The Ultimate Chocolate Decoration.
There are so many ways to apply and have fun utilizing chocolate decorating techniques, such as garnishing desserts, decorating cakes, enhancing a dessert buffet table, for gift giving, and the list goes on.
Once you’ve practiced a few creative techniques, why not toss all the delicious components together to create a fabulous chocolate table centerpiece. It can be as simple as:
- Stacking several chocolate boxes or spheres vertically to create height and drama
- A large molded 3D piece, further embellished with decorations to really sass it up
- An exquisite chocolate garden with giant fantasy flowers and whimsical butterflies
Chocolate table centerpieces are a posh choice for dinner parties and special occasions.
When thinking about making a centerpiece, start small and simple at first, especially if you’ll be transporting your piece to another location. That means fewer pieces and not too tall. For extra height just use a small platform.
It’s lovely to have an assortment of sweets around the centerpiece for people to nibble on, such as confections, cupcakes or desserts. Centerpieces are truly stunning as embellishments for dessert buffet tables.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making your first chocolate table centerpiece:
1. The taller your piece, the harder to transport, consider assembling parts and adding finishing touches at your party destination. Pack individual pieces very carefully and make extras to bring, some pieces may break along the way. Keep in mind the weather, keep chocolate pieces cool during transit.
2. You’ll need to bring extra chocolate to “glue” pieces together when you arrive. Bring pastry bags and make sure you can easily warm your chocolate. Bring Magic Freeze Spray if possible, to cool your chocolate quickly, you’ll love it!
3. Unless you have large quantities of tempered chocolate on tap, you’ll probably want to use confectionary coating. Most chocolate centerpieces are not intended for eating anyway. They are for decorative purposes. Of course, using real chocolate is great if you can swing it.
4. If using real chocolate, (or a good quality confectionery coating), bring a mini hammer and break apart your piece for guests to enjoy, like a chocolate Croquembouche, yum yum! you can also bring little take home bags or boxes for guests.
5. Table centerpieces are best suited for display in a temperature controlled environment, outside in moderate temperature is fine, remember chocolate doesn’t like warm weather.
ChocolateTutorials.com coming soon
Friends, I’m working on some exciting chocolate decorating and dessert tutorials with professional pastry chef/chocolate artist Robin Robins, aka Robin Art Chocolate (Robin’s work is featured on this post), and sponsors chocotransfersheets.com, scheduled for 2014.
Robin has loads of chocolate and pastry experience, she been teaching pastry arts for over 10 years, and has worked with many top world pastry chefs. I’m honored to have this opportunity and can’t wait to showcase her top-notch skills.
Until next time,
Peace, Love, Chocolate,
Katreece
The Chocolate Addict.com
NOTE: please understand that I am an academically challenged right-brainer, and forgive any typos, grammatical faux pas, and things that don’t make sense.
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