Chocolate University Online

This is the second part of the series.  If you missed the first part, or you’d like a review, please see Tips for Molding Chocolate.

Now that you’re caught up, here are my Extra Special Helpful Hints when working with chocolate molds.

1. Cool at room temperature…
   I do not recommend using either a refrigerator or freezer to cool the pieces.  These cool the chocolate too fast and they are too cold for crystals to form properly on the surface of the chocolate.  Colder chocolate will not be as shiny as chocolate cooled at room temperature.
    
2. Place the chocolate in front of a fan while cooling…
   This will remove the heat quickly and reduce the surrounding humidity to promote the best gloss, set, and snap.  (Be careful not to operate the fan at too high a speed.  You don’t want to blow debris onto the chocolate.)
    
3. Invert a cookie sheet or use a wire rack for cooling…
   This will allow heat to disperse evenly from all sides.  This is particularly important if you are using a flat mold.  The design or shape of the mold is face down as you pour and cool the chocolate.  It is common to have chocolate stick to the face of the mold if it remains flat against the counter or table while cooling. The trapped heat melts the surface crystals and sends the chocolate out of temper.
    
4. Use a mold at room temperature…
   Do not cool the mold or heat the mold at any time during the process.  Warm molds can soften the surface of the chocolate as it cools.  This promotes Fat Bloom that can appear quickly or as late as 24 hours later.  Cold molds can shock the surface crystals and make a dull looking chocolate piece.
    
5. Do not coat the inside of the mold with oil or fat or a “releasing agent”…
   Sure, adding a coating inside the mold sounds like a really good idea.  But, these products will interfere with the temper of the chocolate.  So while it might make it easier to remove your chocolate you would sacrifice shine and your nice temper in the process.
    
6. Clean the mold with hot water, NO soap, and dry really, really well…
   Soap can leave a layer of residue that will interfere with crystallization.  A moist mold can cause the chocolate to seize and turn into a hard, crumbly mess.
    
7. Avoid condensation…
   Condensation happens when chocolate is removed from a cold environment and begins to warm up to room temperature.  Little droplets of moisture will form on the surface of the chocolate as its temperature rises.  The moisture will dissolve a small amount of sugar from the chocolate’s surface.  After the water droplets evaporate, the sugar that is left behind forms a thin dusting of white powder on the chocolate. This is called Sugar Bloom.

There you have it.  Keep these hints in mind and  your molding success rate will go way up!

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…

1. Temper your chocolate.  (If you need a refresher on tempering, please refer to my earlier chocolate tempering blog post.)
    
2. 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.
    
3. 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.
    
4. 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).
    
5. 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…