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–+ servings
shiny chocolate mirror glaze cake on a rack

Simple Chocolate Mirror Glaze

The simple & delicious chocolate mirror glaze for any cake and dessert.
Author ayacaliva
Total Time 20 minutes
Course cake, Chocolate, glaze, mirror glaze
Servings 2 1 pound containers
Print Pin

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Rubber spatula
  • Whisk
  • Bowl
  • Fine mesh seive

Ingredients

  • 0.67 oz Gelatin
  • 7 oz Water
  • 10.6 oz Granulated sugar
  • 4.6 oz Cocoa powder
  • 7 oz Heavy cream

Instructions
 

Mirror Glaze

  • Hydrate gelatin beforehand:
    When using gelatin sheets: Soak the gelatin sheets in icy cold water for about 10 minutes. 
    When using gelatin powder: Mix it in 4 - 5 times more amounts of icy cold water and let it sit for about 10 minutes. (or follow the package instructions.)
    0.67 oz Gelatin
    soaking gelatin sheets in ice water
  • Mix water, sugar, and cocoa powder in a pan:
    1. Pour water into a sauce pan.
    2. Mix cocoa powder and granulated sugar well with a whisk in a bowl and add them to the pot. 
    3. Mix well until the liquids look very smooth.
    7 oz Water, 10.6 oz Granulated sugar, 4.6 oz Cocoa powder
    adding cocoa powder and sugar in water
  • Heat the mixture:
    Heat the chocolate mixture at medium heat while mixing constantly with a rubber spatula until it starts boiling all over the surface.
    boiling water, sugar and cocoa powder to make mirror glaze
  • Add heavy cream:
    Add all the heavy cream and continue heating until the liquids start boiling again.
    7 oz Heavy cream
    adding heavy cream in water, sugar and cocoa powder to make mirror glaze
  • Add the hydrated gelatin:
    Strain it into a medium to large bowl and add the hydrated gelatin. Mix and ensure that the gelatin is melted completely. 
    adding gelatin in chocolate mirror glaze

How To Glaze A Mirror Cake

  • Let the glaze cool:
    It is too hot to pour onto cakes right after it's made. Set it aside and let it cool more, mixing sometimes to check the temperature.
    Do not mix it too fast so that it does not contain a lot of air bubbles. They do not look appealing on cakes! Mix slowly with a rubber spatula.
    When the cake is frozen: Cool the glaze to 104ºF (40ºC) to pour on a frozen cake. It is slightly warm or doesn't feel anything when you touch it. (depending on how cold your finger is.) You might need to adjust the temperature depending on the temperatures of the freezer, room, etc.
    When the cake is chilled in the fridge: Cool the glaze to 86ºF (30ºC). 
    I like to pour the glaze on a frozen cake because it's much easier to spread it beautifully and transfer the glazed cake to a cake board or plate without the risk of messing out the shape. Many pastry shops, including those I worked at in the past, intentionally freeze cakes for this purpose. 
    checking the temperature of chocolate mirror glaze
  • 4 steps to glaze a mirror cake:
    1. Set up a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Ensure the cakes are ready in the freezer so you can take them out immediately when the glaze cools down enough.
    2. Once the mirror glaze reaches the temperature, immediately pour a generous amount of the glaze on the center of the cake with swirl motions so you can cover the entire cake. Do not hesitate and pour all at once to prevent it from getting hardened before you are done pouring.
    3. Immediately swish the top of the cake with an offset spatula to create a thin layer of mirror glaze, making the cake taste more delicate and delicious! Move the spatula parallel to the cake to create an even layer. This process also helps the glaze to drop on the sides of the cake to cover the entire surface in case there is a spot uncovered.
    4. Clean off the excess glaze on the bottom edge with an offset spatula and transfer them to a cake board or plate. Watch the video tutorial to see it visually! Serve it right away or store it in the fridge.
    coating chocolate mirror glaze on small cakes

Video

Notes

Expert Tips

    1. Mixing cocoa powder and sugar beforehand eliminates lots of chunks of cocoa powder.
    2. Some ingredients, such as heavy cream and cocoa powder, easily get burned. Constantly and evenly mix the hot mixture while heating, scraping off the bottom and the sides with a rubber spatula.
    3. By straining the mirror glaze with a fine sieve, you can ensure it is very smooth with no lumps of cocoa powder. You can also mix it with an immersion blender instead!
    4. Before you add gelatin sheets, squeeze out excess water by hand. Or use a sieve to do the same!
    5. Add the hydrated gelatin while the chocolate mixture is still hot to ensure the gelatin melts completely. The mirror glaze won't set properly when it does not.

How to store it:

Pour it into an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to a week or a few months in the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 1096kcal | Carbohydrates: 190g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 66mg | Potassium: 1090mg | Fiber: 24g | Sugar: 154g | Vitamin A: 1459IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 9mg
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