Chocolate Leaves

This cake represents something that is very special to me and that is my Aunt Sue. Although, she is my aunt she is more like my grandmother. My cousin, Jeremy, got married this past Spring and he wanted her to make him a cake for the rehearsal dinner. He want this ooey-gooey, delicious, chocolate cake. Well, just a chocolate cake wasn't going to cut it for my Aunt Sue. It needed to be prettier than that, but also manly. She had the great idea to put chocolate leaves on the cake. How gorgeous and creative is that? I got the honor to help her make these beautiful leaves! Now, I am going to share her secret with you, and if you tell anyone how easy it was, I will swear you are lyin'! 

Ingredients:

Ivy Leaves, get double the amount you want on your cake

1 package of Chocolate Melting Chips

Directions:

First, pick you leaves. You want to pick the ones that have the most veins on the back. They will be the prettiest. 

Next, wash you leaves in the sink, just rinse them with cold water. Be careful, they are delicate! Lay them on paper towels to dry and pat them every so often.

Once your leaves are dry, melt you chocolate. There are two methods to this the double boiler, or the microwave, whichever you prefer. 

Now, using a small brush or your fingers cover the back of the leaf with chocolate. Place them on wax paper that is lined on a pan when finished. 

When all of your leaves are coated, place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Now for the hard part, when you get the leaves out of the refrigerator be ready to work. The chocolate is very delicate and can melt just by the touch of your fingers, so you need to work quickly. Peel the leaf by the stem away from the chocolate and admire your beautiful chocolate leaf! They are very delicate like I said, so many will break, just be patient and careful. 

Decorate whatever you want with your chocolate leaves, or just eat them, but I am sure you will have enough half leaves for that! 

Enjoy!

Happy Cooking,

The Barbee Housewife and her Great Aunt Sue