Label
All
0
Clear all filters

Peter Greweling, Culinary Institute of America

Technique: Caveats on Tabling

Appears in
top 1000Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Technique for the Artisan Confectioner
Chocolates and Confections

By Peter Greweling and Culinary Institute of America

Published 2007

  • About
The tabling technique is effective for relatively small quantities of chocolate and is commonly used in confectionery operations, but several precautions warrant mention:
  • Sanitation is of paramount importance in confectionery. Any surface onto which chocolate is poured must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. This may be accomplished by wiping with any type of sanitizing solution, such as chlorine, iodine, or alcohol, but the marble must be completely dry before pouring chocolate onto it. For drying, use clean, unused paper towels.
  • Tabling the chocolate on a marble slab for too long results in lumps of crystallized chocolate that must then be melted prior to use. This is one of the most common errors that novices make when tabling chocolate. Once the chocolate on the marble begins to thicken, the crystallization reaction proceeds quickly. Often the tabled chocolate can solidify before it can be returned to the bowl. Should the chocolate solidify on the marble, there may not be sufficient heat in the bowl to melt the solid portion, resulting in lumpy chocolate. To avoid this, do not allow the chocolate to overthicken on the marble, and return it to the bowl quickly once it is seeded.
  • If repeated tablings are required, it is advisable to table successively less chocolate each time and to leave it on the marble slab less time with each repetition. Every time the chocolate is tabled, its temperature falls, and with each successive tabling, there is less heat in the chocolate to melt out excessive and unstable crystals. When the chocolate is very warm from the melter, fully half the chocolate can be tabled until it thickens. Once it is returned to the bowl of warm chocolate, it will soften and be incorporated into the melted chocolate, leaving behind seed crystals. If the temperature of the chocolate is proper, but it is not setting properly due to insufficient seeding, as little as 200 to 250 grams/7 to 9 ounces of chocolate can be very briefly tabled and then returned to the bowl to provide the extra seed crystals that are needed.
  • When executed by inexperienced workers, the tabling method can be a messy proposition; it requires practice and experience to be executed well. Controlling melted chocolate on the marble while agitating and then returning it to the bowl requires skill if it is to remain contained. The tabling method is not the best choice for novices at chocolate work.

Become a Premium Member to access this page

  • Unlimited, ad-free access to hundreds of the world’s best cookbooks

  • Over 150,000 recipes with thousands more added every month

  • Recommended by leading chefs and food writers

  • Powerful search filters to match your tastes

  • Create collections and add reviews or private notes to any recipe

  • Swipe to browse each cookbook from cover-to-cover

  • Manage your subscription via the My Membership page

Download on the App Store
Pre-register on Google Play

Monthly plan

Annual plan

'Brilliant app for foodies'
'Spotify of cookbooks'

Part of

Related Recipes

  • β€Œ
  • β€Œ
  • β€Œ
  • β€Œ

Related Reference

  • β€Œ
  • β€Œ
  • β€Œ
  • β€Œ
The licensor does not allow printing of this title