Tips for Molding Chocolate
April 29, 2010
Molded Chocolate (not to be confused with moldy chocolate!), or chocolate from molds (moulds), has been around for a long time.
Most chocolate molds are made of either metal or plastic. They can be flat, to shape chocolate like a candy bar, or three dimensional, to shape like an Easter bunny.
If you are a beginner at working with chocolate, start with a flat plastic mold with small cavities of simple shapes. You can buy these at craft stores or baking/candy supply stores or online at a number of candy-making supply websites.
Here are some tips for molding chocolate...
- Temper your chocolate. (If you need a refresher on tempering, please refer to my earlier chocolate tempering blog post.)
- Pour the tempered chocolate into the mold using a tablespoon or pastry bag to fill the cavities. Fill slightly over the rim. Don’t worry about spilling a little over the top. After the mold is filled, gently tap it to level the chocolate at the top. Carefully drop the mold on the counter or table several times. This will remove air bubbles that are trapped in the chocolate.
- Scrape excess chocolate off using a spatula. Sometimes I use a clean plastic ruler (the same kind children use in school) as a straight edge to remove the excess chocolate.
- It is best to cool your chocolate at 65-70° F in a room with good air
circulation and low relative humidity (50% or less).
- Release the chocolate from the mold. The chocolate will contract or pull away from the edges when it is ready to be popped out. Reverse the mold over a flat, clean surface and press firmly on the sides of the mold with your fingers or tap lightly on the counter. The chocolates should just fall out. If they don't, let the mold cool for a few more minutes and try again.
Coming soon, I'll provide you with some extra helpful tips when working with molded chocolates...
Course Facilitator at Chocolate University Online
Bryn worked for nearly 10 years in a research and product development for Ambrosia Chocolate Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Now she develops all of the CUO lessons and coaches the members of the Primal Chocolate Club.
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I’ve been having issues with the chocolate sticking to the mold in certain places… ie. tips of the bunny ears or tip of the nose, sometimes even more widespread. I clean the mold, the chocolate is tempered properly, I even coat the inside of the mold with a little cocoa butter to ensure sheen and proper release. Is it the chocolate or me? I do place the mold into the fridge for about 7 minutes to set. Been doing this method for years, but all of a sudden it no longer works. Any suggestions?
Could be from any of several variables. Is it the same chocolate you’ve been using for years, and are the molds the same ones you’ve been using for years? The coating formulation, the tempering, the cooling temp, and the design of the mold all contribute to a successful release or not. The solution depends on the problem, and it’s difficult to identify the problem unless I could see what you are doing and what you are using.
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