Couverture

Buying couverture chocolate makes sense whenever you make your own chocolates, bars, figures or ganache: thanks to its high cocoa butter content it flows thinly, can be tempered and sets with a glossy finish and a clean snap. At miniSchoggi you will find around 70 couvertures from Lindt, Felchlin, Callebaut, Valrhona, Domori, Choba Choba and Carma, in packs from 250 g to 2.5 kg. Everything ships from our own warehouse – order by 4 pm and it leaves the same day.

Which couverture do we stock?

• For beginners and everyday use: Lindt couverture in dark, milk and white (0.5 kg and 2.5 kg), plus Callebaut at 54.5 % (dark), 70.5 % (extra dark), 33.6 % (milk) and 28 % (white), from 400 g to 2.5 kg.
• Grand cru and single origin: Felchlin couverture such as Maracaibo 65 %, Grenada 38 %, Bolivia 68 % or Centenario Concha 70 %, Domori Criollo (62 % and 75 %), Tanzania 68 % and Peru 72 %, and the Choba Choba couvertures Oswaldo 71 %, Elmer 64 % and Pasiona 41 %.
• For pastry chefs: Valrhona couverture including Guanaja 70 %, Caraïbe 66 %, Jivara 40 %, Azélia 35 % and Ivoire 35 %, in 250 g or 1 kg depending on the variety.
• Special colours and flavours: ruby (Callebaut and Carma Azalina 40 %), gold (Callebaut 30.4 %), the blond Valrhona Dulcey 35 % and the fruity Valrhona Inspiration in raspberry, strawberry, passion fruit and yuzu. For an intense hit: Black Zabuye 83 %.
• Organic and vegan: Felchlin Organic Cru Suhum 60 %, Felchlin's vegan organic couverture in white 38 % and milk 44 %, plus Choba Choba Nativos 70 % and Huayabamba 60 % in organic quality.

Which couverture for which job?

For chocolate shells, bars and figures you need a fluid couverture; a dark couverture between 55 and 65 % is the most versatile choice. From around 70 % the flavour becomes more intense, but the couverture often gets thicker too – ideal for ganache and desserts. Milk and white couvertures are sweeter and more sensitive to heat. Tip: for ganache, try blending two varieties, such as a robust dark with a milk couverture.

Tempering couverture: tips from our bakery

Without tempering, couverture turns grey and streaky and sticks in the mould. The easiest approach is the seeding method: melt two thirds of the couverture at around 42 °C, then stir in one third of solid couverture until the mass has cooled. As a guide, the working temperatures are dark 32–33 °C, milk 31–32 °C and white 30–31 °C. If in doubt, follow the manufacturer's instructions.

• Never heat above 50 °C – milk and white couverture in particular will otherwise form lumps that won't dissolve again.
• Keep water and steam away, or the couverture will thicken and turn grainy.
• Test on baking paper or the tip of a knife: if it sets glossy within a few minutes, it is properly tempered.

Every step is explained in our guide Tempering couverture and chocolate correctly. And if you'd like to learn with a professional at your side, join our couverture tempering course in Adliswil.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between couverture and chocolate?

Couverture contains more cocoa butter than eating chocolate. That makes it more fluid and ideal for coating and moulding.

Do I need a tempering machine?

Not necessarily. With a bowl, a bain-marie and a thermometer, the seeding method works well. If you work with chocolate often or in larger quantities, a chocolate tempering machine makes life much easier.

How should I store couverture?

Well sealed, dry, dark and cool, ideally between 12 and 18 °C. Not in the fridge: when you take it out, condensation causes sugar bloom.

How do you ship couverture in summer?

In the warm season and on very hot days we hold back parcels containing chocolate products on Fridays so they do not spend the weekend in a hot postal van; they leave our chilled warehouse only after the weekend. If you choose Saturday delivery with chilled shipping, your parcel arrives chilled at the weekend too. For chocolate and pralines you can also order chilled shipping.