I am wanting to make chocolate lattice and other accents. I was just going melt choc chips with a little crisco and drawn on wax paper. Is there a "real" way to do it. Does someone have a recipe or ratio (choc to crisco) to make melted choc for this kind of thing. Is using wax paper the best way, do you refridge or freeze to harden it faster or with this ruin the texture or look of the chocolate. Also do you think I could actually do letters (HAPPY BIRTHDAY) with the chocolate and it will peel of and hold its form. I could try all this but I can learn from others experience I would like to save myself the trouble.

Thanks,
Natt

The best way to do what you are talking about is to temper some quality chocolate. Chocolate chips would be okay just to practice your lines. You can't really temper chocolate chips.

There is a lattice cutter for gumpaste. You could make chocolate clay and use something like that with it.

i posted this a few minutes ago about words, but the same would work for lattice or anything. I use chocolate chips, no shortening, and no tempering. i go to my computer, type out my words, find a font, then size it to fit and print. Then I lay out wax paer over what I have printed and pipe melted white or regular chocolate on the wax paper over the words. If it's going on a flat spot I let it lay flat. If it's going on the curved side of a cake i lay the wax paper with the chocolate already on it on the curve of the size pan I baked the cake in. When it sets up you just carefully peel away the paper and place it on sticky icing on the cake or pipe a little icing on the back. It's a lot easier and less stressful than piping directly on a cake. If you use a cursive font you'll have a whole word in one piece to place on the cake...

salsaman42,

What size tip did you use when piping your letters?

Natt

not sure of the tip number, but the 3 tips with the smallest wholes in them...

I use melted CandyMelts to pipe whatever you see done in RI. I like using the CandyMelts because you don't have to worry about tempering, and the color selection is wonderful. I pipe onto waxed paper, let harden, carefully peel them off, flip them over, and re-pipe. It really helps make the pieces sturdier, especially if they are larger pieces. I've made 3D Christmas trees (approx. 4" high), carosuel horses, extension pieces, lace points, and letters (from candy molds).

If you are doing latice work, you need to do it directly on the cake. if you do letters, this you can dry on the table than ad to the cake. Melted chocolate then tempered works best for shine and for remaining in the cake if the day is too hot

What excatly does tempering mean and why do you do?

Natt

If you're not sure what tempering means, I would recommend using Candy Melts for your lattice work. If you decide you want to work with real chocolate in the future, some research into working with chocolate is a must as real chocolate will not set properly if it is not tempered.

A google search of chocolate tempering will bring you to many articles and instructional sites on exactly how to temper and work with chocolate.