How to Make Chocolate Curls

This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Chocolate curls dress up any dessert and turn it into a showstopper! And they really aren’t hard to make! You just need two ingredients and a few tools and you’ll be cranking them out in no time!

What I Love About Chocolate Curls

• Beautiful: Chocolate curls are a great way to impress and elevate your desserts. Even the imperfect ones add texture and beauty!
• Easy to make: Even though chocolate curls can seem intimidating, they really aren’t hard to make and they’re quick!
• Tasty: Who doesn’t love chocolate? It’s always going to add something to both the look and the taste of a dessert to add these curls.

The “Trick”

It’s quite simple really – the key to chocolate curls is having the chocolate at the right temperature. If the chocolate is too warm, it will just get pushed onto the scraper tool you’re using. If it’s too cold, it will flake or break into pieces. To be successful you have to be patient with it and take it in and out of the fridge as needed so that it’s the right temperature to work with.

What You’ll Need

• Semi-sweet chocolate: You could use chocolate chips or a baking bar, but I’d stick with semi-sweet chocolate for the amount of shortening used. Other chocolate types will be more or less firm, so the ratio of shortening will be off and so will your chocolate texture.
• Shortening: There’s only a little bit added to make the chocolate more curl-able. I prefer this over butter, since it stays firmer but still soft at room temperature.

How to Make Chocolate Curls

With a little time and patience, you’ll have beautiful chocolate curls in no time! Refer to the recipe card below for the full instructions.

• Melt the chocolate: Add the chocolate chips (or a chopped chocolate baking bar) and shortening to a bowl and microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between each increment, until it’s melted and smooth.
• Spread onto baking sheet: Spread the melted chocolate into a thin, even layer onto the back of a half sheet baking pan or large cookie sheet. The chocolate doesn’t need to be real thick. Put the chocolate in the refrigerator until completely cooled and firm.

• Create your curls: Once firm, remove the cookie sheet from the fridge and set it on the counter. Use a bench scraper (you could also use a metal spatula) to push forward on the chocolate and create a curl. You may have to test the chocolate every minute or two by trying to make a chocolate curl, until the temperature is right.
  • If the chocolate is flakey, it’s still too cold. Let it sit for a minute and try again.
  • If it seems soft and won’t roll, it’s too warm and needs to go back in the refrigerator. It should only be about 3-5 minutes before the chocolate is the right temperature again.

Desserts To Use Chocolate Curls For

While you can add chocolate curls to just about anything, here are a few desserts where they’d make sense and make a statement.

• French Silk Pie
• Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Chocolate Cheesecake
• Chocolate Cream Pie
• Oreo Cheesecake
• Chocolate Layer Cake
• Peanut Butter Pie
• Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Black Forrest Cheesecake

How To Store Chocolate Curls

Once the chocolate curls are made, store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator to keep them cool and firm until ready to use. You can also freeze them, then thaw them in the fridge before using. Once they are on your dessert, they are fine at room temperature while the dessert is served.

Watch How To Make Them

Read Transcript

Print