Chocolate Sculpture

Materials:

white chocolate
milk chocolate
traceable drawing of a fish - featured project used angel fish line art
bubble wrap commonly used in packing and shipping
six sheets of parchment paper
pastry piping bags - use one rolled piece of parchment paper to make each bag
spatula
aluminum pan
two microwave-safe bowls
cutting board
new small paint roller

Steps:

Fish

1. Use a pencil to trace outline of a fish drawing onto two separate sheets of parchment paper. Place one of the traced images with the traced-side-down on a cutting board. Set the other image aside.

2. Using a microwave, melt white chocolate in microwave-safe bowl according to package instructions. Spoon white chocolate onto the parchment paper positioned on the cutting board, covering the backside of the traced image.

3. Place a blank sheet of parchment paper over the white chocolate, making a sandwich of white chocolate. Gently pick up the cutting board and tap it on the work surface to release air bubbles from the chocolate.

4. Allow the chocolate to set up between the two sheets of parchment paper for approximately 10 minutes, until it is a "rubbery" consistency. After 10 minutes time, flip the parchment paper sandwich over to reveal the traced fish image. Place it back on the cutting board.

5. Use a clean, food-use only craft knife to cut around the fish outline. Make relief cuts around the perimeter of the outline so the chocolate surrounding the fish image can easily be lifted away.

6. Allow the chocolate to set up completely then remove the top layer of cut parchment paper. Use the hobby knife to stab the perimeter pieces, leaving a white chocolate fish on the cutting board. If a fin or tail should break off, use melted chocolate to "glue" the piece back onto the fish.

7. Embellish the fish by squeezing melted milk chocolate through a disposable pastry bag. Create one from a parchment sheet by rolling the sheet into a cone shape. Cut a fine tip in the end of the pastry bag to allow the milk chocolate to come through. Set aside.

1. Melt milk and white hobby chocolate in separate bowls.
2. Position a piece of bubble wrap on the cutting board, bubble-side up.

3. Spoon white chocolate onto the bubble wrap and use a spatula to spread it around. Spoon milk chocolate onto the bubble wrap and spread it around also, mingling the white and milk chocolate together in some spaces to create a striated coral piece.

4. Pick up bubble wrap and drape it over small common kitchen items or children's toys to create a dimensional shape. In the featured project, guest Michael ReMine draped the wrap over a bottle of bubbles and the lid from a bubble gum machine prize so the chocolate could form with dimension. Set chocolate aside to set up.

5. Once set, remove the bubble wrap to reveal a coral-like formation. Set aside.