Chocolate that didn’t go through proper tempering is prone to bloomingit will be flaky, blotchy, and crumbly. White spots will appear on its surface as a result and the candy won’t even last for a two days.

Cocoa butter is the key factor in chocolate tempering–the reason why chocolates are “real”. Cocoa butter contains fatty acids that need to crystallize. During this process, it can form six different types of crystals when different temperatures are applied. To get the exact crystal type, chocolate temperatures should be regularly checked. You will get the best chocolate features once the exact type of crystals is obtained. Once you get the right crystals, you can assure that chocolate will turn out smooth, creamy, rich and shiny.

Fatty acids in the cocoa butter bind themselves together to create crystal structures. In order to bind them well and produce the exact consistency of crystals, exact temperature is also needed.

Crystals in chocolate have its own freezing and melting point. It freezes and melts when it reaches certain temperature. For instance, water when in an ice form melts and turns into liquid at a temperature of 32 F. It turns into ice again at a lower temperature of 0F.

When water is about to turn into ice, it has to meet its freezing point. The molecules in water will start sticking together and form crystals. The crystals will now occupy the space, crammed full. The stability of the new form of solid will rely on how dense and uniform are the created crystals.

Crystallization in chocolate is just the same as in water. When chocolate is in its tempered form the crystals are very stable and it’s hard to disfigure the shape. Once chocolate tempering is done properly, it will remain tempered even in room temperature of about 68-77F or 20-25C. The point of melting for chocolate is at 98F or 37C; usually at this point, the crystals begin to be loosed from their bonds and break up.

The temperature plays a great role in tempering. Chocolate makers have to depend on their calibrated thermometer to be able to determine that the temperature is accurate. Mercury-Gauge Chocolate thermometer is usually the one that chocolatiers use because it is accurate in reading temperatures. It can read temperature as low as 80F. If you are serious enough in your chocolate candy making, you have to acquire this equipment.

If the temperature is not accurate during the tempering process other types of crystals may form and take over the process. Another type of crystals may form at 79F and another at 97F. That is why it is really important to check on the temperature regularly.

A Death in Cajamarca, Peru
[Atahualpa, in Cajamarca]

Advance: This is a version, not a translation of any kind, on the incarceration and death of Atahualpa the Inca King of the Inca Empire, in the 16th century (Peru).

Atahualpa, enduring in Cajamarca
Greeted by De Soto, his free friend from Spain!
“Be Calm! These times will be tolerant to you.”
By Riquelme, who is wearied with this place?
Unsatisfied with checkmate, looks upon Atahualpa
As simply detestableblazing, bleak, uninviting,
And longs again to find himself in Spain,
After the embarrassment of defeat,
By the captive slave Atahualpa, Inca King
Who gave advice to Captain Hernando De Soto
And got inevitable checkmate….
And friends and feastsaw more than all, its games
This life seemed blank and flat. He slacks to rest
In its vast prison all alive with walls, listening
And quivering combatants with Inca robesthe air
Delighted by the roaring fermatas of men
The sunlit canopy heaving overhead,
Inflamed and stained against its corded veins
And fluttering out its border with piercing testimony
The wild warriors roaring from the pit below
The wilder crowded soldiers from above
With one long yell that sends the startled blood
With thrill and sudden flush into the knees
A hundred voices screamingto the Inca King
Of Spanish horses galloping across the land
The ring of swords, the sharp clashes of steel
Live swords that spin in circles with bloody red
Gall helmets flashing ‘neath their torrent hair
A conjuring, prophetic Godto them
Worse than the furorthe eyes of Atahualpa
To the Peruvian Indiansdoing nothing
Their muscle strainedand then comes slavery;
“Abet!that’s God’s will,” says Atahualpa to his people!
“…thas, ‘t is their Spain’t is not ours and mine.”

And yes, Atahualpa felt the great God was by his side
He stands with face up, as if he sees and believes
The game he so illustrates, and says, “That’s death!”
“Ah! For my Spain!” I speak his very words
As for his group, I know them, every one
An odd crazy place and full of make up, untamed
Soto, Rada, Chavez, Atienza, and Riquelme
All seemed to me fine men devoid of revenge
A little crazedbut who is entirely sane?
They went about with war as they were taught,
And gave away their laughter but not the gold,
And all their talk was of gold and uproar.

If Spaniards thought and said they were gods,
‘T was undisruptive foolishness, not deserving death
Death to the riddled Inca King, Atahualpa

What most aroused Atahualpa’s brother, Titu–
Was that his brother gave the Spaniards his resources,
And cried that wealthy men would pay his ransom;
And, worst of all, roundly denounced his people,
With all their cries to fight the Spaniards greed;
Said they were frauds who made stretched prayers;
And were at best, only devil conquistadors;
And this it was that brought Pizarro to his death.

As it was Riquelme who voted to hang Atahualpa
Those who went with him did not believe in him
Were mostly dull, uneducated men
Simple and dazed by what he said,
And misconceiving every word he said.
He led them by an enthralled fear;
They followed him like rebels, where he went,
With feelings mixed of wonder, fear and dread.
Stricken with fear until they hung him!…

Thus much was said, by the ruling hand of Pizarro
I hear him fuming in the court below, like Pilot,
Cursing his servants and Spain.

