Chocolate Curl Garland Decoration
Spread untempered dark chocolate into thin sheets on a metal tray and chill until firm. Shave into long strips and press along the sides of the dessert to form a ruffled bouquet.
Ingredients
dark chocolate (untempered)
110~130 g
Instructions
1
Prepare the chocolate sheet
Heat an aluminum or stainless steel tray to 40-50°C using the residual heat of the oven, then place it upside down on the work surface. Pour the untempered chocolate into the center of the tray. Warm a palette knife by holding it in your hand, and while the tray is still warm, spread the chocolate into an even, thin sheet. Once the surface is smooth, immediately transfer it to the refrigerator to chill for about 3-4 hours. Take it out 30-40 minutes before use and let it rest at room temperature until it reaches 20-22°C.
2
Shave long strips
Hold the knife against the edge of the tray and shave off about 5mm of chocolate from the outside toward yourself. Then cut straight down into the chocolate at a width about 1.5-2cm taller than the height of the dessert. Grip both ends of the knife firmly with both hands, press the knife against the tray, and shave downward. The chocolate will tend to curl at first, so when starting you can lightly press it with your fingertips and shave from the outside toward yourself, letting the chocolate pass over the top of the knife.
3
Attach to the side of the cake
With the top (finished side) of the chocolate facing outward, press it onto the side of the dessert on the turntable, with the straight-cut edge facing downward. The portion that rises above the dessert simply needs to be gently pressed inward and tilted over.
4
Shape the ruffles
As in steps 1 and 2 above, repeatedly shave chocolate strips of the same width. While the chocolate is still pliable, arrange the zigzag edge in ruffles facing outward, overlapping them like flower petals. While working, wrap the other end of the chocolate around the handle of the palette knife and let it hang down from above to make the work easier.
5
Form the flower center
With your right thumb bracing the middle of the blade and your left hand near the tip, cut 6cm fine ruffles in one motion from the outside toward yourself. If you do not work quickly enough, the chocolate's condition will deteriorate and you will not be able to form flexible ruffles. Make the width slightly shorter than the previous ones to maintain balance. Use the tip of the knife to curl the front end of the chocolate into a flower shape as the center to complete the decoration.
