While the process of tempering white chocolate is slightly different from tempering different types of chocolate, it is not too different that it is a struggle to learn.
However, if you know how to temper other types of chocolate, but not white chocolate, then knowing the difference is important to not ruin entire batches of chocolate. As anyone with experience in tempering chocolate knows, it is very easy to make mistakes and ruin a batch.
However, this does not mean that the process of tempering white chocolate has to be difficult, in fact, this process does not have to be challenging at all if you know what you are doing!
If you are unaware of what white chocolate itself is, then it is cocoa butter that has sugars and milk added to it.
Because of this, some people debate whether it can be classified as chocolate since it only has cocoa butter. However, since white chocolate behaves quite similarly to regular chocolate, most people just call it chocolate.
Also, when you are melting white chocolate, you want to ensure that you are not using white chocolate morsels since these are not the same thing. These white chocolate morsels are instead made using oils and there is little or no cocoa butter included.
This is instead a compound candy that is designed without needing cocoa butter. These morsels will also heavily rely on artificial flavors as well.
Instead of chocolate, these are hydrogenated oils, as well as sugars with flavoring, and because of this, they really do not taste good!
So, if you are sure you are working with real white chocolate, and you want to temper it to make it easier to work with and get more impressive results, then you are in the right place!
This guide will give you a detailed explanation and walk through of how you can properly melt white chocolate. As well as this, we will also go over the mistakes that you can make when tempering white chocolate as knowing how to avoid this is useful!
Melting Chart
Before getting into the explanation of how to temper white chocolate specifically, we think it is worth comparing it to other types of chocolate since this can give you a better understanding of how the tempering works.
To temper your white chocolate, you want to heat it to anywhere between 100 and 110 Fahrenheit, or 38 to 45 Celsius, and then use it at 86 Fahrenheit or 30 Celsius.
This is lower compared to both other types of chocolate. For milk, you heat it to 104 to 113 Fahrenheit (40 to 45 Celsius) and use at 88 Fahrenheit (31 Celsius), and for dark you heat to 113 to 122 Fahrenheit (45 to 50 Celsius) and use at 89 Fahrenheit (or 32 Celsius).
So, in comparison to other types of chocolate you might be accustomed to tempering, the temperature with white chocolate is noticeably lower, so you want to keep this in mind!
Overview
So when tempering white chocolate, you want to look for white chocolate that has cocoa butter specifically, if it is using oils instead, this is a fake white chocolate that you want to avoid using.
Then you want to break your white chocolate into smaller pieces that will melt quicker. One thing to keep in mind is that white chocolate is susceptible to burning, so if you are melting in the microwave, use it at a lower power than usual.
Once you have noticed that your white chocolate has started to melt at around 30 seconds in the microwave, give it a good stir and then return it to the microwave. Ensure you are regularly checking the temperature!
Make sure that you are not letting the chocolate get much past 100 Fahrenheit as after this it is easier to burn. If you use the seeding method when tempering chocolate, then do not go too high with your temperature as this will make it easier to work with.
If the seeded chocolate looks like it is not melting, do not be tempted to put it back into the microwave, and just keep stirring as it will eventually melt. Once it has melted, the chocolate should be at a good shiny consistency.
We think the best temperature to use your white chocolate at is 86 Fahrenheit, so use it when it reaches this temperature! Once it has reached this point, the tempered white chocolate is ready to use however you want to!
Potential Issues
Like with tempering any kind of chocolate, it is very easy to run into problems when you are tempering white chocolate, so knowing what these are makes them easier to avoid.
Firstly, white chocolate can seize and burn quite easily which will ruin the chocolate and make it much harder to temper.
If you are using a microwave like we suggest here, then using shorter bursts will help you avoid this from happening, especially if you are near the end and your white chocolate has almost melted.
It is recommended that you lower it to 5 second bursts instead of something more common like 15 seconds. This is because the longer they leave it in there, the more likely it is to be ruined.
In addition to this, you also want to lower the power to ensure the microwave is not working at full capacity. It is much easier to have control over the temperature of your white chocolate if you are using a lower temperature on your microwave.
Also, like with any chocolate tempering, you want to ensure there is little water near your workspace. This is harder than you think since water and steam is often near the chocolate and this can easily get into the white chocolate bowl if you are not careful.
If the water gets in, the batch of white chocolate is completely ruined. Then you can only use the chocolate for baking, but not for decorating. And, if you burn your white chocolate, then it is completely inedible, so to avoid food waste, keep these mistakes in mind!
Guide
For this guide we will be working with 8 ounces or 226 grams of white chocolate and using a microwave safe bowl. You will want to heat ¾ of this white chocolate in your microwave for 20 seconds and stir.
Repeat this, lowering the time as you go, and ensure you are not using the microwave at full power. Keep checking the temperature of the chocolate. Once it is at 104 Fahrenheit, lower the intervals to just 5 seconds as it is close.
After it is between 100 and 110 Fahrenheit, add in the rest of the chocolate and stir it in until the chocolate gets down to 86 Fahrenheit. Once it has reached this temperature, the chocolate is ready to use.
While you do not always have to use 8 ounces for this method to work, do not use less than 3 ounces as smaller amounts of chocolate will burn a lot more quickly!
Summary
The process of tempering chocolate, no matter what type of chocolate, can be difficult, however, hopefully this guide has given you all the information you need to temper your white chocolate like an expert.
We recommend that you ensure that your thermometer is as accurate as possible because if not it will not work that well with tempering chocolate as accuracy is what you are aiming for.
Also make sure to look out for potential issues as this will ensure that any problems you could face are much easier to avoid!
Have you ever made something so delicious that you wished you could savor it forever?
Only to find that the recipe has now mysteriously vanished from your phone and the entirety of the internet. Yep, there’s not much more painful than that.
Hi, my name is Mark Williams and I have been infatuated with cooking since I was young. I would beg my mother to pull a chair up to the counter so I could watch what she was doing.
