If you have a favorite way of tempering chocolate, please by all means, you do you. For those looking for a fairly simple way to quickly get to it, here’s my go-to method.
You will need:
✓ A ceramic or glass that is microwave safe, heat safe
✓ Chocolate: chips or chopped up. I batch about half a package at a time
✓ Strong spatula: rubber or firm silicone
✓ Digital Food Thermometer
Method
1. HEAT: Place 2/3rds of the chocolate (wafers, chips or chopped pieces) into microwave safe bowl. Heat at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir the chocolate to with spatula in a folding motion so that chips on top move toward the bottom.
2. MELT: Microwave again at 50% power for 1 minute. Then check the level of melting, stirring well. Temperature should be between 100-110°F. If necessary, reheat for 30-second intervals (dark choc at full power, milk/white at 50%) with vigorous stirring each time until chocolate looks well melted.
3. ADD: Mix in half the remaining un-melted chocolate and stir vigorously until all chips are melted. This helps it cool down faster. However, if the last bits of chocolate don’t melt it is probably got too cool. Heat for a just 15 seconds to warm up slightly to melt the last bits of chocolate.
4.COOL: Once chocolate is smooth, check the temperature. You are looking for about 90 degrees. If it is still very warm, you can also transfer to a cooler bowl. The chocolate is tempered when it is thick (yet still liquid), shiny, and does not feel hot to touch.
You are now ready to use the tempered chocolate!