Thread:Lidewey/@comment-28180385-20170807070021/@comment-28180385-20170808231948

Before you prepare your chocolate you should set up your work station to make the Chocolate Sphere:

- You will need to use as many (plus extra) balloons that you will need for your project

- Blow balloons up to approximately 6 inches in diameter and secure with ak know in the end

- Suspend a cake cooling rack between two supports at least 10 inches from the bench top

- have some toothpicks ready

I use the seeding method to temper chocolate as this is the easiest method to use at home. I have attached a link to the Lindt website which shows a very simple explanation to temper chocolate.



Once you have tempered your chocolate in a large wide bowl over a double saucepan and it has reached 30-33 degrees celcius, dip your inflated balloons into melted chocolate, holding the knotted end of the balloon. Once you are happy with the coverage of chocolate, stick a toothpick through the opening of the balloon above the knot (so you don't burst your balloon!) and suspend the balloon from your suspended cake cooling rack.

I sprinkled cocoa nibs on my spheres, before I suspended them, for extra texture.

When the chocolate has set, pierce the exposed balloon and deflate - leaving you with a Chocolate Sphere!

These will keep in the fridge for quite a long time - I keep mine in cardboard cake boxes.

To enable the Chocolate Sphere to be put on top of the dessert you have created, heat an approx 4 inch metal cookie cutter (just pass it over an open flame on your stove top using tongs!) and while the cookie cutter is still warm press it onto the opening of your balloon to make a nice 4 inch diameter hole. If your cookie cutter isn't warm enough to melt the chocolate, just warm it again and repeat until you have a clean 4 inch hole.

That's just about it Lidewey!

I would suggest you have a test run before your dinner, and have enough Chocolate Spheres prepared in advance so that on the night of presentation, you should have everything ready to wow your guests!

Good luck Lidewey and please don't hesitate to ask any questions along the way.

Your very good friend from Downunder, Chillilala xx