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    Home » Recipes » How to Make Chocolate Shavings

    Published: Nov 29, 2021 · Modified: Jan 14, 2022 by Cara Lanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    How to Make Chocolate Shavings

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    Making chocolate shavings are super easy to make and will dress up your cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, ice cream — anything! All you need is some good quality chocolate and a vegetable peeler.

    Chocolate Angel Food Cake

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    You’re going to love this

    Eye-catching. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is so decadent and delicious. But, let’s face it, visually, it’s a little flat. Chocolate shavings add dimension and depth to your cake to make it even more tempting. 

    Chocolate crunch. If you’re serving pudding, mousse, ice cream, or anything soft, it’s nice to add the textural crunch with chocolate shavings. 

    So easy and gratifying. It’s kind of fun just getting into the zone and shaving away a big hunk of chocolate. Plus, you can do a bunch in advance, store it in the freezer, and you’re already ahead of the game next time you want to add chocolate shavings to your creations. 

    How to Make Chocolate Shavings

    It’s so easy, all you need is a room temperature chocolate bar and a vegetable peeler.

    If you’re going after a shorter cuts, like a jagged splinter of chocolate, you may want to refrigerate the chocolate first. Warmer chocolate will give you longer curls.

    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.

    Hold the chocolate bar in one hand, at a bit of an angle, and a vegetable peeler in the other. Then using long, even strokes, run the vegetable peeler along the side of the chocolate bar.

    How to Make Chocolate Shavings [VIDEO]

    Chocolate Angel Food Cake

    How to Make Chocolate Shavings

    Cara Lanz
    Making chocolate shavings is a super simple way to dress up your cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, ice cream — anything! All you need is some good quality chocolate and a vegetable peeler.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 min
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 cup
    Calories 593 kcal

    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.
    • Hold the chocolate bar in one hand, at a bit of an angle, and a vegetable peeler in the other. Using long, even strokes, run the vegetable peeler along the side of the chocolate bar.
    • Place your chocolate shavings in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. 
    • Any leftover chocolate shavings or curls can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.
    • A 3.5 ounce bar should produce almost one cup of chocolate shavings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 593kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 8gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 20mgPotassium: 709mgFiber: 11gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 39IUCalcium: 72mgIron: 12mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    How to Store Chocolate Shavings

    Place your chocolate shavings in a covered container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.  

    Any leftover chocolate shavings or curls can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator or freezer.

    How do you make chocolate curls?

    Start with room temperature chocolate. Not melted, of course, but it should be very soft. Then slowly run your vegetable peeler along the length of the chocolate bar in an even motion to create long ribbons of chocolate. They will be very delicate. To keep from breaking them, use a toothpick to move them around.

    What kind of chocolate is best for chocolate shavings?

    You can use any kind of chocolate. White, dark, milk -- it's up to you! To make shavings, make sure that the chocolate is room temperature, so not warm and not cold. If you're looking for more jagged splinters, put the chocolate in the refrigerator. To make long ribbons, use warm chocolate.

    How do you put chocolate shavings on the side of a cake?

    The short answer is you're going to pat them on with your hand.

    Here's how.

    First, start with a cake with frosting that hasn't yet hardened or set. Then be sure that your chocolate shavings that are pretty cold. Although you'll be working quickly, you don't want them to melt in your hand.

    Place strips of parchment or waxed paper around your cake so you can catch the chocolate shavings that don't stick to the sides.

    Then, fill the cup of your hand with chocolate shavings and pat it onto the side of the cake. Press lightly, but enough to get them to stick onto the cake. Be careful not to smudge the frosting. So the more shavings you can fit into your hand, the better it will be.

    If you can tilt the cake a little bit, that will help. But you might not be able to. You'll get there, just keep filling up your hand and carefully patting the chocolate shavings onto the cake.

    Use a pastry brush to brush off the fallen chocolate shavings, then remove the strips of parchment or waxed paper.

    Fun Recipes That Could Use a Little Extra Chocolate

    • Chocolate Angel Food Cake
      Chocolate Angel Food Cake
    • Pumpkin Angel Food Cake Roll with Lemon Filling
      Pumpkin Angel Food Cake Roll w/ Lemon Cream Filling
    • slice of banoffee ice cream pie on a white plate
      Banoffee Ice Cream Pie
    • Strawberry ice cream sandwich
      Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches (Healthy!)

    Recipe Essentials

    KitchenAid Y Peeler

    Y peelers are super handy. Easy to hold onto, you can slide it back and forth along a carrot to make the most of your elbow grease -- and best of all, you can make chocolate shavings with it!

    See it at Amazon

    Parchment Paper Sheets

    Curly parchment paper, be darned. These sheets are straight and flat and pre-cut and super convenient. If you can't find them in your area stores, you can always find them, of course, on Amazon.

    See it at Amazon

    « Dairy-Free Chocolate Ganache
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    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love dreaming up easier, and sometimes healthier twists on dishes from the heartland.

    This is where I share my recipes, tips, and inspiration for a happy home.

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