The couverture turns grey after a while

Possible problem

The couverture has enough stable fat crystals, but these have been processed too cold. The couverture therefore sets very quickly and after a short time a uniform grey haze appears.

Countermeasure

Preheat the couverture over a bain-marie or with a hot-air blower until the optimum final temperature is reached. You can also use a chocolate thermometer to check the exact temperature.

3: The couverture gets grey stripes after cooling

Possible problem

The couverture has enough stable fat crystals, but these have been processed too cold. The couverture therefore sets very quickly and after a short time a uniform grey haze appears.

Countermeasure

Preheat the couverture over a bain-marie or with a hot-air blower until the optimum final temperature is reached. You can also use a chocolate thermometer to check the exact temperature.

Why is temperature control necessary?

Stearin

Palmitin

Olein

The fats listed above are what make cocoa butter, and therefore couverture, so special. They are the reason why products made from couverture have such a beautiful lustre. The fats have different melting points ranging from 20 °C to 47 °C and have the property of solidifying into unstable and stable crystalline forms when cooled. It is precisely these fat crystals that need to be balanced in order to obtain the perfect end product, and this balancing of the fat crystals can only be achieved by tempering.

To put it more simply: tempering means processing the fat components of the cocoa butter contained in the couverture in such a way that it is easier to mould and achieves the desired gloss and breakage after processing (whether into bars, chocolates or hollow figures).

If you don't do this, or if you make a mistake, the couverture can stick to the praline, chocolate bar or figure moulds or (as shown in the pictures above) take on a greyish appearance. Although this is not as visually appealing, it has no effect on the flavour and therefore not on the enjoyment of the sweet creation. If the couverture did not contain cocoa butter, there would be no need to temper the couverture and it would be much easier.

There is a solution to every problem. In this case, the solution is cake icing, also known as fat icing.

Cake icing is a chocolate-like mass that does not need to be tempered. In cake icing, the complex cocoa butter has been replaced by other fats (usually coconut or palm fat). As a result, the cake icing always has a beautiful gloss, but its flavour does not come close to that of the fine couverture. Accordingly, cake icing is mainly used to coat cakes, pastries and confectionery, but never for high-quality confectionery products such as pralines or chocolate bars.

The correct storage of couverture | chocolate

Light

Couverture/chocolate also does not tolerate light well and should be stored away from it. Oxidation occurs when chocolate comes into contact with air and light. The fat contained in the chocolate dissolves, resulting in a change in flavour and a somewhat unpleasant odour. The cocoa components of chocolate contain natural substances that delay the oxidation process. Chocolate with a higher cocoa mass content is therefore better protected than milk chocolate. White chocolate contains no cocoa solids and therefore has no protection at all, so it is particularly susceptible. To prevent oxidation, the chocolate must be stored in a dark and airtight place.

Refrigerator storage

For all those who prefer to enjoy their chocolate from the fridge: To each his own, but this preference has more to do with a reduced sensation of sweetness due to the cold (perfect for cheap, high-sugar chocolate) than with good chocolate storage. Chocolate that has been opened in the fridge is exposed to strong temperature fluctuations, a lot of moisture and strong odours from the rest of the fridge contents. There is therefore no worse place to store chocolate. If you still prefer to enjoy your chocolate cold in the future, it is better to put it in just before eating it and avoid storing it in the fridge for a long time.

Temperature

Chocolate and couverture are very sensitive to heat. The ideal storage temperature for chocolate is 18 °C. This temperature should also remain as constant as possible.

Moisture

As the couverture/chocolate is sensitive to moisture, it should always be stored in a dry place.

Odour

Chocolate and couverture absorb foreign odours very quickly, so they should never be stored near strong-smelling foods. White chocolate in particular absorbs foreign odours very quickly. To avoid this, the chocolate should be stored as airtight as possible. Make sure that the packaging is odourless.

How do I store leftover couverture?

Haven't used up all your chocolate or couverture yet? No problem! Pour the tempered couverture, which is still liquid, onto baking paper and spread as evenly as possible with an angled spatula. Then place the baking paper in the fridge for about 10 minutes or on the balcony in winter until the chocolate has cooled down.

Once the chocolate or couverture is firm and shiny, it can be broken into small pieces and melted again for the next production run or even used to inoculate the already liquid chocolate.

If the chocolate or couverture has set unevenly after cooling and has grey spots, this is not a problem at all. Break or cut the greyish chocolate into pieces and pack it in an airtight container until it melts again. This greyish chocolate should not be used for inoculation, but can be melted in a tempering device or over a water bath and inoculated with new envelope pieces.

The chocolate/envelope can also be left in the tempering unit, but it takes much longer to melt as a block.

Couverture tempering course

If you are not yet confident enough to temper couverture on your own despite the article or you simply want to expand your knowledge of the complex cocoa butter contained in couverture, why not take part in our couverture tempering course? In this course, you will learn another very useful tempering method in addition to the injection method and you will be guided step by step by our professional chocolatiers. We look forward to your enrolment!

Posted in: Things to know, Chocolate, Sweet recipes, Chocolate and pralines, Pralines, Chocolate specialities

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Temper couverture and chocolate correctly

Couverture: How to temper correctly

The optimum processing temperature: Temperature 3!

Couverture

Dark

Milk

White

Temperature 1

45 °C

45 °C

45 °C

Temperature 2

28-29 °C

27-28 °C

26-27 °C

Temperature 3

32-33 °C

31-32 °C

29-30 °C

The vaccination method: step by step

Temperature control errors: The three most common reasons!

1: The couverture gets small grey dots after a while

Possible problem

Countermeasure

2: The couverture turns grey after a while

Possible problem

Countermeasure

3: The couverture gets grey stripes after cooling

Possible problem

Countermeasure

Why is temperature control necessary?

Stearin

Palmitin

Olein

There is a solution to every problem. In this case, the solution is cake icing, also known as fat icing.

The correct storage of couverture | chocolate

Light

Refrigerator storage

Temperature

Moisture

Odour

How do I store leftover couverture?

Couverture tempering course

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