Making Chocolate Stars

Look to melted chocolate for ways to create more unique and fun garnishes for your holiday desserts. With melted chocolate and a resealable plastic bag, you can create a galaxy of chocolate stars (see instructions below) to garnish dessert plates or cluster on top of holiday cakes or pies.

Chocolate Stars
Makes Enough to Decorate a 9-inch Cake

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces semisweet, bittersweet, or white chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon pure vegetable shortening

Directions:

1. In the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and shortening, stirring occasionally, with a rubber spatula, until smooth.
2. Spoon melted chocolate into a small resealable plastic bag and with a needle pierce a small hole in one corner. Gently squeeze from the top end of the bag, using steady pressure to keep the chocolate flowing freely.
3. Pipe melted chocolate onto a waxed-paper-lined baking sheet, forming a square. Pipe a second square at a 45-degree angle to the first square. Repeat to make as many stars as you want. Let stand until firm. Peel stars from waxed paper.

NOTE: In place of plastic bags, you can use either durable or disposable decorating bags, available at cake decorating and craft stores. Decorating tips are usually sold in sets of six, 12, or more. If you use professional decorating bags frequently, you'll want to purchase one or two writing tips, one or two star tips, and a leaf tip.