Unmolding Chocolate Easter Eggs

[chocoera]

gosh, i'm so sorry i've been posting so much lately, its like all of sudden i got some projects that i feel absolutely worthless with, and needing the help and expertise of you all!

ok. so i really want to make some chocolate easter eggs, and i've done some before hollow, where i took my two poly molds (they are 6 egg cavities per mold, about 4 inches high) and would fill each cavity with a bit of chocolate, swirl and swirl with the two molds one top of each other (producing 6 finished whole eggs) and then let them set, take off the top, and voila! an egg you can lift out.

well, i wanted to fill these hollow eggs with mudballs or jellybeans or something, so that old method doesn't work, since it produces an "instant seam" and not 2 separate halves. so i did like i would chocolates, and just fill, tap, drain out and scrape. let harden, and i THOUGHT i could just slide them out. Nope. i've tried letting the chocolate rest in there longer to make a much thicker shell, but even then, its a chore to get out. is there a special way to make them release, or to get them out of the mold? i find the fact that it is "egg shaped" with different pressure points a problem maybe? like it will crack down (somewhat) of the middle, and one half comes out, and the other half then comes out.

(also, don't know if this matters, but i paint the molds with colored cocoa butter and sometime tempered chocolate for designs. and the cocoa butter isn't sticking to the mold, so i don't think that's the problem.)

ugg. i am super frustrated with this project and have become mildly obsessed with mastering it!

(i think you always want what is currently out of reach!)

so eG geniuses...please help!!! i'll love you forever!

*well, i already do...but you know what i mean!*

[Alessia]

so i did like i would chocolates, and just fill, tap, drain out and scrape.  let harden, and i THOUGHT i could just slide them out. 

That's how I do it, I never had any problems with it, the only time I did have a hard time taking it out was due to imperfect tempering. Are you positive your chocolate was perfectly tempered ?

[chocoera]

so i did like i would chocolates, and just fill, tap, drain out and scrape.  let harden, and i THOUGHT i could just slide them out. 

That's how I do it, I never had any problems with it, the only time I did have a hard time taking it out was due to imperfect tempering. Are you positive your chocolate was perfectly tempered ?

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i temper like i always do for chocolates, and when they come out (in parts) they are shiny, no streaks, "firm" (as in, when untempered chocolate sets kinda soft and matte) and when i handle them outside the mold, they are ok. i just feel like when i try to get them to come out a part catches, or doesn't seem to release as well. and even when they look "cloudy" on the bottom, outside the mold (the sign that the chocolate has pulled away from the mold) it still doesn't want to come out easily...i put my finger in the middle, and try to "scoop" or slide up so that the center will pull out towards the edge so i can lift it out. is that a wrong way to get it out?

[Kerry Beal]

Make sure you scrape really well. Twist the mold a bit and put your finger in to coax it out. If no joy, place in the freezer for about 3 minutes and try again.

[Lior]

Perhaps you need a thicker shell. Try an extra coating or two/

[chocoera]

Perhaps you need a thicker shell. Try an extra coating or two/

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huh. sounds silly. and don't laugh. but i never thought of it as "extra coatings". so i should maybe do 2-3 thin shells, instead of one slightly medium/thinnish shell....*ha ha ha* i'm so used to super thin shells for chocolates, i never thought i should shell, let set, shell again, set etc....

and kerry-i'll make sure to do an extra good scrape on it. i'm going to be trying again tonight or tomorrow and will update on the techniques mentioned here.

*feel free to keep em' coming though...!

[tammylc]

I wonder if because of their size they need more time to cool, or need to be refrigerated or otherwise chilled down? The cloudiness you're describing makes me think of cooling marks, and it sounds like these are pretty large eggs.

I think you'll definitely want a thicker shell for larger pieces - it may be your shell isn't thick enough to contract enough to get out of the mold?

[Lior]

I know that when I made a tea cup I had to make a few shells- "shell, let set, shell again, set etc...." otherwise I could not get the molded chocolate out. Same with a big heart that I use. I guess there is a connection between suface area and thickness of shell.

[HQAntithesis]

Twisting the mould slightly should work. If not, rest it on a tea towel with the opening facing the tea towel and knock the mould firmly along the edges.

[mostlylana]

Here's a great video of Jacque Torres doing a Santa for Christmas similar to how you want to do your egg. Notice he says he will do 2 layers...

http://www.mrchocolate.com/aboutchocolate14.aspx

[chocoera]

gosh, this is just me being a girl, but when i see such overwhelming support from you guys it really *almost* makes me tear up... i'm in omaha, and there is not an abundance of chocolatiers or dessert makers to come to talk to, and sometimes i just feel really lost and alone if a problem arises! but to know i can come here, and get such great suggestions...it really means a lot. I will try to post a photo soon since i'm doing some more eggs today and tomorrow, and (if those don't work, going to try again this weekend!)

love the video, that helped a lot too!!!

Edited March 19, 2009 by chocoera (log)

[Lior]

I know how you feel!!Egullet pastry group is the greatest!!

[chocoera]

thank you for all your help! these are some pictures of Easter eggs! you guys rock!!

[Kerry Beal]

thank you for all your help!  these are some pictures of Easter eggs!  you guys rock!! 

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Fabulous. Those look great!

[ElsieD]

Those are absolutely beautiful!

[John DePaula]

Yes, very nice!

[chocoera]

you guys are tooooooooo awesome! thank you for the sweet comments can't wait to see ya'll in a couple weeks!!