Definition: Tempering is the process of slowly combining two ingredients that are at different temperatures in order to bring them to a similar temperature before mixing them completely.
When It’s Used: Tempering is most often used by home bakers when they need to mix eggs with a hot liquid. To avoid scrambling and cooking the eggs, you want to add a small amount of the hot liquid to the egg mixture, to gently warm it up, before slowly adding in the rest of the hot mixture. Tempering also refers to a process used in more advanced pastry applications where chocolate is heated and cooled in a way that stabilizes it.
Tips for Tempering: Go slowly and take your time when tempering.