Members have asked me to do a tutorial on how to make the chocolate ruffles you see on several of the cakes in my photo gallery. I can't do a tutorial because making them is so simple and easy it's embarrassing. Here is how it's done.
Buy the appliance called La Girolle, buy chocolate rounds separately. The chocolate rounds have a hole in the center, slide it down a spindle on the Girolle, slide the handle with the blade down the spindle on top of the chocolate, turn the handle, instant ruffles! Cut each ruffle off with a knife and lay them directly on your iced cake, or line a sheet cake pan with parchment paper and lay each ruffle in as you complete them, refrigerate till ready to use. I am going to add a link here to Beryls cake supplies because there is a photo of the La Girolle and just under it are pictures of the chocolate rounds. I am not suggesting you buy them there. The Girolle can be found for less at other places, go to a search engine and type in La Girolle, I would not recommend the one with the wooden base, it is less expensive but I don't think it would hold up for long. The one I have is some type of heavy plastic or nylon material.
On the chocolate rounds, they can be special ordered by Marque Foods in San Francisco and are about $29.00 each, much less than Beryls or Albert Uster.
http://beryls.safeshopper.com/200/cat200.htm?625
http://www.marquefoods.com/
I love my girolle cutter! Thanks for the tip about maque foods. I've been paying mch more for my chocolate form Swiss Chalet.
Well they had to specail order them for me and I may have put my foot in my mouth. I said "Are you sure that's the price?, it is so cheap" she laughed and said it was the first time she had an order for them and they would have to see how they sell. Just wait, next time I order they will have gone up 25%. 
Shirley,
Thanks so much for the tutorial. Your ruffled cake is absolutely gorgeous.
I have a couple of questions. I don't decorate that many cakes (approximately 3 or less a month), so...
How long would one of those chocolate rounds last?
And how long could it be stored?
Thanks!
I figure one 2.5 lb. chocolate round will do enough ruffles to fill the top of one 10" round cake plus one 6" round, so I save them for very special occasions, they are pricey. I store them in the container they come in, a sealed plastic round, inside the cardboard box in a cool, dark area like my pantry. I have had them keep for over one year before developing bloom or that whiteish chalky coating. If that happens and I have enough left I just melt it and make brownies and it is perfectly fine, tastes great.
https://www.cheesestorebh.com/store/ProductListing.asp?ProductTypeID=16
I found this site that sells the chocolate discs in various flavors.
They run about $43.00 per disc. Looks like a good place to get them! They look to be a good size as well!
And here's an even better one!
http://www.auiswisscatalogue.com/store/merchant.mvc?page=ASC/PROD/2_RUFFLEROLLS/501011
https://www.cheesestorebh.com/store/ProductListing.asp?ProductTypeID=16
I found this site that sells the chocolate discs in various flavors.
They run about $43.00 per disc. Looks like a good place to get them! They look to be a good size as well!
And here's an even better one!
http://www.auiswisscatalogue.com/store/merchant.mvc?page=ASC/PROD/2_RUFFLEROLLS/501011
Albert Uster has a required $100.00 minimum order. I get mine through Marque Foods in S. San Francisco for a bit less than Uster and of course for me lower shipping because I am only one hour away. Many places won't ship chocolate items in the summer months so you might want to email or call and ask. They do have to be special ordered from Marque, not shown in their catalog.
http://www.marquefoods.com/chocdecor.htm
Add a few tablespoons of either shortening or paramount crystals to each pound of dark chocolate to make it ruffle better. Milk and white chocolates usually do not need any additives. Paramount crystals can be purchased at most candy supply stores or ordered on-line.
My shaver came with a form to make your own disks. I have tried unsuccessfully to make my own however. The chocolate is too hard and will not shave properly. Anybody have any suggestions on how I would "soften" the chocolate a little?
The chocolate for the discs is tempered chocolate. I am not sure you can make them even with the mold unless you temper. Untempered if too cold will splinter, if too warm it will ball up into soft clumps. I have made ruffles by hand with untempered chocolate and vegetable oil, spread onto the back of a cookie sheet and scraped into fan shaped ruffles when the chocolate has nearly set completely. But a solid block of untempered chocolate like that I just have a feeling even with oil or Paramount Crystals will not work well.
The rolls have gianduja paste in them to make them soft.
The rolls have gianduja paste in them to make them soft.
The ingredients on the Swiss Chocolate Roulette box
sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, vegetable oil, butter, dried whole milk, lactose, emulsifier E322, natural flavor Vanilla.
From what I am reading about Gianduja paste it is basically Nutella.
http://www.nutellausa.com/history2.htm
My Swiss Chalet catalog calls them chocolate Gianduja rolls, except them white, which it calls white marble roll.
You mean to melt the candy melts and pour into the form to fit the La Girolle? I am not sure they will work for ruffles, you could try and if they don't you can remelt the candy melts and use for dipping strawberries.
I don't use the candy melts for anything because I can't stand that waxy taste, to me they are nothing like eating true chocolate for taste or texture.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%