Baking desserts is an activity that many of us find relaxing and enjoyable. Not only is it a great way to wind down from the day, but it can often feel like a stress release. But there's one part to baking that doesn't always feel like so calming -- decorating. For those of us that don't have impressive art abilities but still want our baked goodies to look beautiful, a chocolate drizzle is a simple yet elegant decorating hack. And it only requires melted chocolate.
For the best results when drizzling your chocolate, there's a few things to keep in mind. The quality of your chocolate matters, since it's the only ingredient used. Look for high quality chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa butter and fat. Chocolate morsels or chips are the most practical, but you can also melt an evenly chopped chocolate bar. Be sure to fully cool and remove your dessert from its baking dish before drizzling. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler, or in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring thoroughly in-between until fully melted. If your melted chocolate looks too thick, you can add in a tablespoon of coconut oil or more, until the chocolate is at a drizzling consistency.
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Dip a fork or spoon into the bowl of chocolate and, working quickly, drizzle it onto your baked goods by moving it up and down to cover the dessert. Once the stream of chocolate starts to falter, dip your spoon or fork back into the chocolate. For more precise drizzling, you can also transfer the melted chocolate into a sandwich or piping bag before cutting off one corner of the bag. Keep in mind, the larger the hole, the thicker the drizzle will be. Moving the bag back and forth over your dessert while gently squeezing will give you an even drizzle. Remember, speed is key here to avoid the chocolate cooling.
You can decorate just about any dessert with a drizzle to make it look more aesthetically pleasing. It's a great way to make your homemade holiday cookies, brownies, or truffles look extra fancy. Feel free to get creative by making a criss-cross pattern when drizzling or using a chocolate color that contrasts with your dessert. And if you want a less messy kitchen, place your baked goods on parchment paper, spacing them out so you can decorate each piece beautifully.
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