Anyone have tips on working with melted chocolate as an icing to decorate cookies?!
Answers: I have a recipe for italian fig cookies that I'm making for Christmas. They're slice & bake cookies. My idea is to melt chocolate and draw a heart or star with the chocolate on the cookie, then dip that in rainbow nonpareils (tiny ball sprinkles). What tool(s) sould I use since I'll be working w/ hot chocolate? Is it possible to use plastic bags with tips for this when the choco is hot? The recipe has figs, dates, & raisins which are great w/ chocolate.
Because ganache is thinner than an icing or melted chocolate it is easier to work with, and it has to cool to the consistency you want it. You should have no trouble working with it. You can use a plastic food storage bag, but only cut a tiny hole in one corner of it so that you can pipe the ganache onto the cookies and make your decorations.
GANACHE
1/3 c. heavy cream
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 c. cocoa powder
Bring the cream almost to the boiling point, but do not allow to boil. In a medium bowl, pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Whisk gently until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Allow the mixture to cool and thicken. The ganache is now ready to pour over ice cream or use as an icing for your cake or cookies. Makes about 2/3 cup of ganache.
My only tip would be to not try and dip them but rather 'pipe' on the chocolate shape, then sprinkle the sprinkles on. I think dipping would make a mess & squish your shapes. Have fun~
Oh, and yes, I'd use a bag- a thick one so that the chocolate can be fairly warm. You won't need a tip. Cut a TINY hole and pipe with that. You can always cut the hole bigger, but you can't go smaller.
I have a few tips which you can follow up:
1)You can pipe tops of biscuits with melted chocolate and sprinkle with coloured sugar balls, or
2)You can even use the pipe bag which is made by cloth or plastic. It won't spoilt.