AI need to temper a bunch of Hershey's milk chocolate, using the method in this video from Jacques Torres. I have a few questions. Can his method be used for milk chocolate? If so, should the temperature be 86 degrees for milk chocolate?

Thanks so much!

A112 to 84 to 86-89.

AFahrenheit that is.

AThank you. I am unsure, though, of what you mean. Those are large ranges for the temp, so I am a bit confused. Jacques check the temp when he is using the immersion blender, but he never says what temp. Thanks so much!

AHeat /melt chocolate to the temp 112. Cool your chocolate to 84. Bring your chocolate back up anywhere from 86-89 a workable temp.

AOh, that is the old method. I tried that several times many years ago and had a lot of trouble. I was hoping I would have less trouble with this microwave method Jacques shows. He only takes the temp as he is mixing it.. I will use your final temps as a guideline, that should help. If I mess up, can I start over, or is the chocolate ruined? Thanks so much!

AEven if you use the microwave method, you still have to use these temps. You can start over as long as you don't burn the chocolate. Good luck!

AIs he seeding the chocolate?

AI'm sorry, I'm not sure what that means. He puts about 2.5 pounds of chocolate in a large glass bowl, then nukes for 20 sec, stirs, nukes for 20 sec, stirs, etc. When it is mostly melted (there are still chunks of chocolate), he transfers the chocolate to a clean glass bowl. Next, he mixes it with an immersion blender, and this is the point he checks the temp. After he mixes, he starts molding with it. He doesn't talk at all about bringing it up to one temp, then lowering it to another. It seems so much easier that the method I tried years ago.

AOops! I just realized I never posted the link for the video! My iPad only had 1% power left when I originally posted so I was rushing and just forgot. Sorry!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZHSbiaq-fQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

AOk, regardless of the method you use, these temps need to be reached or otherwise you will not have properly tempered chocolate. No ifs or ands or buts. This is essentially the seeding method. If you really just don't feel like taking the temps just wing it like mr. Chocolate. He has years and years of experience. Then test it before you use. If it works for you great, if not try again making sure to see if you made the right temps. Which is stillbpossible using the microwave.

AI hope that method works for you Secret Agent. I tried it and it was horrible. I could never get it right. The traditional way of tempering IS tricky but personally it's the method I've found best. Please let me know how it goes for you!!! Good luck l!

AThanks. I guess I will try it. As I mentioned, I tried the traditional method before and had very poor luck with it. I am just going to hope it works this one time because my daughter (age 11), wants to make that Reese's peanut butter cup cake for her dad's birthday and I don't want to wreck it with candy melts. Wwe really like Hershey's Milk chocolate so that is what she wants to use. I didn't want to discourage her. I'll let you know how it turns out.

This is an excellent description of how to temper in a microwave:

http://bakingbites.com/2012/02/how-to-temper-chocolate-at-home/

It's how I've been doing it since taking classes at Wilton several years ago.  I highly recommend using a microwave safe plastic bowl because glass bowls get hotspots.

AThank you.

Does anybody in South Africa know if one can temper Cadbury or Beacon chocolate.

I get it hard enough to hold it's shape, but not shiny and does'nt snap.

What am I doing wrong?