452384 Fri Oct 19 13:14:33 -0700 2007 3 31 Home Cooking 0 3050511 Is it necessary to temper chocolate when making candies that will be eaten that night? What precisely is the reason for it? Fri Oct 19 13:14:33 -0700 2007 87249 katecm 1 3050694 Don't think it matters when the candies will be eaten. There's a Chow video that might be helpful: http://www.chow.com/stories/10748 Fri Oct 19 13:52:31 -0700 2007 3050511 53530 Zeldog 1 3052035 It makes the chocolate nice and glossy and gives it that snap when you bite into it. I would do it, regardless of when it's going to be eaten, as Zeldog said. It's much easier to do than you'd think. Sat Oct 20 08:08:13 -0700 2007 3050511 39874 chowser 1 3053372 Chocolate is an unusual product which can solidify into different crystalline states. When you "temper" chocolate you are coaxing it to solidify into one of it's more stable ones. This gives as chowser mentions a nice shine, snap and a smooth mouthfeel. Otherwise, it can be soft, grainy and have blotches on it. If you make filled chocolate, (truffles or bonbons) they will not come out correctly if they're not tempered (ooze or collapse, or not come out of the mold) while chocolate bars will melt quickly in the hand or be very soft. Overall it will be a much nicer experience if you temper the chocolate. Sat Oct 20 22:21:34 -0700 2007 3050511 133802 chocolateman