Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Tempering Milk Chocolate
Chocolate Shaving Procedure
- Chocolate shavings work with all kinds of couverture-grade chocolate. As with making chocolate modeling, the mold used for modeling must be spotless and dry. To ensure sturdiness when making a chocolate block, it is important to make it thick enough—about an inch (2.5 cm). The chocolate block can be reused almost indefinitely and remelted for other uses. Pour the tempered milk chocolate into the plastic container. Tap the mold on the counter for about 30 seconds to remove air bubbles trapped in the chocolate. Let it cool to room temperature. Once set, refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Demold the molded milk chocolate block. Use it at room temperature. If the block is too cold, it will be more challenging to create curly and large shavings—they will break.
- Before starting, place a metal device or a piece of wooden board to prevent the chocolate slab from moving toward your apron while shaving chocolate.
- To make clean shavings, hold your chef's knife firmly by the handle with one hand and hold the end of the knife blade tightly. Only the end tip of the blade should touch the chocolate.
- Begin shaving by exerting a pressing motion from noon to 6 o'clock, going in all directions from right to left, ensuring that the block doesn't curve too much in the center. The goal is to create large curls. Handle chocolate shavings with care; they breaks easily.
Decorating
- When toping a cake with chocolate shavings, wear gloves if you have to be in direct contact with. Gently grab some using a dough scraper, and cover the cake. Here:
- Mandarin Chestnut Ice Cream Yule Log with cassis ice cream mushrooms.
Storing
- Chocolate shavings can be made ahead of time and kept in a box in a cool area or in the fridge during warm weather.
