Sometimes you make something so special that it deserves a little extra love.  That’s how I felt about my Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache Topping.  It was beautiful on it’s own but became drop dead gorgeous when topped with Chocolate Curls.

A quick Google search led me to this step by step How To…Make Chocolate Curls article by The Pioneer Woman herself.  She has such a wonderful way of delivering courage and can-do doesn’t she?!  I just love her.

Put 3 oz. of semi-sweet, dark, or white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.  Add 1 tablespoon of Crisco shortening.  Microwave for 30 – 40 seconds until chocolate is soft and melty.  Stir with a fork until smooth.  Pour chocolate onto an ungreased baking sheet, then spread very very thin with an offset spatula.  Pop it into the freezer for about 3 minutes.  To test if it’s ready to ‘curl’ give the chilled chocolate the fingerprint test.  If ready, it will leave only a slight mark but not a fingerprint.

With a sharp edged spatula, begin at one end and start to scrape the chocolate slowly.  If the chocolate is the right temperature it will curl as you scrape.  If it shreds instead of curling it’s a little too cold.  Just wait a minute and try again.  If it gets too warm, it won’t curl.  Instead you’ll make chocolate globs.  Not that chocolate globs don’t have their place, they’re just not quite pretty enough for the top of a Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake.  If you get globs, pop the tray back into the freezer for a minute or two.  Then begin again.

I found the white chocolate to be less cooperative than the semi-sweet and dark.  You’ll notice some globs.  I buried them under the pretty curls.

Remove curls to a cold plate and keep in the freezer until ready to use as decoration.  I’m so happy with the results and know our Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake appreciated the little extra love we showed her.

Chocolate Curls {and a little extra love}

The Pioneer Woman

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Ingredients

  

• 3 oz. semi-sweet dark, or white chocolate baking squares
• 1 Tbl. Crisco shortening

Instructions

 

• Microwave chocolate and shortening for 30 – 40 seconds, until chocolate is soft and melty. Stir with a fork until smooth and blended.
• Spread chocolate onto an ungreased baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to spread it out very thinly. Put sheet into freezer for about 3 minutes, or until your finger no longer leaves an imprint.
• Use a sharp edge spatula to scrape chocolate slowly allowing it to curl. Remove curls to a cold plate and keep in freezer until ready to use as decoration.

Notes

If the chocolate shreds instead of curling it’s a bit too cold. Just wait a minute and try again.
If the chocolate makes globs instead of curling it’s a bit too warm. Just pop it back into the freezer for another minute then try again.