Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Chocolate marble discs are one of the simplest and most useful decorations you can keep in a box in the cupboard. Two chocolates, a dark one and a white one, are melted separately, spooned or piped into small rounds and then swirled together with the tip of a skewer so every disc comes out with its own feathered pattern. Once set they snap cleanly and have a glossy face, and no two are ever quite the same.
I use them standing up around the side of a gateau, laid overlapping on top of a cream cake, or simply pressed into a swirl of ganache on an individual dessert. They keep for weeks in a cool, dry place, so it is worth making a batch whenever you have the chocolate melted and a free bench.
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: 500
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: tray of about 36 discs, 6 cm across
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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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250 |
8.8 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.
dark compound chocolate
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melted |
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B
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250 |
8.8 ounces
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White Chocolate (Compound)
Compound chocolate is a product made from a combination of cocoa, vegetable fat, and sweeteners. It is used as a lower-cost alternative to true chocolate, as it uses less-expensive hard vegetable fats such as coconut oil or palm kernel oil in place of the more expensive cocoa butter. It may also be known as 'compound coating' or 'chocolatey coating' when used as a coating for candy.
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melted |
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500
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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 |
Cut sheets of acetate or baking paper to fit two flat trays and lay them out on a level bench. Have two piping bags and a skewer or toothpick ready before you melt anything. |
Everything flat, dry and within reach; chocolate sets fast once piped |
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2 |
Melt |
Melt A (dark compound chocolate) in a bowl over warm water or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each burst. |
Smooth and runny, no hotter than 40–45°C (104–113°F); never let water or steam touch it |
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3 |
Melt |
Melt B (white compound chocolate) the same way in a separate bowl, working a little more gently as white chocolate scorches easily. |
Smooth and pourable, no hotter than 40°C (104°F) |
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4 |
Fill |
Half fill a piping bag with the dark chocolate and a second bag with the white, and snip a small opening in each. |
Both bags warm and flowing freely |
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5 |
Pipe |
Pipe rounds of dark chocolate about 6 cm across onto the acetate, leaving a gap between them, and tap the tray lightly on the bench so each round settles into a flat, even disc. |
Discs round and level, about 14 g each, with a smooth surface |
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6 |
Marble |
While the dark rounds are still wet, pipe two or three small dots or a fine spiral of white chocolate onto each one, then drag the point of a skewer through in a figure of eight or a single sweep. |
A clear feathered pattern; stop before the two chocolates blend into grey |
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7 |
Set |
Leave the trays in a cool, dry room, or a few minutes in the fridge if the kitchen is warm, until the discs are hard. |
Firm and releasing from the acetate with a clean snap and a glossy face |
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8 |
Store |
Peel the discs off the sheet, handling them by the edges, and layer them between sheets of paper in an airtight box. |
Cool and dry, away from light and strong smells; no fingerprints on the shiny side |
Important Notes
This batch makes about 36 discs of roughly 6 cm, using 250 g of each chocolate. You can make them any size you like: pipe smaller rounds for petits fours, or pipe onto a sheet and cut discs with a warm round cutter while the chocolate is still soft. Compound chocolate does not need tempering, which is why it is used here, but it must not be overheated. Work in a cool room; if the kitchen is warm the pattern will spread before it sets. Stored airtight in a cool, dry place the discs keep for several weeks. Do not refrigerate for long periods, as condensation will dull the surface.
Tools & Arrangements
Two heatproof bowls, a saucepan or microwave for melting, a rubber spatula, a thermometer, two piping bags, acetate sheets or baking paper, two flat trays, a skewer or toothpick, and an airtight storage container.
