Lauren Amsterdams Chocolate Leaves Recipes

Steps:

• Line large baking sheet with foil. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water, stirring until smooth and instant-read thermometer inserted into chocolate registers 115°F. Brush chocolate over veined side (underside) of 1 leaf, coating thickly and completely. Arrange chocolate side up on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining leaves and chocolate, rewarming chocolate if necessary to maintain 115°F temperature. Chill leaves until firm, about 45 minutes. Starting at stem end, carefully pull back green leaf, releasing chocolate leaf; return leaves to same baking sheet. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.) Using small artist brush, carefully brush some leaves with gold dust, if desired.
• *Available at cake and candy supply stores, or by mail from Jane's Cakes and Chocolates at 800-262-7630.

Steps:

• Wash and dry freshly picked leaves of your choice; set aside. In a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water, melt chocolate. Immediately transfer chocolate to a squeeze bottle.
• Place leaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet, bottom side up. Outline each leaf with chocolate, then fill in centers. Transfer leaves to freezer until chocolate has set.
• Peel leaves from chocolate and use chocolate leaves for garnish.

Steps:

• Place the metal leaf template onto parchment paper. Using a small offset spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate over the template. Remove the stencil and allow to harden. If you don't have a stencil, use a paintbrush to spread bittersweet chocolate over a real leaf on the shiny side, keeping the thickness to about 1/8-inch. Allow the chocolate to set completely then gently peel back the leaf from the chocolate.
• How to Temper Chocolate(From Dessert Circus, Extraordinary Desserts You Can Make At Home by Jacques Torres):
• Chocolate is tempered so that after it has been melted, it retains its gloss and hardens again without becoming chalky and white (that happens when the molecules of fat separate and form on top of the chocolate). There are a variety of ways to temper.
• One of the easiest ways to temper chocolate is to chop it into small pieces and then place it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time on high power until most of the chocolate is melted. Be very careful not to overheat it. (The temperature of dark chocolate should be between 88 and 90 degrees F, slightly warmer than your bottom lip. It will retain its shape even when mostly melted. White and milk chocolates melt at a temperature approximately 2 degrees F less because of the amount of lactose they contain.) Any remaining lumps will melt in the chocolate's residual heat. Use an immersion blender or whisk to break up the lumps. Usually, chocolate begins to set, or crystallize, along the side of the bowl. As it sets, mix those crystals into the melted chocolate to temper it. A glass bowl retains heat well and keeps the chocolate tempered longer.
• Another way to temper chocolate is called seeding. In this method, add small pieces of unmelted chocolate to melted chocolate. The amount of unmelted chocolate to be added depends on the temperature of the melted chocolate, but is usually 1/4 of the total amount. It is easiest to use an immersion blender for this, or a whisk.
• The classic way to temper chocolate is called tabliering. Two thirds of the melted chocolate is poured onto a marble or another cold work surface. The chocolate is spread out and worked with a spatula until its temperature is approximately 81 degrees F. At this stage, it is thick and begins to set. This tempered chocolate is then added to the remaining non-tempered chocolate and mixed thoroughly until the mass has a completely uniform temperature. If the temperature is still too high, part of the chocolate is worked further on the cold surface until the correct temperature is reached. This is a lot of work, requires a lot of room, and makes a big mess.
• A simple method of checking tempering, is to apply a small quantity of chocolate to a piece of paper or to the point of a knife. If the chocolate has been correctly tempered, it will harden evenly and show a good gloss within a few minutes.

Steps:

• Using paintbrush, coat underside of 1 leaf with a thick layer of chocolate. Drape leaf, chocolate side up, over a skewer set on a parchment-lined baking sheet, top. Repeat. Refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes.
• Gently grasp each leaf with tweezers, and peel from chocolate. Use chocolate leaves to decorate as desired, or store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Steps:

• Line small baking sheet with foil. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from over water. Using pastry brush, carefully coat heavily veined sides of camellia leaves with melted chocolate. Using fingertips, wipe away any chocolate overflow from edges. Place leaves on prepared baking sheet. Freeze leaves just until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Carefully peel camellia leaves from chocolate leaves. Return chocolate leaves to baking sheet; freeze at least 10 minutes. Dip artist's brush into gold dust; brush generously over some leaves. Cover and freeze. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead.) Arrange leaves decoratively on cake and serve.

Steps:

• Gently clean leaves using a damp paper towel. Let dry completely on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
• Heat chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until almost melted. Remove from heat; stir until smooth. Transfer one-third of the chocolate to a small bowl; tint green. Tint remaining chocolate pale pink.
• Using a pastry brush, generously coat undersides of 20 small leaves with pink chocolate and 10 large leaves with green chocolate. Place leaves, chocolate sides up, on baking sheets lined with parchment. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Starting at stem ends, peel leaves from chocolate; discard leaves. Transfer chocolate leaves to baking sheets lined with clean parchment paper; refrigerate until ready to use.