Custom Polycarbonate Molds

[Jim D.]

Finally I had an opportunity to use the 17g Cabrellon flattened dome discussed in this thread and to display it alongside the Chocolate World 17g dome I have been using for quite some time.  In the photo below it hardly seems that both molds have the same capacity.  The Cabrellon is a large mold.  If I had ordered custom molds, I would have had them made a few millimeters smaller in diameter and a few millimeters taller, but the difference in price between buying this mold vs. having one custom made is, of course, quite substantial.  At first the size of the new mold made it look out of place, but since I use molds of many different sizes (including a half-sphere that is only a couple of millimeters smaller), it doesn't seem so odd when it has been placed in a tray.  It is more difficult to fill than I expected.  I use it for bonbons with multiple layers, and when a layer is one of those ganaches that is quite viscous, it is tricky to spread it over the diameter of the mold before it becomes too thick.  As I hoped, bonbons release more easily from the mold (to be expected from its shorter height and slightly sloped sides).  All things considered, I am glad I found the mold and have ordered more of them in time for holiday production.

 

Edited 3 hours ago by Jim D. (log)

[pastrygirl]

Glad you found something that mostly works. Did the two pieces end up being the same weight in reality?

[Jim D.]

4 minutes ago, pastrygirl said:

Glad you found something that mostly works. Did the two pieces end up being the same weight in reality?

 

The two bonbons in the photo have very different fillings, so weighing them wouldn't help.  I intended to fill one cavity of each mold with solid chocolate, but in the rush of finishing the batch, I forgot.  I will do it with the next batch.

[Rajala]

Yeah, you get quite a large bonbon. It's like a third of a snickers bar.

[Jim D.]

5 hours ago, Rajala said:

Yeah, you get quite a large bonbon. It's like a third of a snickers bar.

 

So far no customer has complained that the bonbon is too large!  That particular filling, by the way, is one I adapted from one of yours.  The first layer is rhubarb pâte de fruit (I found some particularly flavorful local rhubarb), the second is yogurt ganache (this time I flavored it with strawberry rather than vanilla), and the third is a toasted oatmeal crumble.  Thanks for the recipe--and for all the ideas available on your Instagram page.