Definition: Temper actually has two meanings. The first is a process of heating and cooling chocolate to form stable crystals. These crystals then assure that the chocolate will be firm at room temperature.
The second meaning is to gently heat egg yolks before adding to a hot sauce by adding a small bit of the sauce and beating well. This technique prevents curdling.
Pronunciation: TEM purr
Common Misspellings: tempur
Examples:
The chocolate is tempered before coating the candies to remain firm at room temperature.
Temper the egg yolks before adding to the hot sauce by stirring a bit of the hot sauce into them. Beat well, then add the warmed egg yolks to the sauce and continue cooking.
