Chocolate Decorations

Chocolate decorations and Molds

I really like the look of molded chocolate for decorating cakes and cupcakes. I feel like it gives it a really sophisticated appearance without too much work. You can also use chocolate molds to make really cute chocolate pops to give out on different holidays. 

To start out you need to choose the type of chocolate you want to use. I chose a semisweet chocolate. One thing you need to do is make sure you use chocolate that you like. I never use the candy melts because they leave a weird waxy feeling in my mouth.You will need a double boiler (I use a pot with a small metal bowl on top), chocolate molds, and something to put the chocolate in the molds. Also, make sure you have plenty of  cloths or paper towels on hand; this can get messy. I like using a squeeze bottle to put the chocolate in the molds, it's less messy that way, but if you want, you can use a spoon or a different way (let me know if you find a really good one). If you don't have chocolate molds, you can pipe the chocolate on to parchment paper in shapes and allow to cool. You also need to make sure everything you plan on using is perfectly clean. If there is any fat or water in the bowl, squeeze container, or mold, the chocolate will not be shiny and will not set up right.

To use a double boiler fill the bottom pan with about an inch of water, place the second bowl on top (if you use a metal bowl it will get very hot), and place on medium low heat. Do not let the water boil, or touch the bottom of the bowl.  Pour the chocolate chips in the bowl, and stir continuously as they melt. It may take a few minutes to happen but once it does it will happen fast. 

When the chocolate is shiny and mostly melted, pull it off the heat and continue to stir until it is fully melted. This will help to avoid burning your chocolate. I have also been able to consistently get shiny chocolate this way without tempering it. 

After the chocolate is melted, add it to your squeeze bottle if you will be using one.
Carefully spoon the chocolate into the squeeze bottle. You can try to use a funnel but I have never had success with this.  I always make a mess with this and have discovered clean up is much easier if it is done over the sink. 

Then all you have to do is fill the molds with the chocolate. You will learn with time how much you should fill it. Every now and then tap the mold on the counter to get rid of air bubbles and help the chocolate evenly distribute over the mold. 

When it's full, place the mold in the freezer. let the chocolate sit for 3-7 minutes, until they are hard. Gently loosen the chocolate, and flip out of the mold. If they break when they come out you can just melt them down and start again. Now you have made beautiful chocolate decorations. 

If you want to learn to temper chocolate try this website. There are also many places to buy chocolate molds. I like Joanne's Fabrics and Hobby Lobby. They are about 2 dollars each there, You can try online too and find a wider verity of choices.