Haunted Chocolate Castle
Serves: 4
Callie Medhurst
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
51
Spice
46
Sweetness
46
Sourness
40
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
Directions:
1
Use a slow sawing motion
2
Make the base: Use an 18 to 20-inch diameter bowl that is about 6 inches deep
3
Press a large sheet of tin foil into the side of the bowl
4
This will create a great texture
5
Use a pastry brush dipped in dark chocolate to coat the tin foil
6
Do not press too hard with the brush or you will lose the texture of the aluminum
7
Repeat this step 3 or 4 more times until the chocolate layer is about 3/8-inch thick
8
When the chocolate has set, invert the bowl to release the base from the bowl
9
Carefully peel the tin foil away from the chocolate
10
Set aside
11
Make the rooftops: Make a cone out of a sheet of acetate securing it closed with tape
12
Use a scissor to trim the edge of the cone so the end is straight
13
You will need 1 cone for each castle turret
14
The cones I made were about 9-inches tall and ranged in the opening diameter from 1 to 4 inches
15
Tip: Determine the size of the turrets you will make so you can coordinate cone rooftops that match the size
16
Use a ladle to fill the cone with chocolate
17
When it is full, empty it into the bowl of chocolate
18
The inside of the cone should be evenly coated with chocolate
19
Wipe the edge of the plastic cone clean on the side of the bowl and place it upside down on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet
20
Once the chocolate starts to harden, about 5 minutes, scrape the edge of the cone clean with a paring knife
21
You can place the cone in the refrigerator for several minutes to help the chocolate to harden
22
Repeat 3 more times to make 4 rooftops
23
When the chocolate sets, peel off the acetate
24
Set aside
25
Make the turrets: The tallest turrets of my castle are made with tubes of chocolate, each a different size in diameter
26
Each turret is also made of tubes of 2 different diameters
27
I made 5 turrets plus an extra large turret
28
I call the largest turret the main house
29
It is an irregularly shaped tube but the technique to make it is different from the other turrets
30
To make the main house, roll a long piece of acetate to determine the size of the tube you would like to make
31
Use a marker to mark the place on the acetate that indicates the desired diameter
32
Unroll the acetate and place a piece of parchment at the mark to cover the extra acetate
33
Use an offset spatula to spread a 1/4-inch-thick layer of tempered chocolate over the exposed sheet of acetate
34
Let the chocolate set slightly then roll the open end toward the parchment line
35
When the open end meets the parchment, continue to roll the extra acetate and tape it closed
36
Use a tin can to press this tube into an irregular shape
37
When the chocolate is set, peel off the acetate
38
Use a hot knife to shape the top edge of this piece
39
If you see smoke, the knife is too hot
40
Dip the end of this piece into the tempered chocolate and adhere it onto the base
41
To make the tall turrets, use the following technique to make chocolate tubes
42
Roll a tube to the desired diameter and secure it closed with tape
43
The turrets on my castle range from 1 to 5 inches in diameter
44
Tape 1 end of the tube closed with tape
45
Set the tube on end and fill with chocolate
46
When it is full, invert the tube over the bowl of chocolate allowing the excess chocolate to flow back into the bowl
47
Let set
48
When the chocolate has set, repeat this step a few more times
49
You want the tubes sturdy so the castle will be strong
50
Allow the chocolate tube to set until hard
51
Remove the acetate
52
The largest tube gets cut into pieces to make the base of some turrets
53
Use a hot knife to cut all of the tubes into unequal sizes
54
To do this, heat the knife under very hot water and wipe it dry
55
Hold the knife blade against the side of the chocolate where you want to make the cut
56
Do not press on the knife or the chocolate will break
57
Allow the heat of the knife to "cut" through the chocolate by melting it
58
To assemble the turrets: Start with the largest diameter planned for each turret and use tempered chocolate to adhere the piece to the base
59
Combine different size tubes to make the tall turrets
60
Use tempered chocolate to glue the turret pieces together
61
Apply the chocolate at the top of the base turret and at the bottom of the tube inserted into that base
62
Use cold spray or hold it until the chocolate sets
63
Make a cornet and fill it with tempered dark chocolate
64
Starting with the tube of greatest diameter, place the next smallest diameter tube piece inside it and use the cornet to "glue" the 2 pieces together
65
If you have cold spray, it will be helpful to use it here
66
Continue this process using 2 or 3 different diameter tubes for each turret
67
Then repeat the process to make a total of 5 turrets
68
Use a hot cutter to make the windows
69
Heat the cutter with a blowtorch or hold it under very hot water and wipe it dry
70
Hold the cutter against the chocolate where you want to make the cut
71
Do not press too hard or the chocolate will break
72
Allow the heat of the metal to "cut" through the chocolate by melting it
73
At this stage, you can spray the castle to give it a great texture
74
The trick is that you have to be able to fit the castle into your freezer
75
Place the castle in the freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes
76
The surface of the chocolate must be chilled so the chocolate coating will harden upon contact, giving it the desired texture
77
Prepare the paint sprayer: Place equal amounts of chocolate and cocoa butter over a double boiler and melt until smooth (no lumps)
78
Remove the presentation from the freezer and place on a parchment paper lined surface
79
Place the chocolate mixture in a clean paint sprayer and use it to spray the dessert with the chocolate
80
Tip: Anything that touches the tubes after they have been sprayed will leave a mark
81
Use tempered chocolate to secure a rooftop to the top of each turret
82
Make the trees: Make a cornet and fill it with tempered dark chocolate
83
Draw a tree onto a sheet of parchment paper
84
Repeat the same technique to make as many trees as you would like
85
Let your imagination run wild as you draw spooky trees
86
When the chocolate sets, lift it from the parchment paper
87
If it sticks, you can loosen it with a paring knife
88
Make the bats: Use a spoon to fill the bat molds with chocolate
89
Once the chocolate starts to harden, about 5 minutes, check to be sure the edges of the mold are clean and if necessary, clean with a paring knife
90
When the chocolate sets, it shrinks or retracts from the sides of the mold
91
A clean edge will keep it from sticking and cracking as it shrinks
92
You can place the mold in the refrigerator for several minutes to help the chocolate to harden
93
Repeat to make as many bats as you would like
94
I made mine about 7 inches tall
95
Make the turret squares: Use an offset spatula to spread a 1/4-inch-thick layer of tempered chocolate over a sheet of textured acetate
96
Let the chocolate set slightly
97
Wait until the chocolate begins to set
98
Use a rolling cutter or hot sharp chef's knife to cut rectangles that are 1-inch by 2 inches
99
When the chocolate has set, carefully peel away the sheet
100
It should release from the chocolate quite easily
101
Finishing details: Use tempered chocolate to attach the turret squares to the top of each turret
102
Glue the trees and bats in place
103
Use the tip of a metal skewer to poke holes in the base of the castle
104
Insert the chocolate lollipops into these holes