This is one of the easiest methods of tempering chocolate. The chunks of tempered chocolate "seed" the melted chocolate with crystals of cocoa butter that help your molded and dipped chocolate pieces set up shiny.

1 pound of chocolate in block form, broken in large chunks

Melt 2/3 pound of the chocolate chunks. Melt milk and white chocolate to 110 F. and dark chocolate to 115 F. Allow chocolate to cool to 100 F.

Chop chocolate to be melted into small chunks and place in a double boiler over hot, NOT BOILING water and stir until the correct temperature is reached. Be careful not to get water into chocolate or it will thicken.

When the melted chocolate has cooled too 100 F. add 1/3# chocolate chunks. Stir chunks into melted chocolate, making contact with all of the melted chocolate. When milk and white chocolate cools to 88 F. and dark chocolate cools to 90 F remove the chunks to stop the process and the chocolate is ready to test.

Test chocolate by temper by smearing a small amount of your tempered chocolate on a small piece of waxed paper and refrigerate it for 3 to 5 minutes. When the time is up, if the chocolte is glossy and firm, the chocolate is ready to use. If not the chocolate may require further cooling. Add another chunk and mix to cool then retest the temper. If the chocolate continues to fail reheat the chocolate and start over.

If the chocolate passes the test it is ready to use for molding or dipping.