Making Chocolate Shavings and Curls is super easy and a delicious and beautiful way to dress up cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, ice cream — anything!
Try them on Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake with Caramel Whipped Cream.
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I turn to chocolate shavings whenever I want to add a little something extra to a dessert. Like this Chocolate Pudding Pie or Peanut Butter Oreo Heavenly Dessert.
They fancy up anything from a basic bowl of vanilla ice cream to French silk pie and are super easy to make.
Whether you want to make jagged chocolate shards or curled chocolate shavings, I've got you covered. All you need is good-quality chocolate and a vegetable peeler!
❤️You're Going to Love These
- Fun and easy way for home cooks to add a little something fancy to any dessert
- Eye catching way to add crunchy texture to creamy pudding, mousse, or ice cream desserts.
- Perfect to make ahead and stash in the refrigerator or freezer for later
- Easy cake decorating hack that adds a touch of elegance to even a store-bought cake.
🍫One Ingredient
- Bar of chocolate. For best results and smoothest shaving, use a bar of good quality chocolate. You can use any type of chocolate: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate.
🛠️Tools
- Vegetable peeler. I use a Y-peeler, but any kind of vegetable peeler will work.
- Parchment paper or wax paper. For easy clean up and so you can easily transfer the chocolate shavings into a storage container.
- Microwave. To slightly soften the chocolate for curls.
🥣How to Make Chocolate Shavings
Prep Your Workspace: Line your work surface with a layer of wax paper or parchment paper so you can catch your chocolate shavings -- and easily move them around when you're done.
For Jagged Chocolate Shavings: Hold a bar of room temperature chocolate at a 45-degree angle in one hand and the vegetable peeler in the other.
Pull the vegetable peeler down along the side of the chocolate bar in a short stroke, shaving off jagged shards of chocolate.
For Curled Chocolate Shavings: Warm the block of chocolate in the microwave at 50% power in 5-second increments until slightly soft but not melted.
Hold the chocolate bar at an angle in one hand and the vegetable peeler in the other. Slowly run the vegetable peeler along the length of the chocolate bar in an even motion to cut off a thin layer of chocolate into small curls.
✅Top Tips
- For longer curls, run the peeler along the long side of the chocolate bar.
- For small curls, shave along the short side of the bar of chocolate.
- For fat curls, use a thick chocolate block.
- If using a thin bar of chocolate, such as the premium bars in the grocery store, work with ¼ of the bar at a time to prevent it from breaking in your hand.
🎁Storage
Place chocolate shavings in a sealed container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Avoid setting them in a warm place.
Store any leftover chocolate shavings in the freezer in an airtight freezer container.
❓FAQ
You can use any kind of chocolate. White, dark, milk -- it's up to you!
Pat them on with your hand. Start with chilled chocolate shavings (so the heat of your hands doesn't melt them) and a cake with frosting that hasn't hardened or set. Place strips of parchment or waxed paper around the cake to catch loose shavings. Fill the cup of your hands with shavings (the more the better) and gently pat it onto the side of the cake. If possible, tilt the cake a little bit. Gently brush away fallen chocolate shavings from around the cake, then remove the strips of parchment or waxed paper.
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📖 Recipe
How to Make Chocolate Shavings
Equipment
- Vegetable Peeler
- Waxed paper or parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounce chocolate bar
Instructions
- Prepare a plate, pan, or other surface with a layer of wax paper or parchment paper so you can catch your chocolate shavings -- and move them around, as needed.
For Jagged Chocolate Shavings
- Hold a bar of room-temperature chocolate at a 45-degree angle in one hand and the vegetable peeler in the other. Pull the vegetable peeler down along the side of the chocolate bar in a short stroke, shaving off jagged shards of chocolate.
For Curled Chocolate Shavings
- Warm the block of chocolate in the microwave at 50% power in 5-second increments until slightly soft but not melted. It may take a couple of tries to get the chocolate to the right temperature. Hold the chocolate bar at an angle in one hand and the vegetable peeler in the other. Slowly run the vegetable peeler along the length of the chocolate bar in an even motion to cut off a thin layer of chocolate into small curls. If the chocolate is too cold, it will break off in shards. If it is too warm, it will shave off in uncurled slices. Rewarm the chocolate as necessary.
- Place chocolate shavings in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.
Notes
- A 3.5 ounce bar yields about one cup of chocolate shavings.
- Any leftover chocolate shavings or curls can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.
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