1. Warm the Double Boiler - A double boiler is basically a pan nestled inside of another pan with a gap of a few inches between the bottoms of the two. You can buy a double boiler or create your own using a high-sided sauce pan and a shallow metal mixing bowl, as we do in the pictures above.
Pour a few inches of water into the bottom pan, making sure the surface of the water does not touch the bottom of the nestled pan. Bring the water to a simmer.
2. Melt Part of the Chocolate - Place about 2/3 of the total chocolate in the top pan of the double-boiler. The simmering water will help it to melt gently without scorching. Stir the chocolate every few seconds until it has completely melted and has reached a temperature of 110°F - 115°F.
3. Seed the Chocolate - Remove the top pan (with the melted chocolate) from the double-boiler and stir in the remaining 1/3 of the chocolate off the heat. Continue stirring until all the seed chocolate has melted and the chocolate reaches 80°F. Adding seed chocolate will help lower the temperature much more quickly than if you melted all the chocolate at once.
4. Re-Heat the Chocolate - Put the pan with the chocolate back over the double boiler. Stirring gently, warm the chocolate back to 90°F. The chocolate is now considered tempered and can be used for dipping or decorating.
5. Maintaining the Temper - If you leave the double-boiler assembled but remove it from the heat, we’ve found that the warm water in the bottom is usually enough to keep the chocolate tempered until we’re finished dipping. You can also place the pan with chocolate on a warm heating pad. If the chocolate drops much below 90°F, you’ll need to repeat all the steps to bring it back into temper.
Additional Notes:
• For smaller amounts of chocolate (less than 16-ounces), it can be easier to temper it in the microwave. Heat 2/3 of the chocolate in 30-second bursts, stirring and checking the temperature between each burst. Add the seed chocolate, stir until smooth, and then re-heat in 30-second bursts until the chocolate is 90°.
• You can also add shortening to thin out the chocolate and make a more delicate shell over whatever you’re dipping. Add it a little at a time until you get a consistency you like.
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