...from the moment we are fed by our mothers, without even
knowing it, we are caught in a net that brings us comfort,
something we always feel when a special woman cooks for us.
- Chef José Ramón Andrés
So let's show our mothers how much we appreciate them by
returning the favor. Chocolate roses are romantic, sweet,
and gorgeous. Dads and kids, put on your aprons!
Chocolate Clay Ingredients
10 ounces semisweet chocolate (coarsely chopped chunks or
chips)
1/3 cup light corn syrup
Melt the chocolate in a small bowl over hot water, stirring
occasionally. The correct method for doing this is to boil
the water, take it off the heat, then put the bowl with the
chocolate on top. If necessary, return the pot of water to
the burner on low heat.
Add the corn syrup to the chocolate and mix well, scraping
the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and folding in
the syrup until no shiny syrup is visible and the mixture
forms a thick ball. Pour mixture onto waxed paper and
spread with the spatula until it's about 1/2 inch thick.
Let it sit and stiffen, uncovered, for about 2 hours at
room temperature. Now it's ready for making your roses.
Chocolate Roses Instructions
Knead a handful of chocolate clay at a time on a counter or
cutting board until it is soft and pliable like regular
clay.
Roll the chocolate dough into twelve 1/2-inch diameter
balls (for each full-size rose) and put them on waxed paper
about 1 inch apart. Press each ball with your fingertips
until it is a flat disk about the size of a quarter. Make
the top thinner than the bottom.
To make the center of the rose, roll one disk into what
looks like a tepee, rolling the thinner edge tightly into
the top of the tepee. Wrap the next disk around the opening
of the tepee and the third disk at the back of the tepee -
this is the rose bud. Now continue adding one disk at a
time as individual petals, gently curling the top edge
slightly downward. You can leave some roses as rosebuds,
then make various sizes, making them larger by adding more
petals. If there is excess chocolate at the bottom of your
roses, pinch it off with your fingers to make more balls.
Harden your finished roses at room temperature, which can
take up to a couple days, and then store them in a cool,
dry place. To retain the best chocolate flavor, it is best
not to store them in the refrigerator.
You can get fancy for Mothers Day if you like by using
white chocolate and experimenting with adding food
coloring. Or, decorate your chocolate roses by painting
them with melted white chocolate.
Tulips are fun too, and are really pretty made with white
chocolate and then painted.
To make larger roses, start with larger chocolate balls.
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Kathryn Beach has made homemade candy for over 30 years.
Visit her website for more simple chocolate candy recipes,
as well as for the more complicated but elegant truffles.
http://candychocolicio.us/data/html/simplerecipes/32.cgi
