Chocolate Transfer Document / Pat Tucci / Page #1 I had a very nice response, and several requests from some chocolate transfer logo cookies I ve done *blushing*, so I started this document originally to send quickly when I get a PM. First what are Chocolate Transfers? There are two kinds: 1. Edible designs or patterns printed on acetate sheets. You cover the design with chocolate, cool, then pull the acetate backing off. The design/pattern transfers to the chocolate. 2. Pictures or logos traced on parchment using chocolate, then when they are cool you flip over to see the design creating little plaques or medallions that can be used on cookies, cupcakes or cakes as shown in the pictures below. Pictures using Chocolate Transfers Top 3: Flat on Cookies Middle 3: Small ones on cupcakes Bottom 2: Larger ones on Cakes Chocolate Transfers / Pat Tucci / Page #1
Chocolate Transfer Document / Pat Tucci / Page #2 This document is about the second kind of chocolate transfer. I like them because I m bad at piping anything freehand. But chocolate transfers are essentially just tracing over a picture! You can also make them in advance to save time when you need them. The technique is similar to Frozen Buttercream transfers (FBCT) if you are familiar with them. I use any of the bagged candy melts you can find at craft or chocolate stores. If I can, I try to use melts in colors closest to the picture so I don t have to do a lot of mixing. You can mix the colors of the melts themselves; or after melting, use food coloring made specifically for candy. Don t use regular gel paste colors or liquid food color your chocolate will seize. Melt according to the candy makers and/or your microwave instructions. Parchment cones or the plastic disposable piping bags (with or without tips) both work. I use piping tips for fine details (Round #1, 2 or 3 as appropriate). Or just snip the bag if picture is not too detailed, and for most of the color flooding. Little parchment cones are good to use if you just have a couple of details to pipe on. Enough already lets get to work! 1.Put the artwork, logo, or picture into any document-type software you are familiar with. I use PowerPoint the most because you can copy & paste the image and lay them out evenly. 2.Size the image according to the size of the final product. For example, 2-3 for cookies, 1-2 for cupcake toppers, and larger for plaques on cakes. 3.Copy & paste the image evenly out on the page sometimes even a dozen or more per page if I'm making small 1-2 cupcake toppers. 4.When you print out the page, go into your printer settings and change to "Mirror". This will print the logo or picture backwards. 5.The mirror part is important for text, or specific logos. because you are piping from the back. Some cartoons, pictures, and some logos can be reversed without it affecting the final image. I ve shown 2 sets of sample regular and mirrored images shown below. The Ben10 logo needs to be reversed, the Temple U logo does not! 6. Tape the pictures to a cookie sheet. For the S logo in the picture, I was making two different sizes. 7. See how the "S" logo is reversed. 8. Cover with parchment. Tape the parchment down too. Chocolate Transfers / Pat Tucci / Page #2
Chocolate Transfer Document / Pat Tucci / Page #3 9.When you pipe - try to think in reverse. Anything in the front of the image should be piped first. Pipe the outlines and small details first. For the "S" logo I didn't bother to outline, just used two colors. But for the Cinderella characters I outlined. 10.Then fill in the different colors. Smallest areas first, then fill in and reinforce with any main color. 11. Let them dry between colors - room temp is fine. Usually by the time I finish a second tray, the first is ready to go. 12.Here are some pictures of transfers in various stages of filling. Chocolate Transfers / Pat Tucci / Page #3
Chocolate Transfer Document / Pat Tucci / Page #4 13.The back doesn't have to be terribly neat unless it's going to be seen. If you are using them for cookies though, try not to make them too thick and bumpy or they won't lay flat. 14.Once the logos are done I cool at room temp (I ve found that putting them in the fridge at this point sometimes makes them too brittle when you peel them off. 15.Carefully peel off the parchment (run parchment over the square edge of the cookie sheet or counter, and they ll release easily), flip them over and Ta-Da! I store them flat in pizza boxes in layers if they re not heavy enough to break the ones below. Our house is cool enough most times to not need refrigeration. I have refrigerated the boxes in the dead of summer. To use for cookies, outline and flood each cookie as you normally would, and immediately drop the transfer on to the wet cookie. Do it right away before there is ANY crusting on the flooded icing. The logo should just sink into the icing. I had someone ask if the transfer caused the flooded icing to overflow it was a very good question. It never happened to me, but it s definitely something to keep in mind as you flood your cookies. To use for cupcakes, just frost the cupcake according to your design and stick the little chocolate piece right in. I have successfully frozen cupcakes WITH transfers in place. Just allow some time for condensation to evaporate naturally. To use for cakes, I just stick them into the soft buttercream. If they are big and heavy, I make sure they are sitting on the cake board so they don t slide down. Chocolate Transfers / Pat Tucci / Page #4
Chocolate Transfer Document / Pat Tucci / Page #5 Here are some random tips I ve collected from others, and from working with the transfers myself: Someone asked if the colors ran or bled I haven t seen that so far. Just let different colors dry in between. Make lots of extras! For cookies, I print out several pages so I don't have to move the pattern. I've broken many all by myself - some slid right off the cookie sheet! You also don t see some of the squiggly lines and holes till you flip them off the paper. It s nice to have extras so you can pick out the best ones. One person on CC (sorry I can t remember who) recommended using report covers with the clear front page. I tried it on the Ben10 logos. Liked this idea a lot chocolate was nice and shiny from the plastic. Beautiful until I put my #$@! fingerprints on it...so now I use parchment. However, the report covers are nice because you can lift up the clear plastic and make sure you re not leaving any holes in the design. After filling in with all the colors, seal the seams a little for strength. An outline alone between colors won t hold the image together. Learned this the hard way on the Ben10 logos. I outlined, and only filled in the colors. You could still see the outlines from the back, and several broke along the outlines. I should have sealed up a bit so the seams are stronger. Caution though...if you're making them for cookies, don't make them TOO thick or it won't sink down flush with the flooded icing. It will stay raised up over the royal if it s too thick and hits bottom. At first, try and keep the images simple - cartoons, text, logos. I tried some more detailed work and I couldn't pipe fine enough. But I m getting braver with practice, so don t limit yourself if you already do a lot of cookie, royal, or other detailed piping. This is just the same. Here is the link someone on CC posted that first helped me. It's a nice page with some pictures and tips. If the link doesn't work, Google the word: chocolatedemo It will take you right there. http://us.1.p4.geocities.com/h...9787013625 There are several very good threads in the Cake Central forums search chocolate transfer. Another GREAT resource is Whimsical Bakehouse. They use chocolate transfers extensively and were my initial inspiration to try them. They give wonderful instructions and tips in their first cookbook and on their web site. THANKS for asking for tips everyone on CC is always so helpful to me it s nice to be able to help in return. Pat aka PattyT Chocolate Transfers / Pat Tucci / Page #5