Q&A for How to Temper Chocolate

It is best to use a stainless steel bowl because it does not absorb or impart odors to the melted chocolate. It is also lighter than glass bowls, making it easier to pick up and handle.

The best temperature for tempering depends on the type of chocolate being tempered. For milk chocolate, temper it at 29ºC/84ºF; for plain chocolate, temper it at 31ºC/88ºF; and for white chocolate, temper it at 28ºC/82ºF.

Chocolate that has been tempered at too high a temperature "seizes" and when it cools down, it loses its shine and develops what is known as a "bloom," which is the whitish color to which you're referring. Unless burnt, the chocolate is still edible but not pleasant in appearance. Next time, use a candy thermometer to check that you're not exceeding the tempering temperature.

You can try fixing it quickly by placing it in the microwave. Heat it on a medium setting for 5 seconds. This should be sufficient to make it less firm and much easier to work with.

Only if the chocolate has been commercially prepared as ready for dipping without further preparation from you (for example, candy melts). If you don't temper the chocolate, it will lose its shine, be harder to work with and will look whitish-gray or streaked. Untempered chocolate will not set hard, leaving it with an unappealing soft texture.

Dark chocolate (semisweet or bittersweet) is easier to temper and work with than milk or white chocolate varieties. Milk and white chocolate can burn easily and neither have the fierce snap that comes from dark chocolate once tempered.

The only way to know the exact temperature of the chocolate is to use an instant-read thermometer.

If the recipe doesn't specify the temperature of the water, use room temperature water of the required amount.