Ann Reardon

How to temper chocolate in the microwave

tempered chocolate how to temper milk chocolate

Why Temper Chocolate

Have you ever melted chocolate to make decorations only to find once it sets it is soft, dull and bends over when it is not in the fridge?  That is because it is not tempered.

why temper chocolate

LEFT-not tempered, RIGHT – tempered After five minutes out of the fridge

Chocolate manufacturers use equipment to precisely control the temperature of the chocolate during processing to cause the fat molecules in the cocoa butter to align neatly and tightly together.  This is called tempered chocolate.  It is firm at room temperature and has a crisp snap when you break it.  When at home and you heat the chocolate to melt it, you undo that process and so it is no longer in temper.

How to temper chocolate in the microwave

If you want tempered chocolate then the easiest thing to do at home is to simply keep the chocolate in temper, see the video below for details on how to do that.

You only need to temper chocolate if it is real chocolate. Candy melts and some other melts are not real chocolate and so do not require tempering. Watch the video below for an explanation of how to tell if it is real chocolate.

You may also be interested in You may also be interested in:

* How to make chocolate bowls
* How to make a box out of chocolate
* chocolate decorations for desserts

My Cookbook

ann reardon crazy sweet creations cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country: http://bit.ly/ARcookbook
All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.

262 Comments View Comments

  1. Hi, I’m going to attempt to make chocolates for Christmas presents and shall be using your easy to follow videos to help me. However, there is one thing I would like verified and that is does it matter what type of butter you use, ie salted or non salted?

    • Hi Sue, Definiely use unsalted butter.

  2. Hi,
    Can you list a couple brands of real and compound chocolates that i can use?

    IsCadbury – Baking Dark Chocolate Block real or compound?

    Thanks

    • Hi Elle, Ann doesnt recommend any particular brand, especiall because while then same name might be used for a brand internationally, the actual chocolate can be very different.

  3. Which chocolate to use for dipped oroes.

    • Hi April, you can use real choclate if you temper it or compound chocolate if you don’t want to temper it. Real chocolate is always nicer!

      • I’m relaly into it, thanks for this great stuff!

  4. Hello
    Is there away to create Temper chocolate without a MIRCOWAVE??? ( Much appreciated if there is a method that gives equal result )

  5. Hi Ann! Can we temper fake chocolate? I tried to make garnish using dark compund chocolate but after taking it out from refrigerator it becomes soft and bends like untempered real chocolate. Can you please suggest what went wrong?

    • Hi Ankita, You can’t temper fake chocolate. Compound chocolate varies greatly in terms of ingredient quantities and quality, so maybe what you have is a softer product to begin with. You used a dark compound chocolate which is what Ann recommends, so if the quality of the chocolate is not the issue, then perhaps try putting the decorations in the freezer till rather than the fridge to be sure they are fully set. Hope your next batch turns out better.

      • Thanks a lot for replying. And I love all your videos and the way you work and explain..lovely. You are doing a great job Ann.

  6. Is there a video of how to temper chocolate on a stove?

  7. I still don’t know how to temper my chocolate for the lava cake

    • Hi Nasra, The video on this page has all the instructions but in short, you are melting the chocolate and keeping it ‘in temper’ for making the discs. This is the easiest way to do it. If you wish to try and alternate method look here: https://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/temper-chocolate/ . This page shows you how to temper chocolate using 3 other methods as well.

      • Right on-htis helped me sort things right out.

  8. Hi Ann, so if our chocolate is already in temper we just need to melt it in the microwave till it melts, the way e can use it for our decorations? Thanks 🙂

  9. How do you fix your chocolate if you heat it the wrong way?

    • Hi Raphaela, How did you heat your chocolate? If you have burnt the chocolate, you will need to start afresh.

  10. Hi ann ! Can I use both real and fake chocolate and temper them together like the way you did with white chocolate in the truffle video pt3??

    • Hi Stephen, Ann would suggest not tempering it if you add fake chocolate.

  11. i love your videos im makeing both the lava cake also the choclate cups and the moose thing that u can put a logo in just saying byee……. IF U COULD MAKE MORE VIDS THAT WOULD BE GREAT

  12. Just found your website, needless to say I’m quite ecstatic!! You indeed are very talented and such a good instructor! I’ve been to your wonderful continent twice now and have to say of all the fantastic things there are to love about Austrailia, the people are my favorite! Just wanted to say thanks!

    • Thanks so much for your encouraging comment Anne, really appreciate it.

      • I am just wondering if you could do a written explanation as to how to temper chocolate in the microwave as i can not access youtube so i cant play the videos

  13. great ann u solved my problem

  14. Hi I’m thinking to make chocolate flowers can u plz tell how long do I have to wait for the petals to settle down and do I need to put them in the fridge plz do reply

  15. Dear Ann,

    I tried to temper white cooking chocolate and at the end the mixture was dry
    and thick. What can i do to stop this?

    Thanks

    • sorry odette it sounds like you may have overheated it

  16. Dear Ann,
    thanks to your tips on how to keep real chocolate in temper, I was able to give my husband this birthday cake last Sunday. It “wowed” the whole family! 🙂
    Thanks!

    • is that a cake? WOW, well done Fernanda!

  17. Hi Ann,
    Thanks so much for the kit-kat it was lovely and i am sure Shirelive Youth appreciated your lovely cooking.
    Thank you so much it was beautiful.
    Em xx

  18. Hi Ann,

    how can i make dough of chocolate for making rose

  19. Hello,

    I also have left a comment on YouTube below one of the videos with the question : Do you only need to temper chocolate for decorations or also if you are dipping something or else?

    • yes you can use tempered or compound chocolate

  20. So glad i came across your video tutorials. You sound like an Aussie, yes!
    Just want to say thank you for your ‘anyone can do without having to outlay a small fortune for bits n pieces’ tutorials. Of course i am referring to using the bags with thise clever little snips. There is a downfall to all of this you know…… I keep making and they keep eating.
    Thanks heaps. Look forward to learning more from you.
    Cheers from an Aussie.

    • Reading posts like this make surfing such a plsreuae

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