Chocolate Tempering Temperatures at a Glance
Use these Celsius ranges as a working reference for a melt, cool, and rewarm method. Different chocolate formulations have different curves, so check the instructions for the chocolate in your bowl before following a general range.
Quick temperature chart
| Chocolate | Melt | Cool while stirring | Rewarm to work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dark | 50 to 55?C | 28 to 29?C | 31 to 32?C |
| Milk | 45 to 50?C | 27 to 28?C | 29 to 30?C |
| White | 45 to 50?C | 26 to 27?C | 28 to 29?C |
What each temperature is for
- Melt: Heat gently and stir so the existing cocoa butter crystals melt. Keep water and steam out of the bowl.
- Cool: Stir as the chocolate cools to encourage the crystals needed for a firm, glossy set. A seeding method adds pieces of already tempered chocolate during this stage.
- Work: Warm the chocolate carefully to its working range. Keep stirring as you use it so one part of the bowl does not thicken or warm faster than another.
A gentle microwave method that preserves existing crystals does not follow the same separate cooling stage. Follow the method and the product's own temperatures together rather than combining parts of different curves.
Check before filling a mould
Dip the tip of a scraper in the chocolate and let the thin coating set. A well tempered sample should become firm with an even sheen. Dark chocolate can begin setting within about two minutes. Milk and white may take longer. If it stays soft, dull, or streaky, check the temperature and temper again before pouring the full batch.
If chocolate thickens while you work, stir it and warm it gently within its working range. Do not treat a temperature number alone as proof of temper: the small set test shows what the chocolate actually does.