Tempering is a heat treatment technique applied to ferrous alloys, such as steel or cast iron, to achieve greater toughness by decreasing the hardness of the alloy. ...Tempering is accomplished by controlled heating of the quenched work-piece to a temperature below its "lower critical temperature".

Thank you Ben! This is helpfull. Just finished editing my chocolate truffle book. I have your upala bar as a recommended chocolate for one of the truffles :-) It was supposed to be 125 pages. But it is 250 pages without photos :-( So I have a little reducing to do. Will be ebook published first, then do a limited print run.

The [76] reference in the book I linked is to this book:

http://www.amazon.com/chemistry-flavouring-manufacture-chocolate-confectionery/dp/B00086FPC4

Hi Robert,

I found this reference in 'Chocolate: History, Culture and Heritage' (page 1672 in the link, but page 620 in the hardcover version):

https://books.google.com/books?id=zwVS5gsJMUcC&lpg=PP1&dq=chocolate%20history%20culture%20and%20heritage&pg=PA1672#v=onepage&q=tempering&f=false

It doesn't say much, though.

-Ben

p.s. good to 'see' you! I hope things are going well.

Greetings,

I have found copius volumes of information on the scientific process of tempering. However I cannot seem to find and verifiable information on the actual history of how the tempering process was developed as it relates to chocolate. The closest I have gotten is that it may have been developed by Lindt as an end process to conching. If anyone can point me in the right direction I would be most grateful.

Kind regards,

Robert

updated by @robert-cabeca: 04/09/15 16:07:04