Agitation

Agitation promotes crystallization and is a fundamental concept for the confectioner. When making fudge or fondant, the confectioner agitates the supersaturated sugar solution constantly to promote the formation of many tiny sugar crystals. Tempering chocolate is no different, except that the crystals formed by the agitation are cocoa butter crystals. In any method used to temper chocolate, agitation plays a key role, as it results in the formation and distribution of many small cocoa butter crystals, which seed the chocolate and thus ensure proper setting and shelf life. The only way to observe whether the chocolate has been sufficiently agitated is to test a small sample of it to see if it sets quickly and without streaks.