Candy Shop - how to make handmade chocolate candy and molded chocolates
Molded chocolates are the most popular chocolate candies in the world. If you follow a few basic steps, you can make these wonderful confections yourself. It's easy.
Fancy decorations for wedding cakes, handmade chocolate truffles, elegant candy confections in beautiful gift boxes, chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs, Valentine's chocolate hearts, sexy candies for bachelorette parties - a whole world of chocolate can be created with candy and chocolate molds. I will show you how easy it is to make these beautiful molded chocolates and I will share my experience with you, as to the best ingredients, methods and tools.
Come see, learn and shop!
Table of Contents
- My Piano Cake with a variety of molded chocolates
- A closer look at the piano cake
- Everybody loves a chocolate bar!
- The "Austin Chronicle" writes about my chocolates
- Sweet Evolution!
- Origin of Chocolate - at a glance
- The Chocolate
- "Cla-ass!"
- More flavors of a top-quality molding chocolate
- How molded chocolates are made...
- There are molds available for almost any shape
- Silicon molds for candy and sugar paste
- Some of my candy molds
- My sugar paste jewelry made with silicon molds
- Let's not forget the colors!
- My competition cake
- Everybody Talks About Chocolate...
- My Best Candy Ever. Ever! Espresso Sea Salt Caramel Truffles - Order Some Here!
- Your supply resources
- Sugar art supplies on Amazon
- Maybe there's a good deal on eBay?
- Get yourself some really, really good candy!
- A final note!
- See our new Squidoo Lensmaster Magazine "SquidLog"
My Piano Cake with a variety of molded chocolates
A closer look at the piano cake
The cake itself is made from two sheets of chocolate cake, stacked and filled with a dark chocolate truffle filling, carved into a grand piano shape, and covered with more truffle icing.The black and white piano keys are molded chocolates filled with some blackberry black walnut jalapeño jam. The hearts surrounding the cake are molded chocolates as well, this time filled with a cherry brandy pecan pepper jam. The tennis rackets are made from solid dark and white chocolates.
The pet "photographs" are food color paintings on sugar paste frames. The castagnettes, the jewelry, the sheet music towards the back, the painter's palette and the laces are all made from sugar paste and food colors. Everything you see is edible.
Everybody loves a chocolate bar!
Dark, white, milk, semi-sweet, bitter?
Molded chocolate doesn't always have to be presented in fancy shapes - everybody loves a chocolate bar. It is straight-forward, and marked to be broken into serving pieces. (Never mind that I always need a double or triple piece to fill my mouth.)My line of chocolate bars comes in 8 flavors:
- Blackberry Black Walnut Jalapeno
- Crushed Espresso Beans
- Tres Leches Coconut Macaroon
- Bavarian Hazelnut Coffee Bean
- Peanut Butter Praline
- Southern Pecan Caramel Coffee Bean
- Spiced Rum Raisin
- White Chocolate with Crushed Gingersnaps
After my bars are wrapped in silver foil, they are ready to be customized. Each of my clients gets their own special sleeve design. It's easy to set up templates even in a simple word processor. I use "Pages" on my Mac. To print the sleeves, I buy antique or fine linen paper at the office supply store, 500 sheets for about $25-$28. I have set up my templates so I can place 2 designs on a page, and I cut these to size with a paper cutter.
The "Austin Chronicle" writes about my chocolates
Sweet Evolution!
Origin of Chocolate - at a glance
Where does this good stuff actually come from?
The cacao tree grows fruits (pods) which contain the seeds (cocoa beans). The beans are fermented and dried.The chocolate producer then roasts the beans and separates the nib from the shell, through a process called "winnowing". The nibs are then ground and become the chocolate liquor. And it's bitter, baby! Let this cool and you have unsweetened chocolate.
In order to make a delicious piece of our beloved chocolate a producer may add sugar, flavorings (vanilla), and milk (cream) and then blend it all through another process called "conching".
Finally, to allow the cocoa butter to solidify correctly without separating, the chocolate is tempered.
This extensive FAQ will take you to a huge usenet document that answers many questions in great detail.
Hey! Your doctor just called, and this is what he said about chocolate:
"Researchers have some news for chocolate lovers: it may be good for you. Scientists reported preliminary evidence recently that cocoa and other chocolates may keep high blood pressure down, your blood flowing and your heart healthy."
For scientific evidence in support of our addiction let's study this:
Chocolate's potential health benefits
WebMD on chocolate
MomScape
"Ready to learn about materials and methods?
Come with me, I'll show you..."
The Chocolate
Which one is suitable for molding?
