To decorate the side of a cake with chocolate shavings, you can use a simple and effective method that involves gently pressing the shavings onto the cake.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here's a detailed guide on how to achieve this:
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Prepare the Cake and Shavings:
- Ensure your cake is placed on a tray or cake stand that is easy to manipulate.
- Have your chocolate shavings ready in a bowl.
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Support the Cake:
- Place your non-dominant hand underneath the cake to provide support. This helps prevent any accidental damage or movement while decorating.
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Apply the Shavings:
- With your dominant hand, gently scoop up a handful of chocolate shavings from the bowl.
- Press the shavings against the side of the cake. Apply slight pressure to ensure they adhere well.
- Continue this process around the entire circumference of the cake.
Additional Tips and Considerations
- Shaving Consistency:
- Use a vegetable peeler or a sharp knife to create chocolate shavings from a block of chocolate. Experiment with different pressures and angles to achieve various sizes and shapes.
- Alternative Ingredients:
- The method described can also be used with other decorations such as roasted nuts. For instance, the referenced text mentions using "roasted almonds or whatever".
- Placement:
- When decorating, you can control the thickness and density of the shavings on the cake to achieve the desired look. For example, you might want a thicker layer at the bottom or a sparser layer at the top.
- Cleanliness:
- Work over a clean surface or tray, so any stray shavings can be easily collected.
- Temperature:
- Make sure the cake frosting is slightly tacky for the shavings to stick well. If the frosting is too dry, you may need to moisten it slightly with a very light mist of water.
- Working Quickly:
- Depending on the type of frosting, it might dry out rather quickly. Therefore, you might want to decorate soon after frosting.
By following these steps, you can effortlessly create a beautiful chocolate-shaved side finish to your cake.
