Chocolate Filigrees

(From her new book, Divine Cupcakes)

For Gingerbread Cupcakes and Chocolate and Rasberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

200 g white compound chocolate
200 g dark compound chocolate
powder colour for white chocolate, if desired
chocolate filigree template
baking paper

Method

Trace the template onto baking paper and place a clean piece of baking paper over the traced design and secure together with tape. Have several pieces of baking paper ready to place over the template as you mass-produce the filigree with melted chocolate.

Make two paper piping bags.

Melt the white and dark chocolate in separate bowls over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave on low power.

Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

Half fill one of the piping bags with white chocolate and fold the top to seal. Snip the point off the piping bag and begin to pipe over the filigree pattern.
Allow to set completely before gently lifting off the paper with a knife.

Meanwhile, repeat with the dark chocolate and use the filigrees to decorate your cakes.

Variation

White chocolate may be coloured, but you will need to use powdered food colouring. Do not use liquid colouring as this will thicken the chocolate and make it hard to pipe. Mix a very small amount of powder into the melted white chocolate and stir until the powder is evenly blended and continue according to the instructions.