A perfect Chocolate Glaze can add a classy touch to a dessert, making it stand out among others and more appetizing!
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the world of Glazes and better understand how to make a Glaze professionally.
Table of Contents
GLAZE & ICING
We often hear about glaze and icing, sometimes using them as synonyms… but in reality, everything has its name! Let’s clarify.
Both preparations are made from sugar and are used to decorate baked goods and cakes; however, when we talk about the glaze, we mean a soft mixture, usually made on a base of chocolate/cocoa, with the addition of sugars and gelatin.
Differently, once dry, icing has a solid structure (like those used to decorate cookies). It is usually prepared by mixing icing sugar with water or egg whites.
Within this family, we can still distinguish:
Water Icing: It has a fluid consistency, which is ideal for glazing freshly baked goods. It tends to drip and solidify when cold. Generally, the dosage for this icing is:
- 100g Icing Sugar
- 10g Water
Royal Icing: Unlike the previous one, it is consistent with meringue and tends to dry very quickly. It is used as decoration for chocolate Easter eggs, cookies, etc. In this case, the base of the preparation is the egg white, and the proportions are:
- 30g Egg White
- 300g Icing Sugar
- 5g Lemon Juice
INGREDIENTS FOR A GOOD CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Granulated Sugar, Glucose Syrup, and Condensed Milk provide flavor and “solids” to the recipe. The right amount of sugar allows the glaze not to freeze when in contact with the semi-frozen. Glucose Syrup is also indispensable to obtain the right “elasticity,” so the glaze can spread correctly on the dessert.
Cream and Chocolate (Chocolate Coating) provide fats in the recipe that determine the soft, melting consistency in the mouth and participate with the gelatin in firming up the glaze.
Gelatin is, along with fats, the element responsible for setting the glaze. In recipes, we can use:
Sheet Gelatin must be soaked in cold water, reaching up to 5 times its initial weight (once hydrated, 10g of sheet gelatin will weigh 50g).
Powdered gelatin can be used directly in the recipe’s (hot) liquid. As a guideline, 1g of Sheet Gelatin is equivalent to 2.5g of Powdered Gelatin… it’s up to you to play with the proportions! 🙂
Gelatin Mass is a preparation widely used at a professional level, composed of 1 part gelatin soaked in 7 parts water. Once ready, it can also be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days and used directly in the recipe without waiting for the gelatin sheets to soften. If you want to know more about gelatin and agar-agar, read here.
Colorants are necessary to customize the color of the glaze. Powdered colorants were commonly used until a few years ago, but today, I recommend using the much more convenient (but more concentrated) Gel Colorants. Moreover, Glitter and Food Glitter are very fashionable ways to obtain glazes with an extravagant appearance.
HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Before starting, you will find the Recipe for Glossy Chocolate Glaze at this link.
To prepare an excellent chocolate glaze, you must pay attention to the following steps in the preparation:
Preparation of the Syrup (in the recipe of Chocolate Glaze, water, sugar, and glucose): It is essential to bring the syrup to 105°C (221°F) so that most of the free water is evaporated. This precaution determines the right consistency and preservation of the glaze.
Adding the Chocolate: It doesn’t matter what chocolate we choose; it should always be chopped or used in chips. To limit the formation of air bubbles, add the hot syrup to the chocolate in a tall and narrow container. It is also a good practice to strain the hot syrup while pouring it over the chocolate to avoid any patina or impurities in the glaze.
Mixing: An immersion blender is commonly used (in household models, the speed of the blades cannot be adjusted). It should always be used deeply, moving it from bottom to top and always inside the container so as not to create air bubbles that would ruin the presentation of the dessert.
Filtering: The mixture should be filtered to eliminate air bubbles once the chocolate and syrup are emulsified.
Resting in the Fridge: This aspect is decisive for having a bubble-free glaze. Resting in the fridge is necessary for the glaze to be uniform and will tend to adhere well to the dessert. A good glaze should be matured in the fridge at +4°C (39°F), for 24 hours covered with a film of food wrap in contact.
Glazing Temperature: The Glaze should be 35°C (95°F), and the dessert should be frozen at -18°C. This will ensure a well-executed job.
PREPARING CHOCOLATE GLAZES WITH THE THERMOMIX
Those with a Thermomix can prepare the glaze easily and control it with the advantage of carrying out the entire preparation inside the bowl.
Bring the Cream, Sugar, and Glucose to 105°C (221°F) at low speed. Once the correct temperature is reached, add the chopped chocolate and mix at maximum speed for 1 minute. Then add the soaked gelatin and mix again for 1 minute at high speed.
The glaze will be ready to be filtered and matured in the fridge for 24 hours.
HOW TO GLAZE A CAKE
For good glazing, the cake must be covered uniformly with a thin layer of glaze, and there should be no air bubbles on its surface.
For glazing a frozen dessert (such as a mousse), the first step is to unmold it and place it on a pastry rack or a ring, with a tray or a plate at the base to collect the glaze. I recommend drying the dessert from condensation using a piece of kitchen paper. This little trick will help you avoid any air bubbles.
For excellent glazing, the glaze must be used at 35°C (95°F). Once ready, pour the glaze from the center towards the outside, decreasing the quantity as it approaches the edge of the dessert.
If you need to level the glaze, use a clean pastry spatula or a standard hairdryer… This way, you can spread the glaze, keeping it at the right temperature and without leaving traces of the spatula. Try it, and you’ll see 🙂
Once finished, allow the glaze to drip for a few minutes. You can store the glazed cake in the fridge at +4°C (39°F) or frozen at -18°C (0°F).
THE SPIDER WEB EFFECT
This beautiful effect is achieved by “dirtying” the mirror glaze with a veil of Colored Neutral Gelatin hotter than the previous one.
The Neutral Gelatin, being fat-free, will flow over the glaze (which is fatty instead), forming a spider web effect. To achieve an astonishing effect, I recommend choosing 2 contrasting colors.
For the preparation of Neutral Gelatin, I refer you to this recipe.
To successfully achieve the Spider effect, proceed as follows:
- Prepare the mirror glaze and color the Neutral Gelatin with gel colorant.
- Heat the glaze to cover the dessert at 40°C (104°F), lightly emulsify it with the mixer (careful not to create air bubbles) to distribute the temperature and reach 35°C (95°F) for optimal glazing.
- Heat the neutral gelatin (for the cobweb) to 40°C (104°F).
- Glaze the dessert with the glaze and IMMEDIATELY dip a spatula into the gelatin, passing it very gently over the surface of the dessert. The effect obtained will depend on the amount of gelatin used, its temperature (the hotter it is, the more quickly it will flow), and the pressure you exert on the spatula.
STORAGE
Once ready, the glaze can be stored in the refrigerator for 2/3 days, covered with plastic wrap and inside an airtight container. Additionally, you can store the glaze in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Chocolate can absorb odors in the fridge, so I suggest being very careful to avoid getting a dessert with a strange smell! 🙂
I recommend storing the glaze in vacuum-sealed bags.
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CONCLUSION
A well-made glaze can truly make the difference between a good dessert and a good and beautiful one. Preparing glazes is very simple if you follow the simple tips we have seen together. Now, all that’s left is to try it out and let your imagination run wild.
