Chocolate bamboo for cake decoration

Here’s a recipe for the chocolate bamboo that can be used for decorating cakes in an Oriental style.

When the pastry chef saw this decoration, she fell in love with it at first glance; it literally conquered her. That’s why we decided to share this idea with you.

The chocolate bamboo looks very impressive as a decor, while making it is not really difficult!

You don’t have to buy any special molds; all you need is easy to find in the kitchen.

You will need:

•  thick acetate film
• scotch tape
• cocoa butter
• green dye (or matcha / spirulina tea)
• brushes for painting
• a pastry bag

1. First, twist the acetate film into several tubes of different lengths and different widths (to make the bamboo look natural). You better take a dense film; if you use a thin film, then twist it in several layers. A silicone mat or thick cardboard is also suitable. Fix the free edge with the scotch tape.
2. You have to use the chocolate of a very high quality! You better buy professional chocolate in callets. If you choose the mass market chocolate, then “Lindt” or “Ritter Sport” will be the best ones. 
3. Temper the  chocolate. Melt 240 g | 8.50 oz (80%) of white chocolate in the microwave. Heat it for 30 seconds, and stir. Bring it to 40-45C (104 to 113F). Chop the remaining 60 g | 2.10 oz (20%) of chocolate into small crumbs using a blender. Pour the chocolate crumbs into the chocolate heated to 40C (104F), and stir until the crumbs melt completely. Check the readiness: put a thin chocolate drop on a knife / spoon, and leave it. The chocolate should be completely set in 2 minutes.
4. Pour the tempered chocolate into a pastry bag. Place the acetate film tube tightly on the mat, and fill it halfway with chocolate. Turn it over sharply, and spread the chocolate along the walls from the inside. Shake off the excess into the cup. Let it crystallize (better at 17C | 63F) for an hour and a half.
5. Remove the film from the frozen tubes. Divide the tube into 3 parts. Squeeze out a transverse strip along the entire circumference on the border between the 1st and 2nd parts and the 2nd and 3rd ones, using a pastry bag. Lightly smear the border of the strip from one side using a soft brush. Next, squeeze out another strip. Also stretch it with a brush in the opposite direction. Let the blanks freeze.
6. Heat the cocoa butter until it dissolves almost completely. You have to leave some undissolved particles so that they melt in the butter. Add the green dye. You can tint use the matcha tea or spirulina, if you don't want to use the dye.
7. Cover the frozen blanks with the tinted cocoa butter. You can use a brush or an airbrush. Let the tinted butter harden, and apply the 2nd layer. Don’t try to apply too evenly; dye streaks make the bamboo look natural.
8. The final point: cut the longest tube diagonally with a warm knife.

That’s it! The awesome cake decoration elements are ready!