Craquelure

For the craquelure coating to be perfect, you should follow these instructions.

First, apply the dark chocolate ganache on the assembled and a well-cooled cake. This will be your craquelure base. Apply the craquelure paste on a frozen or a well chilled ganache layer, using a thick brush. Apply it in a thick layer, and dry it with a spray gun or a hairdryer at cold mode, until a mesh of cracks appears. They say you can dry the craquelure at the room temperature, but you better don’t.

The craquelure paste can be colored by adding a little dye to the finished mass (you better choose the dry coloring, so there will be no excess moisture).

Let’s move to the recipes!

For the ganache:

• 325 g dark chocolate | 11.45 oz
• 150 g cream (33/35%) | 5.30 oz
• 50 g honey | 1.75 oz
• 200 g butter | 7.05 oz

Boil the cream, and dissolve the chocolate in it; add the honey and the butter. Mix it well. Chill the ganache in the fridge. You should apply the ganache when it is thick, like sour cream. You better start from the very top of the cake, and then move to the sides.

For the craquelure paste:

Mix the corn starch (3 to 4 tablespoons) with some white dye, until it is quite thick (looks like thick sour cream). Apply the paste immediately, as it dries very quickly (don’t store!).