Chocolate butterflies

You can use any chocolate - dark, milk, white - to make these beautiful piped butterflies, which turn any cake into something extra special.

Credit: The Chocolate Queen

• makes

  10

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Try these on Kirsten Tibball's chocolate swiss roll. 

Ingredients

• 150 g good quality dark couverture chocolate 54%

Setting time: several hours.

Instructions

1. Place the butterfly template onto a flat baking tray. Cover with plastic wrap, ensuring the wrap is taut and smooth, and secure with tape.
2. To temper the couverture chocolate, place it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl, heat in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Once you have 50% solids and 50% liquid, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted.
3. Transfer the tempered chocolate into a paper piping cone or zip lock bag (see Note) and cut a small amount off the tip.
4. Use the template to pipe the butterfly wings, starting from the outside and working your way in. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.
5. Once the chocolate has set, use a small sharp knife to cut the plastic wrap and release the wings.
6. Use 2 teaspoons to elevate and angle a set of wings so that they are touching. Pipe dots of tempered chocolate down the centre to adhere the wings.
7. Allow to set at room temperature.

Note

• It’s best not to fill a piping bag – it’s easier if you only fill the bag about one-third full.

• You can download a template from Kirsten here or create your own with multiple butterfly shapes. The number of butterflies you make will depend on the size of your template.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Try these on Kirsten Tibball's chocolate swiss roll.