Mastering Chocolate at Home

Working with chocolate is an art unto itself, and there’s no better person to learn from than master chocolatier, Mark Tilling. The first step in any chocolate making project is learning how to temper chocolate. This process perfects the crystallization structure, ensuring that, when cooled, your chocolate will be glossy and have a great snap. The tempering process can make or break your chocolate creation, so it’s important to temper it correctly for successful results. In the first part of this class, Mark teaches how to melt chocolate in a microwave or double boiler and how to troubleshoot common mistakes along the way. Once you understand how to temper chocolate, making your own chocolate bars is a quick next step. Mark shows you how to use a bar mold and delicious mix-ins, like dried fruits and popping candies, to create custom bars featuring dark, milk, and white chocolates. In addition to showing how to combine flavors, Mark also demonstrates how to color and marble chocolate, and work with cocoa butter gold coloring to paint your darkest bars. Once you understand the fundamentals of working with chocolate, you’ll have a basis upon which to expand your skills.