The Catalan TableIngredients
Servings:
4
Ingredients
- 100 g70% or 80% couverture chocolate
Ingredients
- 70% or 80% couverture chocolate
- sunflower oil or corn oil
Nutritional Information
Per Serving (Approx.)
Calories
137 kcal
Protein
1 g
Fat
8 g
Carbohydrates
15 g
Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.
Step-by-step Guide
Ingredientes
- Clean the marble surface thoroughly with a damp cloth and then dry it completely with a dry cloth to ensure there is no moisture left.
- Melt the couverture chocolate using a bain-marie until the temperature reaches 45ºC. Very Important: While melting the chocolate in the bain-marie, make sure NO Water Droplets from the pot enter. If a drop of water gets in, the chocolate will harden, and it will be impossible to fix.
- Pour 3/4 of the melted chocolate onto the marble surface and spread it with a pastry scraper to help it cool. Ensure the layer is even.
- When the chocolate begins to set, gather it with the scraper and return it to the bowl containing the remaining 1/4 of melted chocolate.
- Stir slowly until the chocolate is well integrated and homogeneous.
- Pour the chocolate mixture onto a sheet of baking paper, using a scraper to spread it into a layer of uniform, rather thin thickness.
- Let the chocolate layer cool at room temperature until it solidifies completely, for about 15-30 minutes.
- When the chocolate is cool, scrape it with the scraper to obtain shavings and store them in the refrigerator until it's time to decorate. Note: If we spread the chocolate on plastic wrap, we can slightly roll the sheet as it begins to cool and let it finish solidifying. If we carefully remove the plastic, we will get slightly curled shavings.
- Melt the chocolate alone in a double boiler, maintaining a constant temperature. Very Important: During this process, avoid any water from the pot's bath getting into the chocolate, as this would cause the chocolate to harden irreversibly.
- Add a small amount of oil (never water) to add shine and fluidity to the chocolate, and stir well until the oil is fully integrated.
- Remove the chocolate from the double boiler and aerate it with a spoon, letting the chocolate fall from a certain height, repeating this process several times to help cool it slightly.
- To decorate the cake, place it slightly elevated (for example, with a small plate underneath) on another large plate to catch the excess chocolate that falls off.
- Take a spoonful of chocolate, let a stream of chocolate fall into the same bowl, and when the stream is thin, move the spoon in strokes over the cake from a certain height to create a decorative effect.
Recommendations & Tricks
- Poach the water in a double boiler until it reaches about 80ºC, but without boiling, and place a bowl with couverture chocolate in it. Stir the chocolate gently until it reaches 45ºC, using a kitchen thermometer to ensure the proper temperature.
- Keep the bowl with chocolate dry and away from steam to prevent water from entering. Even a drop of water can turn the chocolate grainy and impossible to work with.
- Pour three-quarters of the melted chocolate onto a clean and dry marble surface. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate into a thin and even layer so it cools more quickly and uniformly.
- When the chocolate starts to thicken but is still manageable, use a spatula or scraper to collect it and return it to the bowl with the remaining one-quarter of chocolate. This helps achieve the perfect temperature for working with it.
- Stir well inside the bowl to obtain a homogeneous and smooth mass, ensuring that all the chocolate has the same temperature and texture.
- Pour the tempered chocolate onto a sheet of baking paper and use the spatula to spread it into a thin sheet, approximately 1-2 mm thick.
- Allow the chocolate to cool at room temperature in a cool and dry place until it is completely solidified. Ensure it is not near a heat source.
- Once solidified, scrape the chocolate with a scraper to make shavings. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to decorate.