Chocolate Feathers

• Baking & Spices

  • 4 oz Chocolate candy coating
  • 1 Chocolate feathers

• Other

  • Clean, food-safe paintbrush
  • Luster dust in assorted colors (optional

Found on sugarhero.com

Ingredients

• Chocolate Feathers
• 4 oz chocolate candy coating
• Clean, food-safe paintbrush
• Luster dust in assorted colors (optional)
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 6 oz butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 3 fl oz pasteurized liquid egg whites
• 12 oz (3 cups) powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 12 oz (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 TBSP vanilla extract
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chocolate candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds to avoid overheating. Stir until melted and smooth.
• Decide how large you want your feathers to be. Dip the paintbrush in the melted coating and lightly sketch out the length of the feather, to give you a guideline.
• Dip the brush in chocolate and start making small brushstrokes out from the center of your guideline. Dip in the chocolate as often as necessary, using less pressure at the end of your strokes to create a feathered look. Once youve done the length of one side of the feather, repeat for the other side.
• One coat of chocolate will not be enough, so repeat this process several times, brushing over your earlier layers, until the chocolate is no longer translucent and is a thicker layer.
• To make them more realistic, while the chocolate is still wet, use a toothpick to scratch at the ends of the feathers to make them more ragged. You can also remove larger sections of feather to create the natural gaps that many feathers have.
• After you have made all of the feathers you need, transfer the remaining melted coating to a paper cone or plastic bag with a small hole snipped in the corner. Pipe a line of chocolate down the center of the feather, extending a bit from the end. Once all of the feathers have these lines, refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, for about 10 minutes.
• To add some sparkle to your feathers, use a dry brush to brush luster dust over the feathers once the chocolate is set. Metallic colors like gold, silver, and copper look especially good.
• These feathers are very delicate, so they need to be handled with care! Remove them from the tray when they are fresh from the refrigerator—the cold chocolate will be more sturdy than room temperature chocolate. I find it easiest to lift up the parchment with one hand underneath, and with the other, run a metal spatula under the feather and lift it from the parchment that way.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a small bowl, and whisk them together. Set aside for a moment.
• Place the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla extract.
• Turn the mixer speed to low and add about a third of the dry ingredients. Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, add half of the buttermilk and mix it in. Add half the remaining drys, then the rest of the buttermilk, and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Stop the mixer when just a few streaks of flour remain. Finish mixing by hand with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl well.
• Scoop the batter into 18 cupcake liners. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 F, until the tops spring back lightly when touched. Cool completely.
• Combine the whites, powdered sugar, and salt in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix everything together on low speed, until the sugar is moistened and no dry patches remain. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula, then turn the mixer to medium speed. Beat on medium for 5 minutes.
• After 5 minutes, turn the mixer to medium-low and start adding the softened room temperature butter, 1-2 tablespoons at a time. Once all of the butter is incorporated, add the vanilla extract and cinnamon and mix it in. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides once more. Turn the speed to medium and beat the buttercream for 10 minutes. At the end, you’ll have a frosting with a wonderfully light and creamy texture. It can be used right away, or stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, or the freezer for up to two months. If you have chilled the frosting, let it come to room temperature and then beat it for several minutes to smooth it out and restore its texture before using it.
• Fit a piping bag with a large open star tip, and fill it with cinnamon buttercream. Pipe a big dollop of frosting on top of each cupcake, and if desired, add a few gold sprinkles. Finish by gently place a chocolate feather on top of each cupcake.