Using molds is a great way to make your chocolate fun and interesting. You can use basic molds that are just in traditional shapes like squares or bars or you can use fun molds that are in all different shapes and styles. If you want to make lollipops or suckers there are special molds that you can use to make those.
There are lots of companies that make special candy molds that are specifically made to be used with chocolate. These are often found in holiday shapes like Easter bunnies, chicks, and eggs or in Christmas shapes like Santa Claus, stars, and Christmas trees. There are candy molds out there for every season so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a mold that will be perfect for you holiday celebration.
But you’re not limited to just using candy molds for your chocolate. You can use soap molds, cake molds, or other types of molds too. As long as a mold is made from a heavy plastic it should work just fine. To make your candy slide out of the mold more easily spray the inside of the mold with a no stick cooking spray. That way you won’t have a situation where half of your chocolate candy ends up stuck inside the mold. If chocolate does get stuck inside a mold turn then mold over so that the open side is facing down and run the mold under the hot water tap until the chocolate loosens and slides out.
To take care of your molds make sure that you wash each one thoroughly after you’re done with it. Molds can be washed with normal soap and water like dishes almost most are not dishwasher safe so don’t put them in the dishwasher unless the mold says that it’s dishwasher safe.
When you pour the chocolate into the molds it might take several hours or even several days for the chocolate to harden in the mold. Even though you might be tempted to put the chocolate and the mold into the freezer so that it hardens more quickly you shouldn’t do that. It will make the chocolate harden too fast and it can damage the mold. You can put the chocolate filled mold in the refrigerator though, and that should help the chocolate solidify in the mold more quickly.
Using molds is a cheap and easy way to make your homemade chocolate more fun. Getting your candy out of a mold can be tricky but one way that you can make it easier to get the chocolate out of the mold once it’s hard is to drop the mold onto the counter before you set it down to loosen the chocolate inside the mold. Running the mold under a little hot water is also a good way to get chocolate candy out of a mold.
Some craft stores carry thin plastic molds that are very cheap but these don’t last very long so they’re not really a bargain. Spend a few dollars more and get molds made from high density plastic that are very thick. They’re really worth the extra cost.
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