Chocolate caraque

[Liney]

Does anybody know what I'm doing wrong when I try to make caraque? I use a slight sawing action with a sharp knife held at an angle, but can only manage to produce flakes of chocolate. How can I get long scrolls?

[Clanad]

Though probably not acceptable to food purists, the method used here by Mrs. C. is always successful and quite easy. She melts the chocolate to be used (usually dark, bittersweet) and pours it out thinly on a cookie sheet covered with the old fashioned wax paper. (She says parchment paper works equally as good.) Then, when the chocolate is nearly cooled to an appropriate consistency, she holds the cookie sheet at about a 45 degree angle and with a sharp knife peels the mixture away in the curls desired. If it breaks into pieces, simply re-heat and try it again. Mrs. C found that I had a brand new putty knife in my workshop with a 4 inch wide blade. I've had to get a new one for myself since she confiscated the original and it now resides in her kitchen... One other thing she does for caraque... she layers dark and white chocolate for a unique patterned caraque... Best of luck!

[Liney]

Many thanks to you and Mrs C. I've been looking for the answer to this for ages! Looking forward to giving it a try.

[moppettshow]

Use a vegetable peeler.

[Donquixote]

You have to melt the chocolate to make caraque curls, as it has to be spread over a flat surface in order to achieve good, long curls.

Gently melt the chocolate and spread a thin layer on a cool, flat surface (a marble top works best). When just set, using the edge of a sharp, flat knife at a 45 degree angle, scrape thin strips of chocolate away from your body in a smooth action - don't saw. The strips will curl as they come away. If the curls break, the chocolate has set too hard and must be remelted.
You can get quite good caraques using an ice cream scoop too...spread the chocolate and allow to set hard, then pull the 'tip' of an ice cream scoop towards you. They'll be thicker than knife-pulled caraques, but they're slightly easier to make.

GOOD LUCK!!! :o)