Make That Cake Shine With A Chocolate Glaze! Part 2

A lot of the blog's visitors read my post on chocolate glaze. The type of glaze I first posted here is ganache based. Here's the link for reference:

http://thesugarhippie.blogspot.com/2013/03/make-that-cake-shine-chocolate-glaze.html

I would like to introduce you to another form of Chocolate Glaze that is made of cocoa powder and gelatin. It's so shiny and glossy and ideal for mousses and petits fours! This is the kind of stuff you see at french patisseries. It's oh so glossy and shiny you can see your reflection on it. I encourage my awesome readers/visitors to try this and leave a comment if the glaze works for your pastry!


Dark Chocolate Glaze:

18 grams                  gelatin sheets ( pre-soaked in 90 grams of ice cold water)

8  ounces/ 1 cup       water

300 grams                granulated sugar

100 grams                cocoa powder, sifted (preferably good quality like Valrhona or Callebaut)

6 ounces/ 3/4 cup    whipping cream, room temperature


Procedure:

Pre-soak or bloom the gelatin sheets by immersing them flat in 90 grams of very cold or iced water. Immerse them in the water 1 sheet at a time. This will prevent clumping and the sheets are properly hydrated. Leave the sheets to bloom for a good 3 - 4 minutes. Drain and squeeze out the excess water with your hand as much as you can and set aside covered.

(Note: iced water is recommended because the gelatin stays intact and will not melt away or dissolve in the water if the water is warm, even a little lower than room temperature. This is the proper way to hydrate the gelatin sheet).

Combine water and sugar in a pot and simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cocoa powder, stir and then the cream.

Continue to stir the mixture until all of the lumps of cocoa powder is dissolved. 4-5 minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and add the gelatin sheets. Stir to dissolve the gelatin.

If you have an immersion blender I would use it at this point to ensure the mixture is smooth. Blend it just a minute or two. But you have to make sure also that the mixture doesn't incorporate air bubbles.

Strain the mixture into another container and let it cool down. At this point you can set it aside, partially covered to avoid condensation and store it covered once it has cooled down to room temperature and transfer to the fridge covered.

To use the mixture you need the instant read thermometer. The ideal temperature to use the glaze is between 75'F to 78'F - This is Very Important, the glaze will pour and coat the mousse in a thin stream and glaze properly.

Stir it to ensure the mixture is smooth before application. Pour the glaze over mousse or your prepared cake placed on a screen to properly coat and excess glaze drips away.

Let the glaze set in the fridge for 15 minutes at least.


LET THE GLAZING GAME BEGIN!!!!! MAY THE GLAZE BE ON YOUR FAVOR!!!!

Miam miam!!!