Tempering chocolate has a way of intimidating the best of us the first time we approach it. The good news is that there are rules to it, and while some chocolates may try to bend them, eventually they toe the line. The other good news is that as long as you are treating the chocolate with proper care, if it doesn't temper properly the first time, you can melt it and do it again. If you went and burnt the chocolate over a direct flame however, you just plain burned it.
Basically, what you are doing first when you temper is you are melting the chocolate so the crystalline structure breaks down. This also breaks down the emulsion between the cocoa butter and the cocoa mass, so then you need to cool it down while keeping it in motion so the crystals reform and the emulsion comes back. At this point, it is usually too thick to use, so you then need to warm it up slightly while keeping it in motion. This is when most people will test the temper by dipping a corner of parchment paper in the chocolate and observe how it sets. If it sets quickly, is shiny and has a snap when you break it, you did it. Use it as you planned and make sure you store it in a cool, dry place.
The rules change with different chocolates. The temperatures are slightly different with white, milk and dark chocolate as well some brands will behave differently. Many commercial companies incorporate soy lecithin into the chocolate to help hold emulsification. This also makes tempering easier. Some of the organic brands are 100% pure cocoa, their product is beautiful, some of them hailing from a single farm in a very specific region, but they are brutal to try to temper. I worked with one for a contest, was advised to raise the initial melting temperature by 5 degrees Celsius, and still slaved over it for hours because the "temper test" never came out right. I resigned myself to having to coat my molds anyway for the sake of a few hours sleep, came back the next day and the temper was perfect - go figure.
The number one rule is NO WATER. Make sure all your surfaces, equipment, hands or anything else that might come in contact with the chocolate are dry. Ironically, we then often melt it over a bain marie - make sure you have an absorbent towel to dry the bottom of the bowl, and keep it far away the rest of the time.
Two techniques seem to dominate tempering. The classic "marbling" method involves pouring out some of the chocolate at the second stage (about 1/3 - 1/2) and using a large scraper to keep it in motion while cooling down, before returning it to the rest of the chocolate. After stirring together, the temperature is checked and the process is repeated if it's still too hot. The other method is the "microwave method" where 2/3 of the chocolate is melted in the microwave to the first stage while the remaining third is chopped small and melted in after as part of the cooling process. Both ways work, so use the one that appeals to you.
After a while, even the best tempers lose it. If you ever notice an older batch of chocolate looking "frosty", it has bloomed, and the cocoa butter has started to separate. Close your eyes and taste it, if it still tastes good, it just needs to be melted and re-tempered. Nothing stays fresh forever, so use your judgement.
Once you feel comfortable with tempering, use the knowledge you've gained whenever you use chocolate. A ganache can be tempered, it's hard to test other than using your experience and judgement, but the end result is another level of silk.
The most common temperatures for tempering are:
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Dark 45C / 113F 29C / 85F 32C / 90F
Milk 45C / 113F 28C / 83F 30C / 86F
White 45C / 113F 27C / 81F 29C / 85F
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