Molds are usually made of plastic and these can be purchased from craft stores. Most of these cost about a dollar up so if you want to make these in different shapes and sizes, you have to buy a bunch.
Now that you have your mold, you should also buy the raw chocolate which is also available from the craft store. This is available in different flavors and colors so you can mix them up later on.
There are two ways to melt chocolate. The first is to cut the chocolate block into small pieces and then put this in a microwave safe bowl before sticking it in the oven. Since it is quite hard to see if all the chocolate has finally melted, we now come to the second option which is to melt it using a double boiler.
A double boiler consists of two pans. The first one has water while a smaller one is placed on top which is where the chocolate will be placed. You then stir the chocolate until melts. Once everything is now in liquid form, you then get your mold and pour the chocolate.
You should tap the bottom to take out air bubbles out of the chocolate otherwise there will be holes later on when they come out of the freezer. If you decide to put in candy sprinkles or marshmallows with your chocolate, it is best to pour them into the boiler.
After ten minutes or so, the chocolate mold inside the freezer is ready to be taken out. A good indicator is to check the bottom of the mold and see if the chocolate is still holding on to the mold.
If it is ready, then it is time to flip it over and tap it gently so it can land on a soft surface like a napkin to prevent it from breaking. Another method is to carefully pour water on the mold. But if it is not, then you should put the mold back into the freezer.
The nice thing about working with chocolate is that if is should crack or break, you can recycle it which prevents wastage. If you make a mistake when you are painting it, don't touch it and wait until it freezes so it is easy to remove and you can start over.
When it is ready, you can serve this as part of your dessert but if you are giving this away as a gift, make sure you find a nice box because it should look presentable to whoever will be receiving it.
Surely the molds you used to make chocolate will be used in the future. To maintain it, you must never wash this with soap as this removes its slickness. You should also carefully dry it after washing because it could cause spots to appear making it also difficult for the chocolate to be released from the mold.
But if your chocolate mold is sticky, perhaps you should coat it first lightly with some vegetable oil before you pour in the melted chocolate.
Making chocolate using molds is fun. You may not get it perfect the first time but as time goes by, you are sure to get better at it.
A chocolate mold is a cavity, usually made of plastic, used for forming chocolates in desired shapes. A chocolate mold can usually withstand up to 160 degrees F of heat so should be used with low-heat melting chocolate. Some molds are made from rubber or silicone, while other chocolate molds are made from metal.
Most chocolate molds produce one sided chocolates which are flat on one side and formed on the other. Some manufacturers provide three dimensional molds that create a fully shaped chocolate. This is usually achieved when two molds are used then joined together in a semi-hardened state. A newer solution to achieving round shaped chocolates is to use a magnetic chocolate mold. This allows the melted chocolate to be placed inside the sphere with the magnets holding the mold together until it hardens in the desired shape.
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate can all be used in a chocolate mold. Using small pieces of chocolate is the preferred way of melting the chocolate. Larger pieces of chocolate will require higher heat to achieve the melting stage. At higher heats the chocolate may burn or melt the chocolate mold. To avoid this, using small-shaped circles of chocolate called pastilles requires a lower heat, as the pieces are relatively small and uniform in size. This allows for an even melting time and makes it easier to pour into the chocolate mold.
A chocolate mold can be used for different types of chocolate. Most stores that sell chocolate molds will indicate what chocolate is the best for each different mold option. Some molds can withstand higher heats and can be used for harder chocolate, which requires more heat to melt it. Colors and flavors can be added to the chocolate in the melted stage to enhance the finished products. White chocolate will help to achieve the most pastel look to the chocolate if a subtle color is desired. For dark and deeper colors, darker chocolate can be used to reach the richer hues.
A suggested way to measure the required amount of chocolate needed for filling a chocolate mold is to measure the cavities or places in the mold for the chocolate with water. Pouring the water into the shapes, then into a measuring cup will indicate how much chocolate is needed as water measures almost the same as chocolate.
When cleaning a chocolate mold, soap should not be used as it can alter the taste of the next batch of chocolate, since the soap can penetrate into the plastic mold. Hot water should be used to remove any excess chocolate from the mold. If the chocolate comes out cleanly form the chocolate mold, leaving the mold with the remaining cocoa butter will aid in the removal of the following batches of chocolates made in the mold. All in all, a chocolate mold is a very versatile piece of equipment and can provide chocolates made into many desired shapes for different themes or occasions.
Both Julie Spear & Terry Roberts are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Julie Spear has sinced written about articles on various topics from Desserts, Arts and Desserts. For tips on and. Julie Spear's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.
Terry Roberts has sinced written about articles on various topics from Arts, Photography and Computers and The Internet. Terry Roberts is a professional translator and linguist, with a wide range of interests. To read more about chocolate, please visit his website: