My chocolate acetate is buckling

[gfron1]

I've got this gorgeous entrement almost complete. Like, really, maybe the best thing I've ever done. I wanted to wrap a chocolate band around the base. I measured and cut my transfer paper (so its not really acetate, its the flimsier stuff) and did a perfect temper. I spread it perfectly even and then moved the now chocolate coated transfer paper to a silpat for hardening. Anticipating buckling (this has happened before), I put a second silpat on top of the first and a cookie sheet on top of that. I'll be damned if the bugger didn't buckle on me anyway!

I'm out of time, so screw it, I'll pipe ganache, but for the future - what should I be doing to make sure it doesn't buckle?

[Kerry Beal]

I've got this gorgeous entrement almost complete.  Like, really, maybe the best thing I've ever done.  I wanted to wrap a chocolate band around the base.  I measured and cut my transfer paper (so its not really acetate, its the flimsier stuff) and did a perfect temper.  I spread it perfectly even and then moved the now chocolate coated transfer paper to a silpat for hardening.  Anticipating buckling (this has happened before), I put a second silpat on top of the first and a cookie sheet on top of that. I'll be damned if the bugger didn't buckle on me anyway! 

I'm out of time, so screw it, I'll pipe ganache, but for the future - what should I be doing to make sure it doesn't buckle?

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Marble slab on top!

But I'm picturing you wrapping this around the base of something - so aren't you applying it to the dessert while the chocolate is still fluid?

[gfron1]

Two things...first, I had a curved section that I wrapped around the dessert which buckled - how can I adhere it so it won't move. My dessert is frozen at time of application. Second, I had two sections that were straight that I was going to glue chocolate panels on after I removed them from the transfer paper.

[ejw50]

what part is buckling?

What about using straight acetate that is less flimsy than transfer paper? How tall is your cake?

Edited December 3, 2008 by ejw50 (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Two things...first, I had a curved section that I wrapped around the dessert which buckled - how can I adhere it so it won't move.  My dessert is frozen at time of application.  Second, I had two sections that were straight that I was going to glue chocolate panels on after I removed them from the transfer paper.

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I see. I was picturing something that completely surrounded the item (so it would adhere to the side of the dessert and itself).

I think the thicker acetate, then prop it inside some sort of ring until it firms up.

Still need something like the marble for the flat pieces. Even a heavy book would work.

[pastrygirl]

Two things...first, I had a curved section that I wrapped around the dessert which buckled - how can I adhere it so it won't move.  My dessert is frozen at time of application.  Second, I had two sections that were straight that I was going to glue chocolate panels on after I removed them from the transfer paper.

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If the dessert is frozen, do you need to temper the chocolate? Would untempered chocolate be more maleable or less likely to have a mind of its own?

[alanamoana]

i agree with pastrygirl. use untempered chocolate and apply while still malleable to the frozen entremet. you won't have the same contraction (which is causing the buckling) as tempered chocolate. when it comes to room temp to serve, the chocolate may also soften though, but that might not be an issue.

[ejw50]

If you have the book "Baking with Julia" Alice Medrich mentions her technique.

You can also see a video here

http://www.pbs.org/juliachild/meet/medrich.html#

She shows her chocolate ruffle technique at the beginning and the 'wrap' technique about 4/5 of the way. Rather than using acetate, she uses plastic matting from the housewares department used to drain glassware or something like that.

[gfron1]

All of that makes great sense. Thanks. The entrement still kicked ass (I'll post it in the daily sweets topic shortly). I'll have to do something similar to see if I can get this to work. Too bad...my temper was perfect.

[Tri2Cook]

I think the solution was already mentioned. I think maybe the paper is the culprit. When I do wraps I use acetate or other thin, flexy plastic and I've never had a buckling problem. For spreading chocolate thin on plastic, I usually let it set just until it begins to firm up then top it with another sheet and flip it. It seems to do the trick for me but maybe I've just been lucky. Looking forward to seeing what you created.

Edited December 3, 2008 by Tri2Cook (log)