Chocolate leaves are beautiful chocolate decorations that look just like delicate leaves. They are a beautiful cake or cupcake decoration, and are a great accompaniment to chocolate roses, or on top of a bûche de Noël. Chocolate leaves can be made in a variety of colors and flavors of chocolate.
You can use a variety of leaves to make chocolate leaves. Just make sure that they are pesticide free, and have been well washed and dried. It helps to choose leaves with a pronounced pattern of veins on the back, so the design will more easily transfer to the chocolate.
Don’t miss the tutorial with step-by-step illustrations showing how to make chocolate leaves.
Ingredients
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24 edible fresh leaves, washed and dried
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8 ounces chocolate candy coating
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Luster dust, to decorate, optional
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with waxed paper or parchment paper..
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Place the candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until melted, stirring after every 30 seconds to prevent overheating.
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Dip the paintbrush in the melted candy coating and brush a thick layer of chocolate on the underside of the leaf. The underside typically has more pronounced veins, and will give you a better pattern on your leaves. Make sure that you're generous with the layer of candy coating—if it's too thin, the chocolate leaf will crack when you to remove it.
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Set the leaf, chocolate side up, on the waxed paper, and repeat with the remaining leaves. You can use different colors of candy coating to make a variety of leaves, if you'd like.
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Once all of the leaves are covered with chocolate, refrigerate the tray to set the coating, for about 20 minutes.
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When the chocolate is fully set, remove the tray from the refrigerator. Carefully peel the leaves back from the chocolate, trying not to handle the leaves too much to prevent your body heat from melting the chocolate.
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If you'd like to give your leaves a metallic shine, use luster dust to decorate them when they're finished. Dip a clean, dry paintbrush in luster dust, and brush a thin layer of dust along the edges. For a more dramatic look, brush a layer of dust over the entire leaf.
Storage Tip
Chocolate Leaves can be made several weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature. They are delicate, so stack and store them carefully. If it's very warm, they are best stored in the refrigerator, although this might result in condensation spots.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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52 | Calories |
3g | Fat |
6g | Carbs |
1g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 24 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 52 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 3g | 4% |
Saturated Fat 2g | 9% |
Cholesterol 2mg | 1% |
Sodium 9mg | 0% |
Total Carbohydrate 6g | 2% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 2% |
Total Sugars 5g | |
Protein 1g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 2% |
Calcium 25mg | 2% |
Iron 1mg | 4% |
Potassium 52mg | 1% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |