To dress up individual servings of pudding or cake, top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and a fanciful chocolate shape. Nothing's better than fresh strawberry pie, you say? How about fresh strawberry pie with a chocolate drizzle? For a quick finish to cream puffs or eclairs, drizzle each pastry with chocolate before topping with toasted sliced almonds or pecan pieces.
Ingredients
Semisweet or milk chocolate (squares or bars), shaved or chopped
1. Place shavings in measuring cup. Fill saucepan one-fourth full (about 1 inch deep) with warm (not hot) water. Place measuring cup in water to melt chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. (Be careful not to get any water into chocolate.) Remove measuring cup from saucepan. Let chocolate cool slightly.
2. Fill plastic bag about half full with melted chocolate. Seal bag securely. Cut small corner off bottom of plastic bag.
3. Position sealed end of bag in your writing hand. Position fingers near opening of bag; place other hand under bag to guide it. While gently squeezing bag, guide opening just above food to drizzle chocolate, in zigzag design, onto dessert, using even, steady flow. Stop squeezing and then lift bag at end of each design.
4. For chocolate shapes, prepare melted chocolate and fill plastic bag as directed in steps 1 and 2. Place sheet of waxed paper onto inverted baking sheet. While gently squeezing bag, guide opening just above waxed paper to pipe chocolate in steady flow, making variety of small shapes. Stop squeezing and then lift bag at end of each shape. Create flowers, hearts, lattice shapes or any lacy pattern.
5. Let stand in cool, dry place until chocolate is firm. (Do not chill in refrigerator.) When chocolate is firm, gently peel shapes off waxed paper using a small metal spatula. Store in cool, dry place until ready to use.
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