How to Use a Marble Slab to Temper Chocolate

Last Updated: February 6, 2020

Getting temperature accurate is an important aspect when tempering chocolate. A marble slab helps to cool down chocolate after melting so that it can be tempered and worked with more easily.

Ingredients

Melting chocolate

Steps

1
Melt the chocolate as required by the recipe or chocolate package instructions.
2
Set up a marble slab on a flat surface.

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3
Pour two thirds of the melted chocolate onto the marble slab.
4
Spread the melted chocolate out across the slab using a chocolate scraper. Work at it with the scraper until it starts to thicken just a little. The chocolate needs to be worked really well until enough seed crystals form.
- The temperature should be 28ºC/82ºF.
5
Place the worked-on chocolate back with the third of warm chocolate that you didn't spread on the slab. Mix well until the combined chocolate reaches a temperature of 34ºC/93ºF evenly.
- You'll then need to work very quickly with the chocolate.
6
If you find that it isn't cool enough, repeat the steps until it is cooled. While working with it, keep it at this temperature. This can be done by keeping the bowl in a warm spot or occasionally giving the bowl a blast of heat with a hair dryer set on low.

Community Q&A

Question

Why does my chocolate stick to the marble slab? I am trying to make chocolate fans.

Happytohelpyouthisme

Community Answer

You just need to wash the slab before you temper the chocolate. Sometimes if you do not wash the marble slab it will not work and the chocolate will stick.

Warnings

This method is tricky and you will need to work fast. Be sure to keep the tempered chocolate at an even temperature of 34ºC/93ºF while working with it.

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Chocolate that hasn't tempered properly will appear grayish-white and will be gritty or sandy in texture. Poorly tempered chocolate will also melt very easily when touched.

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