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Molding and Shaping Chocolate

Depending on what you are making, you may need to mold your chocolate. Chocolate is molded to give it shape. Remember those little chocolate candies that you receive at Valentine’s? What about the chocolate bars that you purchase from the store? These are molded – or shaped.

When chocolate is melted, it is like syrup. The only way to get it to form into the shapes that you want is to use molding pans. These molding cans come in a seemingly unlimited number of shapes and sizes – and they are extremely cheap.

The average price for chocolate mold pans is about a dollar per pan, and the pans are reusable. But, if you are making small candy pieces, how many molds do you need? You can actually purchase several molding pans that have deeper molds for numerous pieces of candy – kind of like a muffin pan.

Don’t be confused by the word ‘pan.’ When most of us think of ‘pans,’ we think of cast iron or aluminum pans. Molding pans are actually made of very hard plastic. They will not tolerate high heat. They aren’t really designed for the oven.

Ideally, you want clear plastic, which you can see through. When you pour or spoon chocolate into the mold, it may not fill all of the nooks and crannies. You can easily see if this is the case if you are able to see through the plastic mold. You may have to work at it a bit, but you can get the chocolate to fill all of the spaces by tilting it or by lightly tapping the bottom of the mold on the counter.

Make sure that all of the spaces are filled before hardening the chocolate. For chocolate covered candies, such as chocolate covered cherries, you will need to ‘work in layers.’ Use a kitchen brush – like a brush used to brush meats when grilling – and brush the chocolate into the bottom of the mold. Be sure the brush the sides of the mold as well.

Put the mold in the freezer, and allow it to harden. This takes about three to five minutes. Brush another layer on the sides and the bottom, and allow that layer to harden. Continue doing this until the bottom of the chocolate candy is finished, as well as ‘some’ of the side of the candy.

Now, drop your candy or nut of choice into the hole that is created in the chocolate mold, and cover it completely with chocolate. Allow this to freeze overnight.

Removing chocolate from plastic is really quite easy – which is why plastic is used for the molds. In most cases, you simple take the chocolate mold out of the freezer, tap the bottom lightly on the counter, and flip it over. The chocolate candies or chocolate shape will slide right out. Use caution however. If it hits the surface too hard, the molded chocolate may chip or break. Be gentle! If possible, protect the chocolate mold with the palm of your hand, or with a flat cutting board.

For example, if you have a chocolate molded bunny, and you need to remove it from the mold, hold onto both sides of the mold and gently tap the bottom of the mold on the counter or table.

Next, place the flat cutting board over the top of the mold – as long as it won’t press against the chocolate bunny. Old the mold and the cutting board together, and flip it over. The bunny should now be out of the mold, and on the cutting board.

Again, there are unlimited molds available, and you can make the cutest and prettiest – and strangest – chocolate designs and candies. Every animal that you can imagine, shapes of people and body parts, buildings, candy bar shapes, Disney character shapes, and much more is available. You could literally spend hours shopping for and selecting your chocolate molds!

Most people, however, generally have some idea of what they want or need. For instance, if you are throwing a bridal shower, and you want to make a special chocolate treat, you may want a mold with a couple of doves holding wedding rings in their beaks. Such molds are available.

Once you’ve filled your mold with chocolate, your design may need additional decoration. This is usually done either when the chocolate is half-hardened, such as adding sprinkles, or when it is completely hardened, such as painting with food coloring.

When it comes to creating chocolate molds, the possibilities really are limitless. For the most part, you are really only limited by what you can think up – because the chances are very good that somebody else has already thought of it, and a mold exists for the shape that you desire.

Molds are best purchased online. They are sold in local discount stores, gourmet stores, and even grocery stores; however this is usually only seasonal – and themed to that particular season. For example, Santa clause molds are easy to find at Christmas time. However, by shopping online, you will be able to find the mold that you desire, anytime of the year.

Wash the mold well before use, and make sure it is completely dry before pouring or spooning the chocolate in. Plastic molds are very easy to clean up after you are finished with them. Just use warm soap and water.