Chocolate Showpiece
Pegasus

The flying horse is an example of a chocolate carving created from a solid block of dark chocolate weighing about 75 pounds.  The chocolate used for this flying horse  was obtained from the remains of many previous centerpieces; a natural byproduct of hotel pastry shops. 

When cooling chocolate in such large amounts and in one solid piece it is difficult to get it to set and cure quickly and evenly.  The retained heat is such that the middle will stay liquid, the tempering  having come undone, and the cocoa butter content begins to separate out.  Chocolate that has cooled in this way will become brittle and grainy; understandably a very undesirable state for chocolate carving.  In order to address this potential challenge it is useful to first cast a smaller block and then submerge it into the middle of a larger mass of melted chocolate thereby providing a heat sink and allowing it to cool faster and more evenly.

The image of a horse was drawn on parchment paper and then scribed onto the side of the cast chocolate block.  The outline of the drawing was cut out and the carving finished with tools such as wood chisels, hobby knives and much of it was completed with a paring knife. Select this link to view the chocolate sculpture being carved.

The wooden base that the carving rests on is slotted to accept an acrylic display case as it was donated to a charity auction event where it was sold to benefit a local hospital.