Help needed - tempering chocolate

[mudpiesfortea]

Hi! I also posted this in food but thought I'd come over here as you bakers probably have loads of tips re: tempering chocolate.

So, I found this really cute Easter cookie idea:

I'm going to make these to give to family instead of traditional chocolate eggs so I need to make sure they look the business. grin

I want to temper my chocolate before I dip the cookies to give it a really shiny finish but I've never managed to successfully temper chocolate.

I don't have a candy thermometer and have been using one for meat. Is that where I'm going wrong? I'm also using baking chocolate chips, perhaps I need to use something else?

Any tips/recommendations greatly appreciated!!

I'm not sure what baking chocolate chips are, but I'm assuming they're like cooking chocolate, but in chips? In which case, I'd be tempted to get some ordinary chocolate, because baking chocolate is horrible!
Anyway, I'm no expert but I have done some tempering. The method I use (as I don't have a chocolate thermometer) is microwaving. So take your total weight of chocolate, remove 1/4-1/3 of it and keep it to one side. Put the rest in a plastic bowl and microwave in short bursts - start with a minute, then do 30 second blasts. In between each burst, stir really well. You'll get to the point where the chocolate still has lumps but they melt on stirring - at this point add back in the unmelted choc and stir again until it melts. If there are any lumps left you can either strain them out or do 10 sec bursts until they are just melted.
Test if the choc is in temper by dipping a spoon or a knife and just coating the back. Leave for a minute or two, then press your fingernail into it, it should leave a clean impression.
This method is called seeding, I find it the most reliable way.

Thanks! I'll give it a go.