When it comes to head-turning desserts, Food Network pastry chef Duff Goldman has some advice for making impressive decorations that can be whipped up in seconds. In a recent interview with Tasting Table, the TV star shared his go-to tip for making treats look far more complex than they actually are. “One of the best ones that people can do,” he said, “is either melt chocolate or melt some sugar, color it, and then get a big stainless steel bowl and fill it with ice, and then pour the chocolate right onto the ice, and it makes these crazy shapes.” While this seems like culinary magic, it’s a dessert decorating tip you can easily try out yourself at home. Pouring warm melted chocolate over a bowl of ice causes it to quickly harden into spiky, abstract sculptures, solidified by the sudden temperature drop. These designs are perfect for crowning cakes, cookies, or cupcakes.
First, you’ll need to melt your chocolate in a double boiler on your stovetop, then pour it into a piping bag (or zip-lock bag with a hole in it) and pipe it directly into a bowl filled with ice cubes. It’s also possible to melt chocolate in the microwave. In this case, you’ll have to take precautions to make sure it doesn’t burn by heating it in short bursts at 50% power, stirring it every 15 seconds. You can also use a teaspoon to drizzle the mixture into the water, and if your shape doesn’t turn out like you’d hoped, don’t stress — simply try again.
What kind of chocolate to use
While any chocolate can be melted and shaped, couverture chocolate (such as Callebaut or Valrhona) is considered the gold standard for decorations. It melts smoothly and hardens with a professional sheen due to its high cocoa butter content, but any dark, milk, or semisweet chocolate will do. Adding a small knob of butter can also help your melted chocolate reach the correct consistency. Make sure to temper your chocolate if you’re going for a firm, glossy finish, especially if you’re setting your sights on making tall structures that stand upright. It’s also best to avoid using white chocolate for delicate pieces as it is trickier to work with and more prone to breaking.
As far as deciding what decorations to make, letters can be fun to experiment with (why not try and spell your name). You can also try your hand at chocolate balloon bowls. To make these, melt chocolate, inflate a few balloons, and dip the bottoms into the warm chocolate. Chill them upright on a tray — or speed up the process by setting them on ice — until the chocolate hardens. Pop the balloons, and you’ve got edible bowls ready to fill with candy, ice cream, or berries for a summer sweet treat that is sure to delight any guests.
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