Dark Chocolate Petals - Raupua Tiakarete Parauri
These Dark Chocolate Petal Decorations pack a visual punch, don't you think? 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. I also feature them on my Vegan Chocolate Cake.
A few tips on my Dark Chocolate Petal Decorations:
- 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 completely melted and smooth. 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.
- 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. Once they are nearly set, place them in the fridge for the final five minutes.
- In the Vegan Chocolate Cake I sprinkled them with freeze-dried fruit powder to give a rustic feel. In my cookbook keke tiakarete (chocolate cake), I used rau kōura (gold leaf). The creative process is up to you so have play around with what you want to do.
More decorations to try:
Want to decorate my Chocolate Cake with Biscoff Buttercream with homemade māngohe (marshmallows)? It looks so beautiful and vibrant, try it here. Want to decorate mawhene (muffins) with a whispy merenge (meringue), try my French Meringue and Meringue Shards.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
Chocolate Petals - Raupua Tiakarete
Ingredients
Chocolate Petals - Raupua Tiakarete
- 100 g tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate, you can use whatever chocolate you like). Note: If you are doing a large, double layer cake change the ratio to 160 g.
- Any bling that you want to add. Freeze dried fruit, gold leaf or powders.
Instructions
Chocolate Petals - Raupua Tiakarete
- Chop the tiakarete parauri (dark chocolate) in to fine pieces and add it to a heat-proof bowl.
- Melt it gently in a heat-proof bowl that is sitting over a pot of barely simmering water (around 3cm deep). Make sure the bowl is not touching the water.You can also do this in 15 second bursts in the microwave, stir gently after each 15 seconds.
- With both melting methods, only melt ¾'s of the tiakarete (chocolate) and then remove from the heat. Stir gently until it is all melted.
- On to a flat baking tray, lined with baking paper, add dollops of the melted chocolate on to baking paper. Once you have added a dollop, smear it with the back of the teaspoon. There are no rules here in terms of size and shape. Just go with it.
- Once you have used all the tiakarete, leave to set on the bench for 20 minutes. Add them to the fridge to completely set for 5 more minutes. Once they have set, they are free to use however you wish. Be gentle as you use them. Also remember if it is hot, add them on to your freshly iced goods (when the icing is still soft) in the fridge.
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