The sun is droppingall the sky’s ablaze
A half hour hence all will be boring and grey
again;
On through the blinding eyes of the many–
don Francisco Pizarro, like Titus of Rome
Announces the unjustifiable execution of
Atahualpa!…

As long as Inca’s shall be know to men
Riquelme’s name shall bear the brand of ill repute,
The curse, of generations still unborn! …

#744 6/2005

Spanish Version

Una Muerte en Cajamarca, Per
(Atahualpa)

Avance: Esta es una versin, no una traduccin de ninguna clase, sobre el encarcelamiento y la muerte de Atahualpa, el Rey Inca del Imperio Incaico, en el siglo XVI (Per).

Atahualpa, sufriendo en Cajamarca
Saludado por De Soto, su amigo emancipado de Espaa
“Ten calma! Estos tiempos sern tolerantes para ti”.
Por Riquelme, que est cansado de este lugar
Insatisfecho con el jaque mate, mira a Atahualpa
Como simplemente detestablecon ardimiento, triste poco atractivo,
Y anhela otra vez encontrarse en Espaa.
Después de la vergenza de la derrota,
Por el esclavo cautivo Atahualpa, Inca Rey
Quien dio un consejo al Capitn Hernando De Soto
Y consigui un jaque mate inevitable…
Y amigos y festnvieron ms que todo, sus juegos
Esta vida pareci blanca y plana. l inerte para descansar
En su prisin extensa toda con paredes vivas, escuchando
Y combatientes temblorosos con trajes de incasel aire
Encantado con el rugir creciente de hombres
El pabelln iluminado por el sol levantado en lo alto
Inflamado y manchado contra sus acordonadas venas
Y ondeando fuera de sus bordes con desgarradores testimonios
Los guerreros salvajes rugiendo desde el abismo
Los soldados ms salvajes atestados gritando desde arriba
Con un grito largo que enva la sangre sobresaltada
Con estremecimiento y corriente repentina a las rodillas
Un ciento de voces gritandoal Inca Rey
De caballos espaoles galopando a través del terreno
El toque de espadas, los choques agudos del acero.
Espadas vivas que giran en crculos con rojo sangriento
Cascos, destellando bajo sus voluminosos pelos
La prestidigitacin de un Dios proféticopara ellos
Peor que el escndalolos ojos de Atahualpa
A los indios peruanosde no hacer nada
Sus msculos tensosy luego viene esclavitud;
“nimo!-ésta es la voluntad de Dios”, dice Atahualpa a su gente
“… ésta es, ésta es su Espaaesto no es mo o nuestro”.

Y si, Atahualpa sinti que el gran Dios estaba de su lado
l est de pie, con la cara elevada, como si él ve y cree
El juego que él as lo ilustra, y dice, “ésta es la muerte!”
“Ah! Por mi Espaa!” Yo digo sus propias palabras
Como por su grupo, yo los conozco, a todos
Un raro lugar loco y constituido de indmitos
Soto, Rada, Chvez, Atienza y Riquelme
Todos me parecieron a mi, hombres correctos desprovistos de venganza
Un poco locospero Quién es enteramente sano?
Ellos se ocuparon de la guerra como les ensearon,
Y regalaron su sonrisa pero no el oro,
Y toda su conversacin fue del oro y el alboroto.

Si los espaoles pensaron y dijeron que eran dioses,
Esto fue una insensatez inquebrantadota, no mereciendo la muerte
Muerte para el enigmtico Inca rey, Atahualpa

Lo que ms azuz al hermano de Atahualpa, Titu
Fue que su hermano dio a los espaoles sus recursos,
Y exclam que hombres ricos pagaran su rescate;
Y, peor que todo, denunciando rotundamente a su gente,
Con todos sus gritos para pelear la ambicin de los espaoles;
Dijeron que ellos eran fraudes que hicieron rezos extendidos;
Y eran a lo ms, slo conquistadores del diablo;
Y esto fue lo que trajo Pizarro a su muerte.

Como fue Riquelme quien vot para colgar a Atahualpa
Aquellos quienes fueron con él no crean en él
Fueron sobre todo endebles, hombres sin educacin
Simples y aturdidos por lo que él dijo,
Y mal entendiendo cada palabra que él dijo.
El los condujo con él en un miedo cautivado,
Ellos lo siguieron como rebeldes, donde él fue,
Con sentimientos mezclados de duda, miedo y temor.
Afligidos con miedo hasta que ellos lo colgaran!….

As, mucho fue dicho, por la mano gobernante de Pizarro
Yo lo o exasperarse abajo en la corte, como Pilatos.
Maldiciendo a sus criados y a Espaa
El sol est bajandotodo el cielo est en llamas
A media hora de aqu, por lo tanto, todo ser aburrido y gris otra vez;
Sobre los ojos ciegos de muchos
Don francisco Pizarro, como Tito de Roma
Anuncia la injustificable ejecucin de Atahualpa

Mientras el Inca sea reconocido por los hombres
El nombre de Riquelme llevar la marca de reputacin enferma,
La maldicin, de generaciones aun no nacidas!…

Dennis Siluk his web site is http://dennissiluk.tripod.com

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