Working with extra, extra large chocolate molds

[gfron1]

I admit it, I didn't read the size carefully enough and now I have a nearly 2 foot tall squirrel mold.  But how cool is this!  While I have no place to display a chocolate piece this big, of course I need to make it.  Any thoughts?  Obviously hollow (or it would be 50# of chocolate), but this is gonna be tough to work with I think.

[Kerry Beal]

Of course you do!

 

I'm assuming the mold has an open bottom but looking closely I'm not quite sure.  

 

Hollow for sure.  So temper up about 5 lbs of chocolate - let some time go by so that it is a bit over tempered.  If you start with it too soon the chocolate will be less viscous and it will run out too easily and be too thin.  

 

Have a sheet pan ready with some parchment or guitar sheet.  

 

Paint the eyes with a contrasting chocolate first and let dry completely.  Clip mold together, pour the chocolate into the mold.  Use a nice long paint brush to knock out any bubbles.  Turn the mold around and around and encourage the chocolate to exit the bottom while turning.  Watch to make sure you don't end up with any thin areas especially where you've used the brush.  

 

Put a thin layer of chocolate on your parchment or guitar sheet (bigger puddle than the bottom of the mold) then set the mold down in the puddle.  When you see the chocolate outside the mold starting to show signs of crystallizing pop the whole thing in the fridge.  About 10 minutes in - remove some of the clips - particularly on any areas where you think there might be stress (bottom of the tail on this one I suspect).  Now leave in the fridge until you see it separating from the mold.  

 

If the mold is closed on the bottom - then paint the eyes - put about maybe 2 pounds of chocolate on one side, clip the mold together and turn and turn until the inside is fully coated.  I'd find a way to prop it in the fridge so that the bottom is down (if you have wire fridge racks then you can slip the mold between two wires to hold it up).

 

 

 

[Edward J]

Got the same mold--only mine is about 12" tall.

 

I do, however have a giant Santa mold, 22" high.  Usually make about 4 or 5 of them for charity auctions and freebies.

 

Firstly, does the mold have an open bottom?

 

If it doesn't,  get thee to a belt sander, or a bandsaw, and shave or cut down the mold so you have an open bottom.

 

Pipe in the details. I never bother with a brush, just a cornet with different colours of couverture

 

Brush the mold with a layer of couverture.  This "locks in" your details so they don't flick off or drop off when you ladle in the couverture.  It also allows you to see any bubbles and get them before they harden.  I like to use a silicone bbq brush, perfect tool for this, really.

 

Now here you gotta act quick.  Couverture shrinks as it dries.  The mold has an enormous surface area.  Once you brush on your first layer of courverture it will start to harden and shrink.  If you allow the first layer to shrink conpletely, when you ladle in more couverture, it will creep in behind your brushed in layer.  If it is the same couverture you will only get a slightly raised surface, if it is a different colour, it looks like he77.

 

Put your mold together.  My Santa has a raised edge and didn't come with clips. I just wrap the two sides tightly together with masking tape, looks like an S & M /bondage shot.....  I suggest the same even if you can clip your squirrel together, since you will be holding the mold close to your chest, the clips might flick off or fall off.

 

Ladle in couverture to about 1/2 full, swirl around and dump out.  Scrape that bottom clean, if any couverture creeps around the edge of the bottom it will shrink and make cracks as it pulls .

 

Very brief visit in the fridge, no more than 5 minutes.  If one area cools down too fast it will develop stress cracks. Your squirrel is very smooth and organic, so this isn't big issue.  With my Santa I get cracks at sharp junctions like where the legs meet the body or at the neck.   I like to lay the mold on a sheet pan and have a fan blow into the cavity.  When I do my Santa in the winter I just put it on a trolley and wheel it out into the (unheated)corridor where it is around 12-15 C.

 

Ladle in a second layer after a few hours.

 

If you want a base or a closed mold, ladle a puddle of couverture onto a parchment layer sheet pan and set the  hardened mold into the puddle.

 

Hope this helps

[gfron1]

Thanks guys.  It is a closed bottom and the clips are the strongest I've ever bought - they were really, really hard to get off.  Its a bit warm here in NM already so maybe I'll just bring it to Vegas and let Jean Marie front the chocolate.  And Edward, I was thinking the same thing - not really purposeful but would be a fun donated item from time to time.

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks guys.  It is a closed bottom and the clips are the strongest I've ever bought - they were really, really hard to get off.  Its a bit warm here in NM already so maybe I'll just bring it to Vegas and let Jean Marie front the chocolate.  And Edward, I was thinking the same thing - not really purposeful but would be a fun donated item from time to time.

Bringing it to the workshop is a brilliant idea - always good to see how different people do it.

[Smithy]

Bringing it to the workshop is a brilliant idea - always good to see how different people do it.

...and with photos for the rest of us, please!