How to Highlight Chocolate Decor
Part 3 of Edible Forest Elements for the Forest Floor Dessert
Easily highlight chocolate decor for an expert finishing touch. Just plain molded chocolate pieces can look rather flat. Utilizing edible luster and petal dusts, you can add dimension and really get those little details and textures to pop.
I like having an array of luster dusts for both shimmer light effects as well as darker petal dust for deepening shadows in crevices. Between the two, you can bring out a great deal of realistic detail in your creations.
This is the method I used for all the little bits of chocolate decor for the Forest Floor dessert: Truffle Pinecones, Chocolate Pine needles, Small Edible Leaves.
Highlights + Lowlights
I used a two-tone approach for most chocolate pieces with tiny textural details. First, a dark brown wash for creating deeper shadows. Then I highlight chocolate decor with a light shimmery dust to create a more “magical” effect. Of course, you can go more natural as there are many colors of luster dust to chose.
What you will need
✓ Dark brown petal dust
This is a strong colorant for chocolate, but not shimmery. It can be easily mixed with alcohol to create wash or paint. A little goes a long way.
✓ Light and shimmery luster dust
I like to get a set so I can play around with highlighting tones. T
✓ Food-grade alcohol
A basic no-taste vodka works well. The alcohol will blend with the dust to make a “paint” or wash and evaporate quickly.
✓ Paper towels
You will need this to clean off the brushes and general clean up as this dusts stuff gets everywhere.
Prep Station
Set up a clean, dry area where you can have all your items at hand. I like to work over a silicone just (or a clean table and sheet of parchment or paper underneath works well.
Set up a bit of vodka in a cup, water in a cup (to clean our the brushes), and a little dish where I can mix colors if needed.
Dark Wash
For more intricate molded chocolate, using a dark wash will bring greater depth to your pieces. It is s step you should to do prior to highlighting.
Using a medium round tip brush, I mix the dark petal dust with some vodka to create a thin paint wash. I often just use the cap to set up the mix. You want it to be liquid enough to flow into the lower details.
Brush the mixture over your chocolate piece, dabbing it into the cracks and crevices.
Using a larger dry brush, carefully wipe off the top surfaces of the chocolate. You want to just wipe of the top, leaving the recesses to retain the darker pigment. Wipe the brush on a paper towel between strokes.
I used this same technique with the small leaves using a luster dust and a even thinner wash.
Highlights
The trick to highlighting chocolate decor is to try to get just the top edges with luster dust. Using a clean dry brush with a flat edge, dip into the shimmery highlight luster dust. Tap off a bit so you don’t have it falling off the brush.
At about a 30-degree angle to your chocolate, lightly brush against the top detail work so the highlight luster hits to top edges of lines and bumps. Pay special attention to edges or texture that are better revealed with highlighting.
With the pine needles, you want to brush across the perpendicular to the lines, so you catch just the top edges.
The amount you highlight is entirely up to you. I tend to just do enough to bring out texture. But glam it up if you want.
If you happen to over indulge in your shimmer, you can use a tissue to gently wipe off excess dust. Or, if all else fails, you can brush the whole thing off with the alcohol, let it dry and start over.
Pinecone Highlights Only
The truffle pinecones had a more distinct texture that came out with just a quick brush of brown luster dust. Makes a nice finished piece.
Dry & Store
Once you are done, allow everything to dry thoroughly.
Then store finished pieces in an airtight container with wax paper between layers. Also, using a Chef Tweezer is a big help to keep the messy dust off your fingers.