Hello long neglected blog!!
So recently I have been making a few chocolate Piñata's for family and friends.
A few of my friends asked how I make them so here is a bit of a step by step tutorial on how to make them.
Firstly get all your stuff ready.
Chocolate required - approximately 600g plus a little extra just in case.
Sweets for the inside - whatever you want
Sweets for the outside - again whatever you like. I find that putting the buttons around the outside helps to hide the join and just finishes it off nicely.
First get all your bits together. I make mine using a silicon case. These are available in all sorts of places. I think mine came from The Works or ASDA. I don't prepare it with anything but just double check it is completely 100% clean.
Firstly melt approximately 300g of chocolate
Use the back of a small spoon to run the melted chocolate up the silicone case, look for air bubbles as you need to avoid them.
Do the bottom and the top and place them on a flat baking tray to enable you to move in and out of the fridge.
Make sure the chocolate is right up to the edge of the case like this:
Make sure they are not against anything in the bottom of the fridge that may distort the shape.
Leave in the fridge for approximately 45minutes to an hour.
Melt 250g and coat the case with a second layer. Be careful as the chocolate will be cold, the second layer of chocolate will start to set as soon as you put the chocolate on. Look for any thin layers and make sure they are properly covered. Be gentle and try not to handle too much as the heat from your hands could start to melt the chocolate. I try to do the second layer of chocolate leaving the mould on the baking tray.
Once you are happy with this layer place in the fridge for another 45minutes to an hour to make sure it is completely solid.
Shortly before its due to come out of the fridge melt about 50g of chocolate and put into a piping bag. You could also use a sandwich bag and then snip the end off as you will need to have the ability to control where the chocolate is going. I use a piping bag as its something I always have in the house
.
Fully set case:
Once you are happy with them, take them out of the fridge, set the bottom down on the side and place the top part back in the fridge especially if its a hot day so it stays hard.
Gently pull away the edge of the case from the chocolate but do not put any pressure onto the chocolate, once you have pulled away the top all the way round you should be able to just roll the side of the case down the sides. Do not pull it completely off yet.
Prepare whatever surface you are placing your Piñata on, I usually put mine on a cake board.
Put some melted chocolate in the middle of a cake board so that once its set it will stay in place. Now take the bottom of the Piñata, try not to touch the outside of the case as you will leave fingerprints on it. I hold it from the inside and then turn the cake board upside down to place it on there.
Then fill with whatever goodies you want, make sure they are not on overlapping the edge as that's where you need to pipe the chocolate to seal the top and bottom together.
Once this is filled, take the top from the fridge and roll down the sides just the same as with the bottom.
Pipe a layer of melted chocolate round the edge of the bottom half of the case, then take the top and place it on again trying not to leave too many fingerprints on the top.
(Forgot to take a pic here - ooops!)
Then decorate the outside of the Piñata however you like. Here are a few of mine:
Here's a couple of them when they've been smashed too. That's always my favourite part.
Any comments or questions, please leave below :)
Hope this is helpful
Rach x
Chocolate required - approximately 600g plus a little extra just in case.
Sweets for the inside - whatever you want
Sweets for the outside - again whatever you like. I find that putting the buttons around the outside helps to hide the join and just finishes it off nicely.
First get all your bits together. I make mine using a silicon case. These are available in all sorts of places. I think mine came from The Works or ASDA. I don't prepare it with anything but just double check it is completely 100% clean.
Firstly melt approximately 300g of chocolate
Use the back of a small spoon to run the melted chocolate up the silicone case, look for air bubbles as you need to avoid them.
Do the bottom and the top and place them on a flat baking tray to enable you to move in and out of the fridge.
Make sure the chocolate is right up to the edge of the case like this:
Make sure they are not against anything in the bottom of the fridge that may distort the shape.
Leave in the fridge for approximately 45minutes to an hour.
Melt 250g and coat the case with a second layer. Be careful as the chocolate will be cold, the second layer of chocolate will start to set as soon as you put the chocolate on. Look for any thin layers and make sure they are properly covered. Be gentle and try not to handle too much as the heat from your hands could start to melt the chocolate. I try to do the second layer of chocolate leaving the mould on the baking tray.
Once you are happy with this layer place in the fridge for another 45minutes to an hour to make sure it is completely solid.
Shortly before its due to come out of the fridge melt about 50g of chocolate and put into a piping bag. You could also use a sandwich bag and then snip the end off as you will need to have the ability to control where the chocolate is going. I use a piping bag as its something I always have in the house
.
Fully set case:
Once you are happy with them, take them out of the fridge, set the bottom down on the side and place the top part back in the fridge especially if its a hot day so it stays hard.
Gently pull away the edge of the case from the chocolate but do not put any pressure onto the chocolate, once you have pulled away the top all the way round you should be able to just roll the side of the case down the sides. Do not pull it completely off yet.
Prepare whatever surface you are placing your Piñata on, I usually put mine on a cake board.
Put some melted chocolate in the middle of a cake board so that once its set it will stay in place. Now take the bottom of the Piñata, try not to touch the outside of the case as you will leave fingerprints on it. I hold it from the inside and then turn the cake board upside down to place it on there.
Then fill with whatever goodies you want, make sure they are not on overlapping the edge as that's where you need to pipe the chocolate to seal the top and bottom together.
Once this is filled, take the top from the fridge and roll down the sides just the same as with the bottom.
Pipe a layer of melted chocolate round the edge of the bottom half of the case, then take the top and place it on again trying not to leave too many fingerprints on the top.
(Forgot to take a pic here - ooops!)
Then decorate the outside of the Piñata however you like. Here are a few of mine:
Here's a couple of them when they've been smashed too. That's always my favourite part.
Any comments or questions, please leave below :)
Hope this is helpful
Rach x
