How to make chocolate leaves

Receta en español aquí

Chocolate leaves are an easy and beautiful decor for your cakes. You only need chocolate, leaves and a little of your time. To make them it helps to choose leaves with prominent veins, so the pattern will more easily transfer to the chocolate and not too large. Of course make sure the leaves are no toxic…

 

First all wash the leaves (to remove pesticides) and dry them, chocolate will not stick if they are wet.

Next step is to melt the chocolate. They can be made with all variety  of chocolate, white, dark…

To melt chocolate:

-          Double boiler method: Place the bowl of chocolate on top of a  pot with simmering water and stir the chocolate until it has melted.   Do not let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or chocolate will burn.

-          In the microwave, but be careful not burn the chocolate: I set the microwave on half power for 30 seconds, stir, another 30 seconds and stir, and so until the chocolate is melted (around 90 seconds).

 Then paint the leaves with the melted chocolate using a clean and dry small paintbrush. Paint the backside, this way you will get more detailed veins. Make sure that the chocolate extends all the way to the edges. 

When you finish paint again all the leaves to add a second chocolate layer to be sure the chocolate is thick enough and won’t break when you peel the leaf away.

Put the leaves over a clean dish or a baking paper and let in the fridge until set. The leaves are much less fragile when the chocolate hardens.

Slowly peel the leaves from the chocolate, starting from the stem and gently pull the leaf away.

Try do not touch much the leaves, to avoid melting them with your corporal heat.

Store in the fridge, in a closed container until you use them. Ensure they do not touch each other and they are not stacked.