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Tempering the Chocolate: This is How it Gets The Right Consistency

In order for the chocolate coating to have a nice shine, you have to heat the chocolate properly. Here you can find out what you have to pay attention to and which methods are available.

Tempering Chocolate: Why is it Important?

Chocolate is very sensitive to temperature. Just one degree more or less can change its consistency. This is due to the cocoa butter it contains, which can harden into six different crystal forms depending on the temperature. Only in the fifth crystal form (from about 28°C) does the chocolate harden stably. The tempering of chocolate is therefore also referred to as “pre-crystallization”. This gives your chocolate the following properties when it has solidified:
smooth and shiny surface
crisp break
quick drying
If you don’t temper the chocolate, it may not harden, may not break cleanly, or may form a gray-white haze as it dries – called a fat glaze.

Tempering chocolate: The temperature is crucial

The optimum temperature for pouring depends on the chocolate. You can use the following information as a guide:
Dark chocolate: 31-32°C
Milk chocolate: 30-31°C
White chocolate: 29-30°C
Ideally, you should use a thermometer to accurately measure the temperature. With a little sensitivity, however, you can also temper chocolate without a thermometer.

Tempering Chocolate: Three Methods

There are various methods of bringing the chocolate to the desired temperature. But the basic principle is the same for all.

1. Vaccination method:
Melt chocolate: Chop or grate the chocolate into small pieces. Place 2/3 of the chocolate in a bowl and melt over a water bath while stirring. Make sure the water isn’t boiling and the bowl isn’t touching the water. It is also important that no water gets into the chocolate, as this could cause lumps.
Lower the temperature: Remove the chocolate from the water bath and add the remaining third. It is important that you stir constantly so that the chocolate melts evenly. The mass thereby cools down to about the desired processing temperature. If the chocolate has melted evenly and become thicker, you can now use it. It is best to check the temperature with a thermometer.
Measure the temperature: If the chocolate has a temperature of around 29 to 32 degrees Celsius (depending on the type of chocolate), you can use it. If the temperature is lower, heat the liquid chocolate again over the water bath to the desired temperature.
2. Tabling method:
Melt the chocolate: Melt the chocolate as described above (to about 45-50 degrees Celsius) and pour 2/3 of the melted chocolate onto a smooth and cool work surface (a marble slab works best here).
Lower the temperature: Use a kitchen spatula to spread the chocolate over the plate and push it back towards the center. Keep the mixture moving until it has cooled and become more viscous. The chocolate should now be around 27 degrees Celsius.
Measure the temperature: add the slightly cooled chocolate back to the remaining third of the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly. The chocolate should now be at the optimum temperature for pouring. To be on the safe side, you can use a thermometer as a precaution and, depending on the cocoa content, bring the chocolate to the exact temperature with the help of a warm or cold water bath.
3. In the microwave:
Microwave the chocolate on high for about 20 to 30 seconds, then stir vigorously.
Repeat this process until most of the chocolate has melted. If there are only a few pieces left, you no longer need to put the chocolate in the microwave. Then stir until all the lumps are melted.
The chocolate should now be slightly viscous and have reached the optimum processing temperature. You can check this with a thermometer.

Tempering chocolate: more tips

And here are a few tips…
To test if the chocolate is setting the way you want, you can dip a spoon in it and let it dry. After a minute or two, the chocolate should set and have a slight sheen – that’s how you know everything worked out!
In general, the more you stir, the better. Because that promotes crystal formation and you get a better end result.
If you want to make it a little easier for yourself, you can use cake icing or fat icing instead of chocolate. These are specially made for coating sweet delicacies and have a higher fat content. This means you don’t have to pay so much attention to the temperature when melting and the glaze still gets a nice shine.

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Cooking Tips

Boil White Beans: How to Get The Right Consistency

To soften white beans, you don’t necessarily have to soak them beforehand, unlike other legumes. We explain how to properly prepare white beans.

White beans belong to the legumes and are rich in protein and fiber. They ensure a long-lasting feeling of satiety and are among the best vegetable protein sources. Nevertheless, beans rarely end up on the plate in this country. You can prepare white beans easily and quite quickly.

Boil white beans: Soaking is worth it

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily have to soak beans before cooking. However, by soaking them overnight first, you can reduce the oligosaccharide content, making the beans easier to digest. However, this has not been definitively proven: while some people get severe flatulence even from soaked beans, others never have problems with the delicious legumes.

But what definitely speaks in favor of the soaking method is a shorter cooking time:
dry beans: cook for 1.5 to 2 hours
Beans soaked for more than 12 hours: cook for 45 to 60 minutes
So, soaking white beans overnight not only saves you time in the kitchen, but also energy when cooking.

The ideal preparation of the white beans:
The day before: Rinse the beans with water, then pour plenty of fresh water over them and let them soak overnight.
After at least 12 hours: Drain the soaking water, rinse the beans again with fresh water, and place them in a saucepan.
Pour water into the pot until the beans are about an inch or two covered with water.
Optional: add spices or fresh herbs of your choice to the cooking water, for example some marjoram or bay leaves.
Let the beans simmer over low heat until nicely tender, about 45 to 60 minutes.
If you don’t want to continue using the beans hot right away, you should let them cool down in the warm broth. Otherwise the fine skin of the beans would burst open. This is particularly important with giant white beans.

Cook white beans without soaking

If you forgot to soak the kidney beans first, you can still cook them. You only have to plan about twice as long cooking time so that the white beans become soft. Otherwise the preparation remains the same:
Rinse the beans with water, then place them in a saucepan.
Add enough water to cover the beans by about an inch or two.
Optionally, you can add fresh herbs or spices of your choice.
Let the beans simmer over low heat for about 1.5 to 2 hours until tender.
Here, too, you should let the beans cool down in the warm broth if you don’t want to use them hot.

Tip: Quick soak method for beans

If you didn’t think about soaking the night before, but are thinking about the bean dish at least a few hours before cooking, you can also use the following method:
Rinse the beans with water and place them in a saucepan with an inch or two of water.
Bring the water to a boil, let the beans simmer for about 2 minutes, and then remove them from the heat.
Allow the beans to sit for about 1 to 1.5 hours to cook.
The quick soak method also delays the cooking time a bit, which can save you energy. However, with this preparation, the white beans are most likely to disintegrate and sometimes lose the skin. Therefore, this method is more suitable if you want to puree the beans anyway – for example to make a delicious spread.

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