Hello everyone!!

  I want to try chocolate leaves.  I want to make maple and oak shaped.  So are  fake leaves safe?  If not, (and I cannot get safe maple and oak leaves) how would I make those leaves?

Thanx!

AI just go get whatever leaves I want and wash and dry them -- so much fun to make chocolate leaves like this --

Whats the best chocolate to use for that method? are they stable/firm enough to cover a cake in?

Aidk what's the best for you but I would use already tempered product for myself because I did not want the additional steps/time -- either merckens, a real chocolate meaning made with cocoa butter or I'd use the almond bark vegetable oil product from the grocery store where they sell the other chocolates in the baking aisle --

I used to add powdered vanilla/butter to it and it was ridiculously good -- king Arthur no longer carries it though last I checked--

as far as being stable -- sure it's as stable as any chocolate

ok thanks, cant wait to try this!

for what it's worth-- i pipe or paint the leaves with chocolate -- some people use a squeeze bottle -- i use a heating pad covered with plastic wrap to keep my choc the right temp while i'm doing everything else-- if you gently tap the leaf it will smooth out the warm choco or use the brush -- then i place it in the fridge, set the timer for 5 mins -- you don't want any choco to wrap around the edge -- remove leaf while it's still cold-- there's tutorials online for sure -- 

best to you-- first time with choco maybe? it's fun but can get frustrating because you are on choco's timetable -- 

have a blast with this --

i have an old srsly out of focus picture of a very cool cake i did -- if i come across it i'll post -- if you love your results do the same --'k?