Tempering by hand could be tricky work subject to external factors that even masters at tempering couldn’t control so most have invested in a chocolate tempering machine. With one of these gadgets, the entire tempering operation is automated and keeps tempers maintained for a longer duration. Maintaining of specific temperatures is also taken care of by a microprocessor. Manual tempering on the other hand is difficult because maintaining accurate temperatures yourself can cause errors and this may lead to repeating the process again.

In this billion-dollar chocolate market, there are customers who go for handmade chocolates. Expert artisans are there who make such handmade chocolate goodies to cater to this discriminating segment. These artisans do tempering by hand using a process called tabliering.

The history of tabliering started in France and a marble slab is used to work upon the chocolate to cool it. One of the enemies of tabliering is seizing, a phenomenon that should be avoided if you don’t want chocolates turning rigid and lumpy. Moisture, even at small amounts, rapid over-heating and freezing can cause “seizing”. Lumpy chocolates cannot be dipped and molded.

On the upper pan of a double boiler, place the chocolate (which, previously, was cut into small chunks). Pat dry such other equipment you’ll be using: a bread knife, a chopping board, a spatula, a mixing bowl, a thermometer to measure low temperatures like 82F and a cookie sheet.

In the lower pan of the double boiler, boil water to melt the chocolate to a temperature of 108-115F and during this, you should keep stirring the contents so it doesn’t burn. There is a different melting temperature for every type of chocolate. The molten chocolate is poured onto a mixing bowl and while pouring, you should watch if the chocolate flows smoothly and not fall lumpy. Moisture must also be avoided at all costs.
This melted chocolate is called mush and is divided into two parts, 2/3 and 1/3. The 2/3rd part is worked upon on a marble slab with a spatula till you cool it to a temperature of 80-82F. The 1/3 part is continuously kept at 100F.

After the 2/3 portion is worked upon, you should blend in the 1/3 part with this and the entire lot is worked upon and cooled to 80-82F. Reheating must be done as follows: dark chocolate variety up to 88-90F, semi-sweet, 86-88F and white chocolate variety, up to 82-84F. You can infer that the chocolate is tempered if you observe it has hardened and has acquired shine around the spatula, when dried for five minutes.

If you fail in maintaining accurate temperatures, tempering must be done over. The tempered mush can stay in that state longer if it’s set on a bain-marie or a heating pad although take care that no moisture still gets into the chocolate.