I have decided to try three new methods of chocolate tempering for three different types of chocolate. This oil tempered chocolate uses 80% dark chocolate, and a neutral oil.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Oil Tempered Chocolate ♥
Why temper with oil?
For many a home cook, the exacting temperatures required to temper chocolate can be a little bit tedious. In order to side step this, all you need to do is add oil to your melted chocolate. The process of tempering includes melting chocolate to a specific temperature, depending on the chocolate you are using. Then cooling it by adding more chocolate, off the heat. And then returning it to the heat to increase the temperature once again. This results in a glossy chocolate with the perfect snap, which can be used in all sorts of applications. When you use oil in the process you get quick tempered chocolate which will be thinner and will not have that perfect snap. It also is not suitable for long term storage. However, you can use flavoured oils to add something extra to your tempered chocolate.
The process of tempering with oil
What makes this even easier is that you can use the microwave to melt the chocolate. Ordinarily one needs a bain-marie where you have to ensure the water is not boiling too rapidly. And you have to ensure that not one drop of water gets into the chocolate. For this method you will however need a digital thermometer. Another plus to this way of tempering is that you don’t need to constantly stir the chocolate to cool it. The only important aspect is to get the ratio of oil to chocolate correct. For every 100g of chocolate, you need 10g of oil. It really is that simple, so give it a try and use this for chocolate making.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Oil Tempered Chocolate ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Oil Tempered Chocolate
Equipment
- 1 digital thermometer
Ingredients
- 300 g dark chocolate, divided
- 30 g canola oil
Method
- Place 200g of the chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in between each burst, until the chocolate is nearly melted
- Once nearly melted, remove from the microwave and stir with a small spatula until completely melted
- Add 30g chocolate and stir to combine then place into the microwave and microwave for 30 seconds
- Add 30g chocolate and stir until it melts, then add the remaining chocolate and stir until it melts
- Add the oil and stir to combine
- Place your thermometer into the chocolate and stir until the temperature drops to 31° Celsius
- Use as needed, and keep the thermometer in the chocolate to ensure it does not drop below 25° Celsius
- If it does, microwave for 10 seconds at a time, reading the temperature between each burst, until it reaches 31° Celsius
See the links below for blog posts I published on April 4:
- 2023: Easter Egg Toffee
- 2022: Lobster Roll Sauce
- 2021: Serpentine
- 2018: March 2018 Showcasing In My Kitchen
- 2016: Watermelon And Tequila Sorbet
- 2013: Beer Bread
- 2012: Apple Flan
- 2011: Peach Tarte Tatin
Yes I always just melt chocolate in the microwave as I tend to mess up with a double boiler situation :). I’ve never tempered chocolate and I guess I probably won’t in my lifetime. Somehow I have managed to get by – heheheh.
Most times I feel the same way you do 😉
Really interesting post
Thank you so much 🙂
PS, this comment ended up in my spam somehow 🙁
I had a chocolate cookbook once, and the author explained that you are MELTING the chocolate, not COOKING it! That made the most sense to me. A little extra time and patience, which is not my strong suit, but it’s worth it when it comes to tempering. This technique fascinates me.
So true! It really is all about melting the chocolate 🙂
This is very interesting. Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure, and I am sure this is something you could use 🙂
I hate tempering chocolate! What I do now I try not to get it out of temper by melting it as slow and low as possible so it keeps the crystals. But it’s still never turned out perfect. I usually get a decent (but not perfect) snap but it has swirls of darker and lighter brown which I’ve read means not agitated enough. I’ve bought an online class now and will be taking that as soon as I stop traveling almost constantly. (First world problems I know). Your mold is absolutely gorgeous!
thank you Inger, and hope you enjoy your travels and class!