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Dipped pralines/petits fours/biscuits

Dipped pralines/petit fours/biscuits

Fork printing
> Materials:
dipping fork

> Step by step:
1. Press the tines of the dipping fork gently into the chocolate coated top of the praline as soon as the chocolate layer starts to slightly set. Do not wait too long! The chocolate still needs to be fluid to achieve satisfying results. 1

2. Promptly lift the fork straight up. Don't pull or scrape with the fork over the surface of the chocolate. 2

Gold leaf decoration

>Materials:
Gold leaf printing device (24K)

>Step by step:
1. You can apply this finishing as soon as the chocolate coating has started to set. It must not be fully hardened because then the gold would not be properly secured to the chocolate and the slightest movement could detach it. Press the knob on the gold leaf printing device to push out some of the gold leaf strip. 3

2. Press it lightly against the top of the praline.

3. This leaves a small speck of gold leaf behind - a very elegant touch. 4

Silkscreened foil

>Materials:
plastic foil with a silkscreen print in chocolate or sugar

>Step by step:
When the pralines are just dipped and the chocolate is still fluid:

1. Press one piece of silkscreened foil (with the printed side down) gently onto the top of the praline. Be gentle: don't shove! 5

2. With the back of the dipping fork tap softly on the top of the foil.

3. Only remove the foil when the chocolate coating has completely hardened. Otherwise you can damage the chocolate shell. The foil gives the chocolate coating an outstanding sheen and the print gives it a unique character. 6 7

Relief foil

>Materials:
slivers of plastic foil with a fine to medium relief motif.

>Step by step:
When the pralines have just been dipped and the chocolate is still slightly fluid:

1. Press one piece of the relief foil gently against the top of the chocolate. Be careful: don't shove! 8 9

2. Next, slide a stainless steel ruler gently all around the foil so that it makes full contact with the chocolate surface. 10

3. Remove the foil only when the chocolate has hardened completely! Otherwise you may pull off the chocolate shell. The relief motif from the foil should now sit on the gleaming surface of the praline. 11

Piping bag

>Materials:
paper piping horns CORNET-S from Barry Callebaut
tempered milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate of your choice

>Step by step:
When the chocolate round the pralines has completely set:

1. Fold and fill each piping horn with a different tempered chocolate. Choose a contrasting colour for these decorations. 12

2. Pipe lines, a leaf motif, your initials…. onto the top of the praline and allow to set. For fine details, such as lines, circles…. pipe in brisk movements from a few centimetres above the pralines. For thicker or coarser details: hold the piping cone (nearly) against the praline surface and make slower movements. 13 14

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