Tempering Chocolate Sous Vide: How To Guide

Sous vide is a modern, unconventional and incredibly easy method for tempering chocolate. In this guide, you’ll learn how tempering chocolate sous vide is done.

One of the main challenges that beginner and amateur chocolatiers come across is the technique of tempering chocolate. While tempering is not necessarily difficult to learn, like most skills, it does require patience and practice to master. This is especially so, if you are learning the traditional Tabling tempering method.

If you don’t have the patience or interest in learning to temper chocolate by hand, but you want to have perfectly tempered chocolate available to use, you have two options: a chocolate tempering machine, or a sous vide machine.

A tempering machine is fantastic if you are working with chocolate often, but if you want a multipurpose kitchen tool that you can also use for other cooking, then a sous vide machine for chocolate tempering may be a better choice. In this article, we share tips for tempering chocolate sous vide, plus detailed instructions for how to do it by Chef Prish.

Tempering Chocolate Sous Vide: How To Guide

Tempering is the process of heating and cooling a chocolate mixture, to stabilise the crystal structure within it. If you want to produce professional quality results with your hand-crafted chocolates, then tempering chocolate is a must. Tempered chocolates have a beautiful gloss and crack, whilst untempered chocolate tends to have a greasy, waxy and crumbly texture.

Traditionally, tempering chocolate is done by Tabling or Seeding. More recently, as sous vide cooking has grown in popularity amongst home cooks, tempering chocolate sous vide has become a modern alternative to these traditional tempering approaches, for its ease and reliable results.

To learn more about the science and traditional tempering technique, check out the articles What is Chocolate Tempering by Simon Knott and How to Temper Chocolate by Chef Prish. For now, let’s look at how tempering chocolate sous vide is done.

Equipment for Tempering Chocolate Sous Vide

The equipment you will require for tempering chocolate using the sous vide method are:

• Sous Vide machine – see recommendations below
• Large ziplock bags, food vacuum bags, or other waterproof bags designed for sous vide

Other supplies you will need:

• Good quality couverture chocolate for melting and tempering (dark, milk or white)
• Ice cubes

Sous Vide Machines for Chocolate Tempering

If you’re reading this, you may already have a sous vide machine. If so, you can skip to the next section Instructions for Tempering Chocolate Sous Vide. If you don’t have one yet, here are a few sous vide machine shopping tips.

Types of Sous Vide Machines

There are two different types of sous vide machines you can choose from, they are:

• Stick/Wand Devices: These are immersible wands/sticks that you place into a pot of water.
• Temperature-Controlled Basins: These are all-in-one units with a heated basin for the water (see image above).

Of these two styles, the stick/wand style is generally more popular. However, the basin-style has its advantages, too. Below are some comparisons to help you choose.

Sous Vide Wands

These are compact hand-held sticks or wands, that very closely resemble a stick blender, in both shape and size. You place them into a container of water, and the wand heats and circulates the water to maintain the desired temperature. While you can buy special sous vide containers designed to be compatible with sous vide wands, a regular saucepan or stock pot is also suitable.

Pros:

• Portable: Small and easy to store, great if you’re tight on space.
• Flexible Capacity: You can use any kitchen pot or basin for cooking, therefore it can handle larger items.
• Lower Price: More affordable than standalone sous vide machines with a basin.

Cons:

• No Container for Water: You’ll need a separate pot or container for holding the cooking water.

Sous Vide All-in-One Machines

These benchtop machines are similar in size and footprint to any other standalone kitchen appliance you may have (e.g. air-fryer, slow cooker). It features a temperature-controlled basin for the water, so you don’t have to fiddle with saucepans and clips to hold your bags; just add water and your bags of food, then turn it on. The main advantage of these all-in-one units is their ability to control the water temperature better, since the water is held in an insulated basin.

Pros:

• Easy to Use: Just fill with water and set the temperature—no need to set up a separate pot or container.
• Better Insulation: These typically hold heat better, which can be more energy-efficient and faster to cook.
• Consistency: The all-in-one design ensures a more stable temperature and water-level than wands.

Cons:

• Limited Capacity: The fixed basin size limits how much or what size items you can cook.
• Storage Space: Bulkier to store, which might be an issue in smaller kitchens.
• Higher Cost: Often pricier than wands, especially for models with larger basins or additional features.

Instructions for Tempering Chocolate Sous Vide

Written by Chef Prish for Chocolatiering.com

Step 1: Bag the chocolate

Seal your chocolate in a waterproof bag.

Ziplock bags work well. However, because they are thinner than vacuum bags, it’s a good idea to use two bags (one inside the other), just to be doubly careful.

Important: Make sure that no water comes into contact with the chocolate.

Step 2: Heat the chocolate

1. Melt the chocolate in the sous vide bath at 113°F (45°C) for one hour or until melted.
2. The sous vide machine will make sure the water is actively circulating, but you should also agitate the chocolate through the bags with your fingers. Be very gentle. Sometimes, perforations can be undetectable to the eye but can let water in.

Step 3: Cool the Chocolate

1. Once it is melted, scoop some of the water out, add ice in, and set the temperature to 80.6°F (27°C).
2. Gently agitate the chocolate a few times.
3. Reheat it to 89.6°F (30-32°C). Agitate with your fingers.
4. The chocolate is now tempered.

At this stage, you can do a temper test to confirm that the chocolate is tempered, using the instructions in Chef Prish’s How to Temper Chocolate article.

Temperatures for Tempering Chocolate Sous Vide

Dark Chocolate

Milk Chocolate

White Chocolate

Conclusion

Here you have it, your guide to tempering chocolate sous vide. Although learning how to temper chocolate by hand is preferable for any serious home cook or aspiring chocolatier, having the option of reliably tempering chocolate with a sous vide machine is a good option if you are more focused on the creative aspects of making your own chocolate bar, choc-coated candies or molded chocolates.

Not sure if a sous vide machine is the best option? An alternative to consider is a dedicated chocolate tempering machine, designed for the purpose. Explore your options in our guide to chocolate tempering machines by professional chocolatier Simon Knott.

Happy chocolatiering!