How Do I Paint with Chocolate?

Elaine
Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 172 Posts

July 26, 20100 found this helpful

Here is a detailed instruction on it. I would like to try this myself sometime, maybe this winter when the snow is flying.
eyecandy.nanakaze.net/?p=313

ERP

July 27, 20100 found this helpful

My retirement job for the last 6 yrs has been helping a friend in her busy season at her chocolate business. I actually do a lot of the painting. It is very easy. You need the basics of white and either milk or dark chocolate but depending on what you want to paint, you will likely need more white than 'brown'. We use small porcelain containers but baby food jars work well to hold the various colours as well. An electric fry pan or even a heat stone will work to keep the chocolate sufficiently melted to paint. A very small amount of cocoa butter (available at most bulk stores) to keep the 'paint' thin, and cocktail swizzel sticks or a tool to suit the size of your project, even a spoon works for large areas, to paint with. Toothpicks work but are way more tedious. You will need some for the very fine bits though!

As for colour, never, ever use liquid with chocolate. You can use either the powder or gel colouring that you can buy for cake icing. Simply melt your basic chocolate (we use wafers) either in a microwave, very little time, or in a hot water bath. Add a bit of the colour agent and stir, adding until you get the colour you want. If it is too thick but still warm, add a pinch of cocoa butter to thin it out. Do not let chocolate "cook". If you are using molds, simply colour in reverse, starting with the first layer of the mold and work out. Let each colour dry before adding the next. (Takes about 5 min. putting in the fridge speeds up the process.)
Colours can be kept for quite a while, just let the container harden, then re-melt the next time you want that colour. The secret is to keep the 'paint' warm and thin enough to work with but not so thin that it runs. Trial and error will be your best guide but it is not difficult at all. Have fun!