Improper Crystallization Forms

Overcrystallization occurs when the cocoa butter in chocolate is overagitated during tempering and too many crystals are produced during the liquid phase. This causes the chocolate to thicken and become hard to work with. To correct this, the amount of crystals must be decreased by removing a portion of the overtempered chocolate and replacing it with untempered melted chocolate to achieve a balanced crystal structure. When mixing, it is important to distribute and blend the crystals evenly throughout the mass to ensure proper temper this time. If this is done poorly, gray streaks will appear on the surface of your chocolate. These streaks are cocoa butter that was not mixed thoroughly enough throughout the mass. (for more on fat bloom.)