Piping with chocolate

[Gingerfeef]

I make cookies and cakes, and have been asked if i can pipe date / names in chocolate. I've never piped before, but want to learn and will practice. Has anyone ever piped in chocolate? I'm assuming you can only do a small amount at a time before it hardens! Any tips (on piping with chocoalte and normal icing) gratefully received.

Fi

[fairycakes1972]

Hi Fi,

We did a bit when I was at college, and if I remember rightly we added a tiny amount of water to the chocolate so it didn't flow to quickly! Only have a small amount in the bag as it is v. messy, but the heat from you hands helps to stop it hardening too quickly.

Beckie

[the card shark]

Adding water to the chocolate is the official way.

But I've found that making a small greaseproof bag and adding a heaped teaspoonful of melted chocolate, allowing it to cool slightly works almost as well. Less waste too as if you add too much water to the chocolate all you get is a hard lump! If the chocolate in the greaseproof bag hardens too quickly, you can zap it in the microwave for a few seconds. :)