The blueprint of... is an article serie where we’re taking a closer look on an Artisan Crafts deviation and how it's made.


Today we are dissecting Calla Lilly Chocolate Box by ~Sliceofcake

First off, please introduce yourself?

My name is Nicholas Ang. I'm 28, from the little island of Singapore. I studied graphic design in University and worked for several years as a graphic designer. I'm now in Ottawa, Canada, completing a pastry diploma at Le Cordon Bleu, the famous French culinary school.

Please explain what we are viewing.

It's a box constructed out of dark tempered chocolate. The main structure is a 7cm cube. The lid is detachable and is decorated with calla lilies and a ribbon. The box holds 12 molded dark chocolate bonbons with a crunchy peanut butter filling. Everything is edible except for the white squares of cardboard separating the bonbons.

Can you describe for a layman how it’s made?

The walls of the cube are assembled with squares of tempered chocolate. I used a pastry brush to brush the squares with more chocolate to give it a nice wooden textured effect. The petals and stamens of the flower are sculpted with plastic chocolate, which is a mixture of chocolate and glucose in a certain ratio to give the chocolate the consistency of plasticine. The stamens have also been coated with white sesame seeds. Each fold of the ribbon was created on small strips of acetate and assembled together at the end. Once the trimmings and wordings were piped on, the whole box was brushed with an edible gold dust to give it a nice shiny antique look.

What tools did you use?

I made this in my home kitchen. The basic tools for chocolate work are marble surfaces, acetate, chocolate molds (for bonbons), a couple of spatulas and small knives.

What was your inspiration in creating this?

I made this as a birthday gift for one of my housemates. The Calla Lilly is one of my favorite flowers and it's the first time I was making them with the plastic chocolate.

How long time did it take you to make this?

This took about 2.5hrs from start to finish, including prep time and washing up.

Did you run into anything unexpected while creating?

This was my second time making a chocolate box so I was able to do it faster and with more detail. The most important thing when working with chocolate is the tempering process. Chocolate that isn't tempered correctly is hard to work with and has a very poor shine and finish.

Are you happy with the result?

I'm really happy with the result and my friend who received it for her birthday was completely speechless. Actually, she only ate the peanut butter bonbons and still keeps the box in her room in one piece as she can't bear to eat it.

Where have you learnt your skills in this area?

I learnt chocolate work while in my second semester at Le Cordon Bleu, although some of the techniques I used on this particular piece were self taught.

Do you take your own photos? Any tips you want to share for presenting your work?

I do take my own photos. Having a background in graphic design and advertising has really helped in that I am familiar with things like lighting, composition. In pastry, cleanliness and neatness is important and I always try to show that in my work. As one of chef instructors always says: "if it looks smooth and shiny, you win."

What is the best tip you can give to others wanting to test this craft/material/technique?

First off, you have to learn how to temper chocolate correctly. Once you know how to do that, there is no limit to what you can do with chocolate. It is a very versatile medium, yet it is not easy to do well. Practice and practice, and read up on techniques from books or the internet. And also, it might be a good idea to try and not lick your fingers and the bowls too much. I know it's tempting, but you'll regret it later when you start putting on the pounds.

Are you selling your work?

I had been selling my cakes and pastries online since my university days and only stopped when I came to Canada to study. I do intend to start my business up again after I graduate, which will be soon, in April this year. I don't think I can do international orders for the moment though, so if anyone's interested to try my creations, you'll just have to visit me in Singapore, or whichever country I end up in.



Thank you ~Sliceofcake for participating and taking the time to answer my question!

//`Myana

I'd love to recive suggestions for next "victim" to interview! Note me with a link to the deviation you'd like to know more about and I'll contact the deviant.




_{Previous articles:
• The blueprint of... My Little Alien
• The blueprint of... Devil Claw Gargoyle
• The blueprint of... 30 full view
• The blueprint of... Flying Jewel Ring
• The blueprint of... Golden Chinese Dragon
• The blueprint of... Leather corset
• The blueprint of... Galding's Runesmith Armor
• The blueprint of... corset with gussets
• The blueprint of... Red Cross 9.26.08
• The blueprint of... Rosemary 1
• The blueprint of... Tsuru
• The blueprint of... Duct Tape Queen Of Hearts
• The blueprint of... Snekkja
• The blueprint of... Dragon Chain Revisited
• The blueprint of... More Vessels
• The blueprint of... Cosplay: Belle}