The objective is to have the molded chocolate piece pop out of the mold easily after about 10 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the refrigerator. It should have a smooth and shiny surface.High-quality chocolates such as Callebaut, Valhrona, El Rey, etc., contain cocoa butter. If you want to use these chocolates for molding you will have to temper them first. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
However, I have found a good-quality molding chocolate that makes the whole process much easier. It is designed for use in molds without the need for tempering, by having the cocoa butter replaced with a vegetable oil. Admittedly, cocoa butter melts quickly and completely, while the oil (often partially hydrogenated) in low-quality molding chocolates (almond bark - yuck!) may leave a light film on the roof of your mouth. The secret lies in finding a top-quality molding product, and my recommendation is Guittard Chocolate A'peels (various flavors). Many of my customers over the past 6 years have commented on the superior mouth feel and deliciousness of my chocolates.
"Cla-ass!"
Chocolate Molding 101
Place the desired amount of Guittard A'peels, let's say 4 cups in a bowl and microwave it for 45 seconds, stir, another 20 seconds, stir until smooth. Larger amounts will take a little longer. Now add the desired flavoring ingredients (crushed coffee beans, nuts, dried fruit) and - Voila! Your chocolate is ready to be poured into the molds.Attention, please!: If you add macerated dried fruits or any fruit jam to the chocolate, it is easily possible that it starts to "seize" after a few folding motions. Make sure you drain as much liquid as possible from your ingredients before stirring them into the melted chocolate!
Rap the molds a few times on the counter top to release any air bubbles; then put them in the freezer (10 min.) or fridge (30 min.). Turn out the molds on a flat surface and, if necessary, tap lightly on the top to facilitate the release of your confections.
More flavors of a top-quality molding chocolate
Use it for dipping fruit, pretzels, nuts...
You can add wonderful flavorings and color accents to your projects with these varieties!
Guittard Melt N Mold Vanilla (White) Chocolate Wafers
Amazon Price: (as of 11/26/2009) 
List Price:
How molded chocolates are made...
...in a huge factory!
See first how the molds are made - and then how they're filled with chocolate in a large plant setting.
There are molds available for almost any shape
You can even make your own!
Chocolate and candy molds need to be made from food-grade plastic. Many suppliers offer their wares online or through retail outlets. My favorite company is Choklit Molds. They have a huge variety of molds and many other items needed for candy making and packaging: flavoring oils, lollipop sticks, foils, wrappers, ribbons, gift boxes and much more. You can download their catalog from their web site.It's easy to work with existing molds, but sometimes you wished you had a mold for a special shape - like a logo, a coin, or a favorite piece of jewelry. Here's what you can do: make your own molds from Silicon Plastique. Go to their site for extensive information and instructional demonstrations.
Silicon molds for candy and sugar paste
Some of my candy molds
My sugar paste jewelry made with silicon molds
Let's not forget the colors!
There are only about a million available...
It is easy to add a little food coloring to sugar paste (fondant) or melted white chocolate and achieve beautiful effects. But how can you apply any coloring to dark chocolate?The answer is: use "luster dust" and brush it on the dry surface of your chocolates. I have made some interesting pieces from fish molds (sounds awful, doesn't it?), giving the dark chocolate fish a "rainbow skin". For a chocolate coin, or a chocolate treasure box, a "gold" brushing can be very impressive.
The picture shows one of my competition cakes, completely covered and decorated with colored sugar paste and a flower pot made from colorized fondant and gum paste. It's all edible!
My competition cake
Everybody Talks About Chocolate...
Let's do a web search!
- Old News '95: Sega Might Sell Vodka In M-Rated Games [Old News]
- @Atomsk88: The Hell Pizza chain sells Dessert Pizzas which include a "chocolate, banana and cus...
- ITAP of a delicious, chocolatey skull stencil
- Kinda. I made it to put a chocolate design on a Halloweeny orange rice crispy treat punkin.Read more...
- Pic/Vid Spam: Seas would rise when I say the word.
- It's a thin line between love and hate, dootsiez!When I saw Roger's chocolate goodness, I thought of...
- Miscellany
- 1. David, you do know that cats can't metabolize stimulant alkaloids very well, don't you? Coffee, t...
- What are you going to be buying your loved ones for Christmas? (Yes, I'm basically fishing for ...
- Yeah, it's never a bad idea to throw some chocolate in with whatever else your getting your gf.Read...
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My Best Candy Ever. Ever! Espresso Sea Salt Caramel Truffles - Order Some Here!
President Barack Obama Loves Chocolate Candy, Too!
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Espresso Sea Salt Caramel Truffles - My Best Candy Ever.
-
Raving reviews of "Chef Keem's Espresso Sea Salt Caramel Truffles!" Here's why they are better than any other sea salt caramels on the market: I cook a rich and smooth "dulce de leche" caramel from scratch and flavor it with intense Mexican Vanilla i...
