A chocolate tempering machine is an electronic mixing and cooking surface or appliance which is specially designed to eliminate all the handwork and guesswork from tempering chocolate. Chocolate will never be as smooth and creamy again until it’s been carefully heated to a temperature suitable for melting. Otherwise, the chocolate may end up with an unattractive, streaked, grey finish if it’s been left to heat too long. But there’s a way to make sure your chocolate gets to the perfect temperature, and that’s to have the chocolate melting process done by a chocolate thermometer. These gadgets are available from most any store selling kitchenware, and fortunately they’re generally inexpensive and easy to use.
How does chocolate tempering machine operate?
- A chocolate tempering machine uses two tubes filled with differing amounts of chocolate.
- The inner tube, which is called a carafe, contains chocolate that has been heated to the appropriate temperature.
- The outer tube, called a bowl, contains the melted chocolate which will be poured into the inner carafe.
- When you set one of these machines to work, it will monitor the temperature of chocolate being added and vary the boiling time accordingly.
At first, the temperature of chocolate may appear to be lower than normal because it’s still heating up in the bowl, but once it reaches the proper temperature, the chocolate will begin to melt evenly and smoothly, thus producing a delicious chocolate treat.
An alternative to a chocolate tempering machine which uses a bowl is to use a chocolate thermometer. These devices are much more expensive than the bowls, but they can be relied on to produce perfectly-controlled chocolate temperatures, far greater than the average household’s tempering abilities can achieve. A chocolate thermometer works by affixing thermometers to chocolate, which is then heated according to the recommended temperature. Because this temperature is significantly higher than what would be safely utilized in a bowl, it is important to pay close attention to the actual temperature of the chocolate, and not to read the indicated temperature on the box.
These thermometers can be an excellent tool for the home chocolate maker because they can help you create perfectly-poured chocolate treats, without the help of a bowl. While chocolate tempering machines can help you achieve a perfectly-poured product if you’re working by yourself, they may not be as effective if you have a large family or a fondness for elaborate chocolate creations. If you’d prefer to have the luxury of making chocolate creations with a bowl, it may be possible to buy chocolate equipment which can quickly temper large batches of chocolate at a go.
