Frequently
Asked Questions.
Everything you need to know about chocolate tempering, cocoa butter silk, cocoa butter colors, and CocoPix.
Tempering Chocolate
Tempering is the process of encouraging the formation of the desired cocoa butter crystals in chocolate. Properly tempered chocolate has a glossy appearance, a clean snap, good contraction from molds, and improved stability at room temperature.
Cocoa butter can form several different crystal structures. Beta 5 is the desirable crystal form associated with well-tempered chocolate.
A sufficient proportion of Beta 5 crystals gives chocolate its characteristic shine, snap, structure, smooth texture, and resistance to melting at room temperature.
Yes. Over-tempering occurs when too many crystals develop, creating longer crystal structures. The chocolate can become excessively thick and difficult to work with and may develop surface defects.
If chocolate becomes too thick, briefly raising the temperature can help reduce the viscosity and make it easier to work with.
Proper tempering gives chocolate the structure needed to set correctly at room temperature. Untempered chocolate can remain soft, be difficult to release from molds, lose its shine, and develop bloom.
Bring the chocolate or cocoa butter to approximately 34.5–35°C, then incorporate around 1–2% Cocoa Butter Silk by weight.
Stir thoroughly so the silk is evenly distributed throughout the chocolate. Exact temperatures and quantities may vary depending on the chocolate and cocoa butter composition.
The basic principle is the same. Cocoa Butter Silk introduces pre-formed Beta 5 crystals that help establish the desired crystal structure.
Working temperatures and the amount of silk required can vary depending on the chocolate’s composition.
Look for the three S’s:
Apply a small amount of chocolate to a cool, smooth surface. Properly tempered chocolate should set relatively quickly, contract from the surface, develop a glossy finish, and produce a clean snap when broken.
You can use a refrigerator briefly, generally around 5–10 minutes, when necessary.
Avoid prolonged refrigeration. Rapid cooling can encourage uneven crystal formation, while condensation caused by humidity can damage chocolate surfaces.
Chocolate performs best in a cool, dry and stable environment. Temperature and humidity can significantly influence crystallization and the final appearance of the chocolate.
Fat bloom occurs when cocoa butter crystals rearrange or when undesirable crystal structures form in chocolate. It can be caused by incorrect tempering, temperature fluctuations, or improper storage.
Absolutely. Chocolate is highly sensitive to its environment. Excessive heat can affect crystallization, while excessive humidity can introduce moisture and cause problems during setting.
Cocoa Butter Silk
Cocoa Butter Silk is highly crystallized cocoa butter containing a high proportion of desirable Beta 5 crystals.
These pre-formed crystals can be added to chocolate or cocoa butter to help establish the crystal structure required for a good temper.
Bring your chocolate to approximately 34.5–35°C and incorporate around 1–2% silk by weight.
Mix thoroughly to distribute the crystals throughout the chocolate.
Silk commonly begins developing around the 12-hour mark. Longer incubation can increase crystallization, although the benefits tend to diminish beyond approximately 24 hours.
If the cocoa butter has not begun melting after roughly six hours, increase the temperature gradually in approximately 0.1°C increments.
Once melting begins, avoid further temperature increases unless necessary. Silk formation typically takes around 12–24 hours.
If the cocoa butter becomes completely liquid, the temperature is likely too high. Reduce the temperature by approximately 1°C and start again with fresh cocoa butter.
For best results, begin with cocoa butter that has remained solid below 30°C for at least a week.
Yes. Cocoa Butter Silk can be used to temper both chocolate and colored cocoa butter.
The same principle applies: introduce approximately 1–2% silk once the cocoa butter has reached its appropriate working temperature.
Cocoa Butter Colors
Yes, if you want vibrant colors with a glossy, stable finish. Cocoa butter colors can lose their temper during storage, transportation or heating.
Always test your colors before applying them to chocolate or molds.
Yes. Transfer the color into a CocoPix bottle and use CocoPix to melt, temper or maintain it at its desired working temperature.
If the color has already lost its temper, it may need to be fully melted and tempered again before use.
Absolutely. Add approximately 1–10% food-safe, fat-soluble pigment to melted cocoa butter and mix thoroughly.
An immersion blender can help distribute pigment evenly. Once mixed, temper the colored cocoa butter using Cocoa Butter Silk.
Use pigments that are both food safe and fat soluble.
Water-soluble colors are not suitable for mixing directly into cocoa butter.
Pigment concentration depends on the pigment and desired opacity. A typical starting range is 1–10%.
Start with a small batch and adjust the concentration until you achieve the desired result.
CocoPix
- Set the chamber to approximately 33.6°C.
- Place solid cocoa butter into a CocoPix bottle.
- Place the bottle into the chamber.
- Allow it to incubate for approximately 12–24 hours.
If the cocoa butter has not started melting after approximately six hours, increase the temperature gradually by approximately 0.1°C.
Yes. CocoPix can be used to melt chocolate and provides controlled heating across a broad temperature range.
A typical starting point for fully melting chocolate is approximately 45–50°C.
Yes. The independent chambers are designed to operate separately, allowing different materials to be heated or maintained at different temperatures at the same time.
One chamber can incubate Cocoa Butter Silk while another melts chocolate and a third maintains a cocoa butter color.
Each chamber accommodates a bottle with a maximum volume of approximately 200 ml.
CocoPix provides controlled heating from approximately 10°C to 60°C.
Yes. If the color can be removed from its packaging while solid, you can break it into smaller pieces and place it directly into a CocoPix bottle.
Always test the color before using it on your molds. If it has lost its temper, re-temper it before use.
Troubleshooting
Several factors can affect the final appearance even when the chocolate itself appears to be tempered.
- Your molds may be too cold.
- Your molds may not be sufficiently clean or polished.
- The working environment may be too warm.
- The chocolate may not have been given enough time to set.
- The molds may not be sufficiently rigid.
- The molds may have been moved while the chocolate was setting.
- Temperature and humidity may be outside the recommended range.
- Working with wet or damp equipment.
- Working in an uncontrolled environment.
- Ambient temperatures outside approximately 18–25°C.
- Humidity above approximately 40%.
- Molds that have not been properly cleaned and polished.
- Molds that are too cold.
- Using cocoa butter colors that are out of temper.
- Insufficient cooling time.
- Excessive cooling.
- Moving chocolate while it is setting.
Spots or cloudy areas on chocolate can often indicate fat bloom.
This can occur when chocolate has not been tempered correctly or has been exposed to unsuitable storage temperatures or temperature fluctuations.
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