How to Shave Chocolate for Desserts
Chocolate shavings make a beautiful garnish for all sorts of desserts, from cakes and cupcakes to ice cream and pies. They’re also relatively simple to make at home, so there’s no need to buy them pre-made at the store. All you need is a sharp knife and a block of good-quality chocolate. In this post, we’ll show you how to make shavings or curls of chocolate in just a few easy steps.
What You’ll Need
First things first, you’ll need a block of chocolate. We recommend using a dark or semi-sweet chocolate, as the bitterness pairs well with sweeter desserts. You’ll also need a sharp knife—a paring knife or chef’s knife will do the trick. And that’s it! With just these two ingredients, you can make beautiful chocolate shavings to top off any dessert.
Step 1:
Start with a block of room-temperature chocolate. If your chocolate is too hard, it will be difficult to shave; if it’s too soft, the shavings will be more like curls than actual shavings.
Step 2:
Using a sharp knife, slowly make long, thin strokes along the surface of the chocolate block. Work slowly and carefully so that you don’t accidentally cut yourself.
Top tip: Use a potato peeler in place of a knife for safer technique and to make your shavings extra curly.
Step 3:
Continue making strokes until you have a pile of thin chocolate shavings. If your pieces are too thick or too thin, you can adjust accordingly by shaving more or less off the chocolate block.
Step 4:
Garnish your dessert with the shavings, or store them in an airtight container for later use. Enjoy!
Conclusion
And there you have it—four easy steps to making beautiful chocolate curls or shavings at home. So the next time you’re looking for a tasty garnish for your desserts, give this method a try.
Bon appetit!
