Recipe – Dark glaze

January 3, 2021

Dark glaze

This recipe is definitely in the top ten most used in my notebook. From giving an amazing shine to tarts to glazing petit gateaux, a good glaze is the difference between an average pastry in your grandma’s kitchen and something that you could sell in a professional pastry shop.

The most important point to note is to not to make the mistake of whisking or mixing it vigorously at any stage. The more air bubbles you get into your glaze the less shiny it will be.

Ingredients

  • 360g Caster sugar
  • 120g Cocoa powder
  • 280g Water
  • 210g Whipping cream
  • 22g Gold leaf gelatine

Method

  • Soak the gelatine in ice or at least very cold water, be sure to put the leaves into the water separately and not in a stack.
  • Then mix together the sugar, cocoa powder, water and cream in a saucepan, making sure everything is well mixed to a paste and there is no unmixed dry ingredients lingering at the bottom that could burn.
  • Then bring this mix to the boil slowly, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Do not use a whisk, this will cause bubbles in the glaze and affect the shine.
  • Once the mixture has boiled for about a minute, take off the heat and add the gelatine (which is now soft and has had a squeeze to remove the excess water)
  • Stir the gelatine in until completely dissolved and then pass the mixture through a sieve encase of any lumps of sugar or cocoa powder.
  • Skim any impurities off of the top (A light coloured film that forms on the top once the glaze has sat for a few minutes) sometimes there will be more to skim than others, don’t worry if you can’t see any.
  • Pour the mix into a container (this needs to be super clean, with no traces of water or grease) and cover with cling film touching the surface of the glaze.
  • Chill overnight until set.
  • Once the glaze is set you are free to melt GENTLY in the microwave until liquid again (about 37c-38c is the best, it will feel neither hot or cold when you dab a bit on your lip) and use for glazing as needed.
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