Decorating confectionery with chocolate is one of the most common ways to give them a spectacular appearance. To do this, use chocolate icing, which covers the top of the product as a whole or with patterns squeezed through a pastry bag. Another way to create volumetric lace chocolate jewelry. To do this, patterns made by thin chocolate trickle from a pastry bag are squeezed onto oiled paper, and when they harden, they are removed and placed on a cake. Bitter-sweet fanlets, lace leaves and twigs look very impressive. The main thing in the preparation of such jewelry is the proper preparation of the glaze from liquid chocolate. How to melt chocolate so that it retains its plasticity and ductility, does not set before time and is not too fragile?
The tile is broken into small pieces of approximately the same size and placed in a bowl, which is placed in a water bath. When the pieces begin to melt, they are stirred with a wooden spatula until completely dissolved and a homogeneous dark mass. After that, the bowl is immediately removed. The same process can be done by placing pieces of chocolate bar on a flat ceramic plate, which should be placed over boiling water. Chocolate will also quickly turn into a sticky mass.
How to melt chocolate in the microwave? Many use this method. You need to put pieces of the tile in a microwave bowl and put it in the oven for 30 seconds for a quick start. Then remove, mix and place again for 30 seconds. Repeat the process until all the chocolate has melted.
To give the glaze a special shine and elasticity, it is tempered. How to melt chocolate by tempering? During this process, they use a special food thermometer, since it is very important here to maintain the desired temperature. First, in a water bath, the chocolate is slowly melted to a homogeneous consistency and mass temperature of about 46 degrees. Soak for several minutes, and then cool to 27 degrees, dropping a plate in a bowl of cold water. Then the chocolate mass is again gradually heated over boiling water to 32 degrees, often stirring. After carrying out these procedures, the icing is ready for further use.
It happens that tiles melt badly or turn into a solid lump. How to melt chocolate to avoid such problems? As a rule, these undesirable moments arise when working with a low-quality product. You can correct the situation if you add gradually in the process of melting one tablespoon of butter or thick slightly warmed cream until the consistency of the chocolate mass becomes sufficiently liquid, even and plastic.
Decor for confectionery can be prepared not only from finished tiles. It is very interesting and exciting to do it yourself. How to make chocolate at home? In a saucepan over low heat, heat to a boil a mixture of five tablespoons of milk, five tablespoons of cocoa powder, six tablespoons of sugar. Add five tablespoons of cow butter to it. Constantly mixing, gradually pour one small spoonful of flour. When the flour is completely dissolved, remove the mixture. From it you can make any decoration for the cake, or pour it in tins and cool in the cold, then you can treat the children with delicious homemade sweets. As a filler, ground nuts, pieces of dried fruits are added to such chocolate. A delicious dessert is obtained from fruits drenched in chocolate icing.
The original fun for children and adults is the chocolate fondue. How to melt chocolate for this dish? The chocolate broken into pieces is placed in a special fondue saucepan and placed above the flame of candles or a small alcohol burner. When the chocolate has melted, pieces of fruit, small biscuits or unsweetened cookies are lowered on long forks.