We have lots of chocolate bars and pieces of chocolate that have been nibbled on for reviews, as well as blocks of couverture chocolate (used for baking).

When life gives you extra chocolate bars, make chocolate curls.

Also known as shaved chocolate, the curls can be used to garnish cake, ice cream, pudding, hot chocolate (or iced hot chocolate), cappuccino or anything that can benefit from a bit of chocolate glamor.

You can make dark, milk or white chocolate curls—or a combination. We’re particularly fond of white chocolate curls atop dark chocolate frosting.

TIP: If you won’t be using the curls immediately, place them in a storage container instead of on a cookie sheet.

In addition to the chocolate, you’ll need a vegetable peeler, cookie sheet or storage container (we use a low, square Tupperware-type container), waxed paper and a toothpick (we use tiny tongs that our grandmother used to add saccharine tablets to her tea).

For small curls, shave the narrow side of the bar; for wide curls, shave the broad side of the bar. You may have to practice to get the pressure right (maintain a steady pressure and speed).

1. The chocolate bar needs to be softened: hard enough to shave, but not so hard as to be brittle. We put our bar in a cold oven for half an hour, or on the stove top for 10 minutes on each side (to be warmed by the pilot light).

2. While the chocolate softens, cover a cookie sheet or the inside of a square or rectangular plastic storage container with waxed paper.

3. Make the chocolate curls by drawing the vegetable peeler across the chocolate. Don’t use a light touch, as with a potato or carrot. You’ll need a strong and steady stroke.

4. Use the toothpick to lift the curls gently onto the waxed paper. If you’ll be using them shortly, place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden. Otherwise, store them in an airtight container in a cool place (we keep them near the vent of our kitchen air conditioner). Some people refrigerate them, but the quick transition from cold to a warm room can cause the chocolate to bloom.

Once you get the hang of it, we think you’ll be using chocolate curls a lot!

MORE CHOCOLATE FUN

Check out our Gourmet Chocolate Section for tips, recipes, reviews, trivia and more.
  

Here’s an ice cream recipe idea for a sweet yet light ending to a big dinner: ice cream demitasse.

Use your demitasse (espresso) cups to serve small portions of ice cream or sorbet. They will be just enough to qualify as dessert, but not enough to go overboard after a big meal.

Surprise your guests with a second flavor underneath.

Garnish with a raspberry, lemon curl or chocolate shaving, and you’ve got a hit!

Fruit ices are thousands of years old, dating back to ancient China.

But gelato, the first type of ice cream (see below for the difference between the two), is comparatively recent. It likely dates to Florence, Italy in the late 16th century.

Some culinary historians believe that a multi-talented genius named Bernardo Buontalenti created gelato. Buontalenti, who spent his life in the employ of the Medici family, was, among other things, the impresario of the fabulous Medici banquets.

While no historical record exists to credit Buontalenti with the invention, we can imagine the first time people tasted gelato at a huge Medici banquet.

And whatever the history, the happy result is that we have gelato today.

Talenti gelato is named after Buontalenti. We’ve had a great time tasting our way through the line, from the classic chocolate and vanilla to the subtle coconut to the sorbetti, which include an outstanding peach.

Cool off this summer with a few pints.

Talenti’s dense and delicious gelato, in pints
and quarts. Photo courtesy Talenti.

Talenti is available at fine food stores nationwide; there’s a store locator on the company website.