Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Chocolate magic sticks are slim, glossy batons of chocolate paste that you roll, cut and twist by hand, then leave to firm up. They are made from one thing only, so everything depends on the temperature of the paste: worked while it is just soft they roll smooth and shiny, and once they cool they snap cleanly between the teeth.
I use them as a quick finishing decoration. Stand a few upright in a swirl of ganache, lay them in a fan across the top of a cake, or press a bundle into the side of a gateau. They keep for weeks in a cool cupboard, so a batch made on a quiet afternoon is always there when a cake needs a last touch.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 4
Number of Units: 72
Unit Size: thin chocolate stick, about 10 cm long
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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300 |
10.6 ounces
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Calypso Chocolate Paste
Calypso is a dark, chocolate flavoured baking paste used by bakeries to deepen the colour and flavour of chocolate cakes and sponges. At home the same weight of melted dark compound chocolate, or a little extra cocoa powder loosened with warm water, will do the same job.
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at cool room temperature |
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300
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Prepare |
Line a flat tray with baking paper and clear a cool, dry bench. Make sure the room is not warm, as the paste softens quickly in the hand. |
Bench cool to the touch, tray flat enough to fit in the fridge |
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2 |
Soften |
Knead A (Calypso chocolate paste) a piece at a time until it is pliable. If it is too hard, warm it for a few seconds in the microwave or over a bowl of warm water. |
Smooth and plastic, like firm modelling clay; never oily or sticky |
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3 |
Roll |
Roll the kneaded paste out on baking paper or a lightly cornfloured bench to an even sheet about 4 mm thick. |
Even thickness all over, no cracks at the edges |
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4 |
Cut |
Trim the sheet square and cut it into strips roughly 5 mm wide and 10 cm long with a long knife or a pastry wheel. |
Clean, straight edges; strips all the same length |
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5 |
Shape |
Roll each strip lightly under the fingers into a round stick, or hold both ends and twist once or twice for a spiral. Lay them on the lined tray without touching. |
Even thickness end to end, surface smooth and glossy |
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Set |
Leave the sticks on the tray in a cool place, or 10 minutes in the fridge, until they are firm right through. |
Firm and snapping cleanly when bent, not bending softly |
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Store |
Pack the set sticks in a sealed container with baking paper between the layers and keep them in a cool, dry cupboard away from light and strong smells. |
Dry and matt-free; do not refrigerate for storage or they will sweat |
Important Notes
The bakery batch of 1.5 kg makes 360 sticks; the home batch here uses 300 g of paste and gives roughly 72 sticks about 10 cm long, depending on how thick you cut them. Work in a cool kitchen: the warmer the paste, the duller and stickier the finish. Handle the sticks as little as possible once rolled, as fingerprints show on the surface. Stored airtight in a cool, dry cupboard they keep for several weeks. Do not store them in the fridge, where condensation will spoil the shine.
Tools & Arrangements
Rolling pin, baking paper, long sharp knife or pastry wheel, ruler, flat tray, airtight storage container
