# How to Create a Chocolate Bridge: A Step-by-Step Guide Inspired by Ann Reardon's Video
## Introduction
In this video tutorial by Ann Reardon from *How To Cook That*, we delve into the intricate art of crafting a chocolate bridge, specifically replicating the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. This guide is perfect for both novice and experienced bakers looking to add a touch of edible architecture to their creations. Whether you're aiming to recreate famous bridges or design your own, this method offers adaptable techniques that ensure success.
## Preparing the Structure
To begin, gather your materials, including non-stick baking paper, a piping bag, and various piping tips. The first step involves printing out a picture of your chosen bridge and covering it with non-stick baking paper. This setup allows you to pipe the structural supports accurately, ensuring that each segment is secure and well-defined.
## Creating Supports and Details
Using a piping bag filled with chocolate, select a flat tip for the main structural parts of the bridge. Pipe along the edges of your template, then slide the baking paper up to create the other side. This method ensures symmetry and stability in your bridge's foundation. For added detail, switch to a smaller tip to craft intricate designs, such as railings or supports.
## Making Towers and Molds
To form the bridge towers, Ann Reardon suggests using Lego pieces to build a prototype. Cover this structure with reusable food-grade molding gel, which is heated and cooled to create a mold. Once set, remove the Lego base to reveal a seamless chocolate tower. This technique ensures that each tower is proportionate and structurally sound.
## Constructing the Road
The road component requires a thick layer of chocolate to support the bridge's weight. Spread this mixture evenly on baking paper, then use a ruler to trim it straight. Ensuring the road fits perfectly on your towers is crucial for stability. For added protection against curling, place another sheet of baking paper over the road and weigh it down with a heavy object until set.
## Assembling the Bridge
Carefully assemble the bridge by attaching each side to the road and towers. Pipe additional chocolate along the road's edges and across the bridge's supports to reinforce its structure. Repeat this process for both the lower and upper levels, ensuring alignment and symmetry throughout.
## Decorating the Board
To create a realistic landscape, cover a cake board with foil and apply a thin layer of white or blue chocolate. Use a palette knife to mimic water ripples by dragging it back and forth across the surface. Add dark green chocolate for land masses, then texture them using a fork or knife to resemble grass or bushes.
## Final Touches
Position your bridge towers on the decorated board, securing them with melted chocolate. Gently place the completed bridge on top, ensuring alignment and balance. For transportation, keep the bridge flat and separate in an esky to prevent damage.
## Conclusion
Ann Reardon's tutorial concludes with a call to action: subscribe to *How To Cook That* for more inspiring recipes, explore her website for additional resources, and share your chocolate creations in the comments. This engaging approach not only teaches you how to craft a chocolate bridge but also encourages creativity and community involvement.
By following these detailed steps, you can transform your baking skills into an artistic endeavor, creating edible masterpieces that are both delicious and visually stunning.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enWelcome to How To Cook That I am Ann ReardonToday I am going to show you how to make achocolate bridge, this one is the Sydney HarbourBridge but you can use the same method tomake whatever bridge you would like to make.I made this one for the Weekend Sunrise whichis a TV show here in Sydney, and of courseyou can use the Surprise Cakes app like Idid to add a fireworks show to your bridgetoo.Lots of you asked can you show us how to makethe bridge as well, so here it is...Firstly print out a picture of your bridgeand then cover it in non-stick baking paper.Place some chocolate in a piping bag and forthe main parts of the bridge use a flat pipingtip and pipe that main structural supportbit.Slide the baking paper up and repeat thata second time for the other side of the bridgestructure.And you can print out this particular onefor the sydney harbour bridge from the websitein the size I am using I'll put that on thewebsite howtocookthat.net and I'll put a linkto that description just below this video.Squeeze all that chocolate into a new pipingbag and cut off a small amount, check youcan get a smooth line from it, if not cuta tiny bit more off and check again.Take your bag of chocolate and pipe the detailedparts of the bridge.Carefully making sure they are as straightas you can get them and then repeat that onthe other half as well.You can use either use tempered chocolateor you can use compound chocolate for this.Today I am using compound because the bridgehas to survive under the heat of the TV lightsand compound chocolate has a higher meltingpoint.To make the towers that support the bridgeat each end make a lego version each towerand make that in the correct size for yourbridge.Then stick that onto a lego base and buildwalls up around it.You'll notice on mine I used the smooth tileson top that it will have the smooth edge.Heat some reusable food grade molding gelin the microwave and then more it over yourlego prototype.Tap it on the bench to get rid of any bubbles.Now this gel takes quite a while to cool downand set, I put it in the fridge and it stilltook a couple of hours.Once it is set you can just pull the legowalls off.Then loosen each edge and push the lego outand now you have a mold for the end of yourbridge.Fill the mold with white chocolate give ita tap to get any air bubbles.You can see this is buldging out slightlyon the sides and I don't mind that shape formy bridge, if you want your perfectly straightthen just build some lego walls around itto support it.Once it is set push it out of the mold, thenmake another one so you have one for eachend.Now to make our road.I am making this fairly thick as it needsto support the weight of the bridge withoutbreaking.Spread it out smoothly and let it start toset.Then take a ruler and trim it straight makingsure it is the right width to fit on yourbridge towers.If you are not sure make it narrower thanyou think because you don't want to put itall together and then it not fit.Then place another sheet of baking paper overthe top and something heavy to keep it fromcurling up because chocolate tends to curlas it sets.Top make the across parts of the bridge drawtwo lines on baking paper the width of theroad that you've just done and then put thatover the template.Pipe a box with a criss cross in the middleand then pipe more boxes but leave them openon one side because we are going to join themup tot he ones that we have already done.To put the bridge together take one side andpipe some chocolate across at the road leveland add the road on top.Next on the lower level add one of the crisscrossed boxes at a time following the curveof the bridge around as you go.Once you've done that then repeat that forthe top of the bridge as well.Once that is completed then carefully addmore chocolate along the road, around thetop and the middle then quickly add the otherside of the bridge quickly before that setsand then line that up straight..Cover a cake board in foil and then usingeither white chocolate coloured with oil basedfood colouring or blue candy melts cover theentire board in a thin layer.Use a palette knife and run it back and forthfrom one side to side to create that rippledwater effect across the board.Use your template to measure how far apartthe land needs to be and add some dark greenchocolate.Followed by some lighter green on top.Before it sets take a knife or a fork andgently poke it into the chocolate and quicklypull up to create some texture sort of grassor bush effect onto your chocolate . Oncethat is set add your bridge towers and thenuse the template to get them in the correctposition make sure they are the right distanceapart and on the right angle and use somemelted chocolate to secure them in place.Then finally and very carefully add the delicatebridge on top.If you need to transport it the keep the bridgepart off and flat and seperate in an eskyuntil you get to your location.Subscribe to How To Cook That for more cakes,chocolate and dessert creations.Click here to go through to the channel, herefor last weeks video and here to go the howto cook that website.And I'll put all of those links in the descriptionbelow as well for those of you who are usingphones and ipads where the annotations don'twork yet.If you make a chocolate bridge make sure youtake a photo for me and you can upload itin the comments section on the website.Have a great week and I'll see you Friday[music: The Boat Song by Set Sail used withpermission]\n"
