Chocolate Plastic Roses
I’m posting the recipe and step-by-step instructions for making the chocolate plastic roses. Maybe someone will find this information useful. I really do like the chocolate plastic as the cake decor. It is easy to work with, looks great, holds its shape, and it is way tastier than fondant. Of course, you can make different things from the plastic, just use your imagination.
Makes enough to make about 4-6 large flowers
Ingredients:
- 8 oz white (or milk) chocolate, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp) light corn syrup
Important note: The milk chocolate can be substituted for the white. But if you wish to make the flowers from the dark (bittersweet or semisweet) chocolate, use a different proportion: for every pound of the dark chocolate, take 2/3 cup of the light corn syrup. Preparation is the same.
Preparation:
Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a wide skillet. Turn the burner off (if your stove is electric, remove the skillet from the burner) and wait for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Set the bowl of chocolate in the hot water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Off the heat; add the corn syrup and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Transfer the chocolate mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and pat it into a thin disk, about 6 mm thick. Fold the plastic wrap over the chocolate and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours or up to several weeks (check the expiration date on your chocolate). It is preferable to let the chocolate plastic rest in the refrigerator overnight.
Take the chocolate plastic out of the refrigerator. Leave it on a counter for 30 minutes to soften slightly. Knead the plastic with your hands to make it smooth and pliable before you start (it might appear grainy at first, but the kneading will change it).
Shape a small piece of the chocolate plastic into a cone - it will be a flower base. Then form another piece into a small ball (about ½-inch in diameter) rolling it in the palms of your hands. Pat the ball, between two plastic bags (like Ziploc), or between two layers of plastic wrap, into a thin petal. Refrigerate the petal, still between the plastic wrap, for a minute (to firm the chocolate plastic and make it easier to handle). While one petal is chilling, form another one for the continuous process. Take the chilled petal out of the fridge. Carefully peel the plastic wrap and attach the petal to the cone base. Wearing thin, surgical-type gloves helps significantly. Attach another petal to the base overlapping the petals slightly. Make the closed bud first, then start attaching the open petals around. Curve the petal edges gently outward using a toothpick. Repeat the shaping, chilling, and overlapping the petals until you get the desired size and shape of the flower.
Refrigerate the finished chocolate rose until firm, cover loosely with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until needed.
You probably won’t use all plastic at once (it makes a lot). If you have some leftovers, invite the kids into the kitchen. They love this edible chocolate play-dough.
[...] Half of the recipe Chocolate Plastic Roses [...]
Thanks for giving the directions! This is absolutely beautiful! Do you know if there is a way to use colored “candy melts” for colored versions - or I guess if there is a way to make a colored version.
Holly, I’ve never made bright colored decorations myself. I used rather a combination of three natural chocolate colors. I’m not sure about colored chocolate melts, but adding a few drops of oil-based food coloring to the white chocolate plastic can certainly work.
you know have some chocolate plastique sitting in my kitchen right now…i made it a while back and didn’t even think to use it for this cake!
HI… im a student in wallingford and im doing a profolio on chocolate and we have to find a blog. This really intrests me because i think its a great idea. I always watch the cooking shows and the fondue that they put on cakes never looks like it would taste good. But this actually looks like i would want to eat it .
I could just hug you for posting how to do these roses!! Awesome.. :)
Thanks!!
Thank you so much for posting this. Your rose is so beautiful, I can’t wait to try it.
Rachel, you are right, these taste way better than the fondant. Although people usually prefer to look at them rather than eat them. Nobody wants to “ruin” it.
Laurie, Debyi, you are very welcome!
Hi Vera,
This is my first comment, but I became a reader of your blog early this month. This chocolate rose is stunning! I was so glad to find this post because I’ve been waiting for somebody to show me how to make one like this! I printed out this page and tried to make one too.
Vera, would you mind me linking your blog to mine?
Hi Noa,
I’m really glad you found this post useful. I don’t mind at all linking to my blog.
Thanks very much. Will try to make this. The rose is wonderful.
Does anyone know how long you can keep white chocolate plastique for after you have made it? I am covering my wedding cake with it (in 5 weeks) and want to make it as soon as possible…
thanks very much
Ellen, you can keep it in a fridge for a long time. Check the expiration date on your chocolate to be safe, and keep the plastic as long as your chocolate is OK.
Thanks so much for your reply Vera - very helpful
Ellen, you are very welcome. And good luck with the wedding cake! Congratulations (if it’s your wedding)!
Thanks alot for the tutorial .This is magnificent. I love your blog. Is it possible to use a substitute for corn syrup since its not available where i live. wish to try this tutorial.Thanks
Natalie, thank you very much. I emailed you.
You are a star! thankyou so much for posting these and esp the pictures too! There are other sites which tell you how to make it but pictures are the aid of the whole process, good on you! i shall feedback once i finish it for my boyfriend’s birthday cake!
cheers!
Anne, thank you very much, you are too kind! I’ll be so glad if you let me know how it turns out. Good luck!
Heya…These roses look yummy! I would love to try them but I can’t find corn syrup anywhere here in India … :-(
Do you think I could substitute it with anything? On the net I found a corn syrup substitute (1 1/4th cup sugar + 1/3rd cup water) … Will this work …?
Hope to make these roses soon! :)
Thanks.
Praniti, I don’t think your recipe will work as a substitution. But Thip on her wonderful blog posted a different recipe including glucose. Go and check http://thai4real.blogspot.com/2008/04/modeling-couverture.html
Thank you so much for posting this! I can’t wait to try it1
Hanna