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Barack Obama's Favorite Chocolates
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Mr. Obama wants only the best of the candy world. His favorites? Smoked Sea Salt Caramel in Milk Chocolate, by Seattle-based Fran's Chocolates. Compare your favorites in this "sweet" poll and Holiday Gift Guide. Find shopping tips for Obama's chocola...
Your supply resources
I have worked with all of these reputable businesses. Many of them have great instructional pages on their sites. Here you will find everything you need for making beautiful confections.
The first link, however, will take you to the premier event in the world of sugar art: The National Sugar Art Show, in Tulsa, OK. Enjoy!
The first link, however, will take you to the premier event in the world of sugar art: The National Sugar Art Show, in Tulsa, OK. Enjoy!
- Sugar Art Show
- I won a 3rd place ribbon here in 2002, with my competition cake pictured above.
- A master: Nicholas Lodge
- Learn and buy from the best!
- ICES
- Join the International Cake Exploration Society
- Sugar Craft store
- What can I say - this is paradise for any aspiring candy artist!
- All-in-One Bake Shop
- The best in Central Texas. I spent thousands of dollars here!
- Candyland Crafts
- Lots to learn here.
- Earlene Moore
- The Grand Dame of sugar art.
Sugar art supplies on Amazon
Gumpaste Roses and Wedding Cake Decorating Techniques DVD, International Sugar Art Collection
Amazon Price: $39.95 (as of 11/26/2009)
List Price:
Used Price:
Usually ships in 4-5 business days
The Chocolate Carousel: A Fun Family Guide to Molding, Modeling & Creating Magical Gifts from Chocolate
Amazon Price: (as of 11/26/2009)
List Price: $19.95
Used Price: $16.00
Human Heart Pop Candy Molds
Amazon Price: $4.21 (as of 11/26/2009)
List Price:
Used Price:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
CHESS PIECES Miscellaneous Candy Mold Chocolate
Amazon Price: $2.29 (as of 11/26/2009)
List Price: $4.99
Used Price:
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ateco 12-Color Food Coloring Kit
Amazon Price: $16.36 (as of 11/26/2009)
List Price: $26.00
Used Price:
Usually ships in 24 hours
Maybe there's a good deal on eBay?
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Get yourself some really, really good candy!
From Master Candy Makers...
Joseph Schmidt Gourmet Chocolate Truffles
Joseph Schmidt, a San Francisco chocolatier known more...2 points
Joseph Schmidt 8 Pack of Mini Truffles
Brighten up the day with a keepsake fruit-encruste more...2 points
Reber Mozart Kugel Violin
Seven Mozart Kugel in a stylish violin shaped box, more...2 points
Dove assorted miniatures 3 pound gift bag
What a delicious way to show someone you love that more...2 points
Joseph Schmidt Confections Belgian Dark Chocolate
Solid dark chocolate bar made with cocoa liquor, s more...2 points
A final note!
Thank you for visiting. I'm happy to share everything I know about the topics of this lens. Please contact me with any questions you might have - either here in this guest book, or by e-mail through my profile box on top of this page. Have fun!
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Oct 29, 2009 @ 6:32 am
- Hot hot hot ... stuff: Blackberry Black Walnut Jalapeno <----- Yumm! Love chocolate, hot chocolate!!! ;)
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- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Jul 27, 2009 @ 3:37 pm
- You've been blessed by a Squid Angel, and this lens was included in Another Day of One Hundred Squid Angel Blessings.
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- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Jul 27, 2009 @ 3:31 pm
- You've been blessed by a Squid Angel, and this lens was included in Another Day of One Hundred Squid Angel Blessings.
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- Custom Chocolate Shop Custom Chocolate Shop Jun 8, 2009 @ 8:51 pm
- Custom Chocolate Shop loves chocolate and has a great selection of chocolate molds.
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- chicandsavvy chicandsavvy Apr 24, 2009 @ 10:07 pm
- Oh yum. How have I lived without this wisdom? 5*
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Apr 18, 2009 @ 3:56 pm
- Wow -- you have some amazing candy molds -- all G-rated? ;) I love heart-shapes myself! And, your chocolate candy would be great in any shape -- the candy that is! ;)
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- spirituality spirituality Apr 13, 2009 @ 4:53 am
- Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
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- ReluctantGourmet ReluctantGourmet Mar 30, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
- Chef, thanks for pointing me to this lens. I have learned a lot and I appreciate the links to learn more. 5 stars
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- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Nov 2, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
- My husband and I make candies and give it out as Christmas gifts every year. Its fun to do and always appreciated.
Great lens
Lizzy
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- JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Oct 10, 2008 @ 9:45 am
- Oh me Oh my this is such a deliciously delectable and yummy lens. I seriously want bows on my chocolates. Blessings my dear and seriously 5*****
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Hello - I am Chef Keem, creator of Agasweet flavored agave nectar.
Born and raised in Munich, Germany. First career in pop music as A&R Director and r... (more)
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