Chocolatecurls Recipes

Steps:

• In a heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat 5 squares of chocolate, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.
• Pour melted chocolate into a 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly roll pan; use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the chocolate from the saucepan.
• With the same rubber spatula, spread the chocolate to evenly cover entire bottom of pan.
• Refrigerate until firm, but not brittle, about 10 minutes.
• Place jelly-roll pan on damp cloth on work surface (damp cloth keeps pan from moving while working).
• Holding teaspoon at a 30 degree angle, scrape chocolate into curls (if chocolate softens and sticks to spoon, place pan in refrigerator several minutes).
• With toothpick, transfer curls to another jelly-roll pan; refrigerate.
• Repeat 4 more times to make 5 batches of curls in all.
• To Garnish Cake with Curls: Using a toothpick as a tool to lift the delicate curls (the heat of your hands will melt or mar them), carefully press chocolate curls onto fresh frosting. (The gooey fresh frosting is the glue that holds the curls in place.)

Steps:

• Rub the underside of a baking sheet with an oiled paper towel, then peel back one piece of paper to expose a square of gold leaf. Don't dally: It is whisper-thin, so it practically flies away if you breathe on it. Holding the rest of the book in your hand, invert the gold onto the oiled baking sheet and lift off the remaining piece of paper the gold leaf was sandwiched against. (Wrinkles are okay.) Repeat the process with eight more gold squares.
• Next, melt the chocolate and spread it over the gold leaf as thinly and evenly as possible with the offset spatula.
• Now comes the tricky part. The chocolate needs to set to the right consistency. If it isn't firm enough, it won't curl; if it's too firm, it will break into shards (which have their own beauty). Chill the chocolate for about seven minutes before trying a test curl. Brace the baking sheet against the kitchen wall and, holding the putty knife at an angle, scrape the chocolate (and gold leaf) away from you. If it curls, you've got it! The correct angle is really just a matter of feel.
• Carefully transfer the curls with the putty knife to a paper towel-padded box and keep them cold until you're ready to use them.

Steps:

• Use a vegetable peeler to slice strips from a slightly warm block of good-quality chocolate (heat in microwave for 5-second intervals, checking after each, until just warm to the touch; do not overheat). To produce tight curls, start from the far edge of the chocolate and move the peeler toward you. The delicate curls are best used immediately; you can even shave the curls right onto a cupcake.

Steps:

• Melt chocolate with the shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally.
• Divide chocolate mixture between two 11-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheets; smooth with an offset spatula. Refrigerate until chocolate is set but not brittle.
• Holding a sturdy metal spatula or a bench scraper at a 45-degree angle, scrape chocolate away from you to form curls. If chocolate is too brittle, let stand at room temperature 1 to 2 minutes. If too soft, refrigerate briefly. Curls can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Chop bittersweet chocolate and in a double boiler or small metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water heat until melted. With a metal spatula spread melted chocolate onto a baking sheet (not non-stick) as thinly and evenly as possible. Cool chocolate until firm to the touch but not hard. (Alternatively, chill melted chocolate on sheet; if it becomes too hard let it soften slightly at room temperature.) With a pastry scraper or metal spatula held at an angle scrape chocolate slowly from sheet, letting it curl. Carefully transfer curls as formed to a plate lined with waxed paper. Make more curls with milk chocolate in same manner. Chocolate curls may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, loosely covered.

Steps:

• Microwave chocolate on microaveable plate on HIGH 5 sec. or just until you can smudge chocolate with your thumb.
• Hold chocolate, bottom-side up, firmly between thumb and fingers of one hand. Slowly pull vegetable peeler over bottom of chocolate with other hand, allowing a thin layer of chocolate to curl as it is peeled off the chocolate piece. For shorter curls, pull vegetable peeler over one of the narrow sides of chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Use wooden toothpick to pick up curls and arrange them on top of dessert as desired.

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in a double boiler over water.
• Spread out on cutting board so that it's about 1" thick and in a rectangular shape.
• When chocolate as cooled enough to stiffen but not harden, cut crosswise at a 45 degree angle in very thin slices with a chef knife.
• Let harden, then place on top of cake in a tepee shape.