Chocolate Petal Decorations

Chocolate Petals – Raupua Tiakarete

If you have followed my mahi (work) for a while, you will know that I am a sucker for decorating my baking. It is in fact my favourite part of baking, bringing something to life with simple decorations. These raupua tiakarete (chocolate petals) could not be simpler to make. They are such a cute way to decorate cakes or cupcakes. If you have my cookbook, you will have seen these raupua (petals) on my keke tiakarete (chocolate cake), decorated with gold leaf. In the photo above I have added them to my Vegan Chocolate Cake.

Here are a few tips for decorating perfection:

1. When you melt the tiakarete (chocolate), do this gently in a bowl that sits over a pot of barely simmering water or in the microwave. When the chocolate is mostly melted, remove the bowl from the heat and stir gently until it is all melted. This is a cheats way to temper. If you want to temper the chocolate like the pro’s do, google it as I am all about the cheat in this department.
2. Let the raupua tiakarete (chocolate petals) set on the bench rather than in the fridge. Often with tiakarete (chocolate), if the temperatures changes too rapidly the chocolate can go a bit weird and appear splotchy so let it dry slowly on the bench. If they are nearly set, you can do the final five minutes in the fridge.
3. Here I have covered them with freeze dried fruit powder but you can do whatever you like using sprinkles, gold leaf or white chocolate drizzle. The creative process is up to you.