Kokeshi Eggs

VALRHONA

VALRHONA

Standard Supplier 9th March 2015
VALRHONA

VALRHONA

Standard Supplier

Kokeshi Eggs

An original creation by David CAPY Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2007, Head Pastry Chef at l’École du Grand Chocolat Valrhona, and Christophe RENOU, Meilleur Ouvrier de France 2015, Head Pastry Chef at l’École du Grand Chocolat Valrhona

Ingredients

  • CARAIBE 66% Dark Chocolate Couvetrure
  • IVOIRE 35% White Chocolate Couverture
  • PINK Chocolate Couverture
  • GREEN Chocolate Couverture
  • YELLOW Chocolate Couverture
  • INGREDIENTS FOR THE EXTRA FLUID IVOIRE COUVERTURE (for spraying)
  • 700g IVOIRE 35% COUVERTURE
  • 300g COCOA BUTTER
  • QS titanium oxide
  • (Melt all the ingredients and strain.
  • Temper the mixture at 30/32°C.)

Method

MOULDING

Using some tempered Ivoire couverture, mold half-eggs

Turn over, leave the couverture to drip for a moment or two, level off, then leave to set.

Trim.

Before the chocolate has completely set, you can mould it again (or instead of molding again, you could tap well depending on the thickness required).

Leave to set, trim again and chill for a few minutes, or set aside until they unmould on their own.

Then stick the half-eggs together to make whole ones.

MAKING THE BASE

Temper some Caraibe dark chocolate couverture. Spread on an acetate sheet to a thickness of 10mm.

As soon as the couverture thickens, and no longer sticks to your finger, cut out 3x16cm rectangles.

Leave to set turning over the sheet of couverture and pressing gently with a rack or similar to stop the couverture bases from bending.

Leave to set at 17°C.

ASSEMBLING

Use a metal brush to create a wood effect on the dark chocolate bases.

Clean the bases using a dry paintbrush to remove the chocolate dust created by the wire brush, then use a glove to spread a thin layer of cocoa butter over the base to fill in the grain. Once set, chill the bases and then use a cotton cloth to polish the surface and make it shine.

Melt the spot where each doll will be stuck on the base with the back of a heated ladle, then inside the ladle, melt the pointed end of the Ivoire eggs and stick them upside-down on the base.

Leave to set.

Use a heated knife to cut the pointed end of the Ivoire eggs leaving only the bottom to make the heads of the Kokeshis. Melt them slightly on a heated plate to stick them on the eggs already in place on the base.

To make their hair, use cut Ivoire eggs again. Make an opening in these half-eggs using a warmed 17mm nozzle.

To finish, stick these eggs on the Kokeshis’ heads.

Leave to set.

MAKING THE CHOCOLATE FLOWERS

Temper some pink (ref. 0146), green (ref. 0143) and yellow (ref. 0144) couverture.

Make the pink and green flowers on an acetate sheet by piping 5 touching dots of couverture to make the petals and a yellow dot for the center.

Leave to set at 17°C.

FINISHING

Protect the dark chocolate couverture base and spray the eggs using the tempered Ivoire spray mixture, making sure not to touch the base with it.

Chill momentarily and then spray using the tempered Ivoire chocolate spray mixture to create a velvety effect on the Kokeshis.

To finish, stick on the small colored flowers and make the eyes using a cone of tempered Caraibe dark chocolate couverture.

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