When I first started dabbling with chocolate, I would always see these molds and not really know what to do with them. Today’s creation is one of my all-time favorite things to create and requires a few different techniques. It’s also SUPER messy (at least for me) so make sure you’re prepared for melted chocolate all over your counters!
For starters, we get to use chocolate transfer sheets. If you’ve ever been to a high-end chocolatier and you’ve seen dainty elaborate designs as part of the display, chances are you’ve seen the finished product of a transfer sheet. They are basically clear plastic laminate sheets that have been printed in cocoa butter (that’s Rebekah’s world of transfer sheets by the way, I’m sure there’s a more technically appropriate description out there somewhere). And they are fun! You can jazz up anything and make it seem professionally done with a little patience and a transfer sheet. You can get them from Amazon or many other specialty dessert/food websites.
Additionally, we get to use the random accent of bubble wrap. Wash and clean it and bubble wrap makes the most interesting “molded” finish on melted chocolate – it also looks a bit like a honeycomb so if you ever needed to do bee themed designs, this would be a quick way to make it happen without an actual honeycomb mold.
What you'll need:
20 ounces high-quality chocolate
Plastic box mold
Cotton gloves
Parchment or wax paper
1 sheet transfer paper, cut into 4 inch strips
1 silicone snowflake mold
1 small piece of bubble wrap, thoroughly cleaned and dry
Edible Luster Dust in Color of Choice
Fluffy brush, can be purchased in the cake decorating section of most craft stores
Instructions:
Choose Your Chocolate: Begin by selecting the type of chocolate you prefer for your box. Dark chocolate offers a rich and intense flavor, while milk and white chocolate provide a sweeter taste. You can also combine different types for a more diverse experience. I chose milk chocolate for most of this, but used white chocolate in the snow flake mold.
Melt the chocolate using a double boiler or microwave, ensuring a smooth and glossy consistency. If using the microwave, melt slowly in 15 second intervals stirring in between each one. Chocolate that has gotten too hot will "bloom" leaving white streaks once set. Once melted, pour the chocolate into the box shaped mold. Tap the mold against the counter to eliminate air bubbles. Rotate mold to allow chocolate to evenly coat and to ensure that the box will be level. Tap again against the counter to remove any additional air bubbles that might have developed as you rotated the mold. Because the base of this box is so thick, I actually put the filled mold in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and then in the freezer for about 20 minutes so that it would come out cleanly.
While the box is hardening, pour a thin layer of melted white chocolate (using the same
melting technique of 15-20 seconds) into the snowflake mold. Allow to harden and then carefully remove from the silicone mold.
Take a small piece of bubble wrap, about the size of the top of the box and spread an even layer of melted chocolate across the top of the bubble wrap. Allow to harden completely, about 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
Remove box and top mold from freezer and gently work the chocolate free from plastic. Be patient, this can take a couple of minutes. Gently peel bubble wrap away from chocolate.
At this point, I added a pearlized luster to both box and top as well as snowflakes but left the bubble wrap “plain”. Once painted, place a small dollop of chocolate on top of the lid and put the bubble wrap piece on top of lid offsetting the corners. Using melted chocolate as the glue, place the snowflakes on the sides of the box.
Now comes the fun part!! Spoon melted chocolate on the pieces of transfer paper (making sure you are spreading the chocolate over the side where the design is printed and not the back, don’t judge, I’ve done this before!) Spread the chocolate all the way to edges and corners of the paper using an offset spatula or butter knife and being careful not to scrape the paper.
Pick up the strip at each end and fold together at ends, using the chocolate as a “glue” to keep the ends together. Hold over a bowl and allow excess chocolate to drizzle out of the folded paper. Place standing up (like in the picture) on a piece of wax or parchment paper and allow to harden completely. These will make your “loops” for your bows.
When hardened, gently peel parchment paper away. Place a dollop of melted chocolate on a clean piece of wax paper and add loops to form the base of the bow. Add more melted chocolate and another layer of “loops”. Fill in open spaces with other “loops” until you have a full bowl. Allow chocolate to set completely, I usually wait for about an hour. If you don't have transfer paper, you can easily make a chocolate bow using strips of parchment paper. I would use that instead of wax paper as it's just a bit sturdier and holds the shape of the "loop" a little better.
Place one last dollop of melted chocolate on top of the bubble wrap and gently peel the bow
away from the wax paper; place on top of the bubble wrap chocolate and allow to harden completely.
This box is a showstopper on a dessert table or as a gift. The bow takes some practice, but it is so worth it when you get comfortable with the method. The bows themselves are great on cupcakes or as a cheesecake topper! Have fun with it and don’t be scared to try something new!
Comments