Tempering Chocolate Via Tabling Method
Thomas Schnetzler of Lindt tempers chocolate via the tabling method. The basic process is as follows. Heat the dark chocolate until it melts and reaches 48 degrees C. Cool down to 28 degrees C (by tabling method, below). Then heat it back up to 31 to 32 degrees, it’s working temperature. The texture of the correctly tempered chocolate will be thick, and will sit on the surface when dropped with a spoon or spatula back into the bowl.
Tabling Method:
- Pour 2/3 of the melted hot chocolate onto a marble or granite slab which draws the temperature out of the chocolate. Cool down to 28 degrees C by working it back and forth, spreading and pushing toward the center. The chocolate will be cold to the touch.
- Introduce this cooled chocolate back to the bowl of warm chocolate, stirring very well.
- Heat the bowl with chocolate very gently and quickly to raise it just a couple of degrees, to about 31 degrees C, over a warm water bath.