Molded and Filled Chocolates: Troubleshooting and Techniques

[mostlylana]

I've tried a guitar sheet and a thin piece of acetate, and the thin piece worked much better. the guitar sheet seemed too thick.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Luis

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Great tip - thanks. I'm thinking the acetate would give a shinier appearance as well. Here in the interior of BC, Canada it's been snowing for about a week. It's going to be a picture perfect Christmas (even though the patio door is frozen shut so we can't actually get out to the back yard!) Merry Christmas all!

[cmflick]

I've tried a guitar sheet and a thin piece of acetate, and the thin piece worked much better. the guitar sheet seemed too thick.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Luis

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I've tried using a sheet of .005 inch thick acetate and it was definitely too thick. The acetate wasn't very flexible and I ended up with an almost continuous chocolate back on the mold, i.e., I couldn't push out all of the chocolate to just seal the cavities. Next time, I'll try something thinner. Meanwhile, back to more traditional ways of sealing the bottoms of my chocolates!

Edited December 25, 2008 by cmflick (log)

[Lior]

Here's a picture of when I tried the method a while back. I used a largepiping bag as I had no other sheet in my house at the time!! It worked great. I hope I am not posting this picture a second time- I can't remember if Ipostedit and I am too lazy to look!! Happy holidays to all!!

[sote23]

I used the same sheets i use on my boards to put a foot down. http://www.papermart.com/templates/47-0-15.htm

you need to do it a few times to get the hang of it. what i do is scrap off excess with an offset spatula, then put just a little bit of chocolate over each piece then put the acetate sheet down then scrape. that way there is not that much excess chocolate to worry about.

Luis

Edited December 26, 2008 by sote23 (log)

[HQAntithesis]

Hi sorry I haven't replied in a while. About unfilled gaps when using the acetate, they do happen: more so if the space between the filling and the acetate is quite large as well as depending if the surface of the filling is concave of convex. One way of avoiding this is get some chocolate onto the back of the mould and work it back and forth with a spatula, then scrape off the excess. Let it nearly fully crystallise, and then do the acetate technique. The advantage of this is you'll find the surfaces are even flatter still, compared with the slip dip in the otherwise smooth surface if you do it all at once. It's also less likely to have the hairline crack between the moulded portion of the shell and the base.

[Lior]

yes that is how I do it. On certain molds, when closing the regular way, I often seem to get that hairline crack you described. It seems to depend on the mold! It is extremely annoying.

[gap]

yes that is how I do it. On certain molds, when closing the regular way, I often seem to get that hairline crack you described. It seems to depend on the mold! It is extremely annoying.

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A little trick I was taught: If you are capping chocolates the regular way and want to avoid the hairline crack, give the uncapped moulds a short blast with the heatgun before you go to cap them. This will cause the chocolate in the shell to "open up" the capping cavity. When you cap the chocolates, the shell chocolate will then contract and form a tight seal with the cap.

[Lior]

Thank you!!

[bdonaghy]

Easter must be soon upon us (forty five days or so) when I walk away from the marble on a Friday afternoon and staring me in the eye is a three foot tall chocolate bunny! First of the season, I think I have five more to do.

[schneich]

the failsafe method would be:

slightly warm you mold (not warmer than 6 degrees c compared to the mold)

dont use over crystallized chocolate, thats the main reason for spots (cooling marks)

right after molding put the mold into the fridge for at least 10 minutes

finally a mold with large even surfaces can be sprayed with an airbrush and a fifty/fifty mixture of chocolate and cocoa butter, and there will be no spots....

cheers

t.

[patris]

Just bumping this topic up to ask a question -

Between Easter and a favor for a colleague a couple of weeks ago, I made a colossal amount (for me, anyway - somewhere around 500 pieces) of molded pieces filled with flowing caramel and various ganaches. I'm still nibbling my way through the pieces that didn't get used up, and I'm noticing that many of the ganache-filled pieces look like the ganache has somehow shrunk, and the bottoms have collapsed, for lack of a better word, just slightly. No visible cracks, it just looks like they've been sort of vacuum sealed from the inside.

Have I done something wrong, or have others had this problem?

[Kerry Beal]

Just bumping this topic up to ask a question -

Between Easter and a favor for a colleague a couple of weeks ago, I made a colossal amount (for me, anyway - somewhere around 500 pieces) of molded pieces filled with flowing caramel and various ganaches.  I'm still nibbling my way through the pieces that didn't get used up, and I'm noticing that many of the ganache-filled pieces look like the ganache has somehow shrunk, and the bottoms have collapsed, for lack of a better word, just slightly.  No visible cracks, it just looks like they've been sort of vacuum sealed from the inside.

Have I done something wrong, or have others had this problem?

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Some of the ganaches that I make shrink over time (and some molds show it more) - I think it's all part of the shelf life thing. I recall finding some frogs that I had molded and carried around in the bilge of the boat for a whole summer - I think they found them when they put the boat away for the winter in November or so - they tasted fine - but there were definate signs of shrinkage of the filling.

[lebowits]

I've just begun seriously tackling molded chocolates as most of my work to date has been dipped.

Today, I wanted to try a formula given to me for an intense vanilla/white chocolate ganache. The ganache is very thin with 250 grams cream and 390 grams white chocolate, and 25 grams butter.

After molding the "shells", I piped the ganache into them and them began sealing the plaques. The trouble was that the chocolate appears "heavier" than the ganache and forces it over the top of the impression making it difficult to seal.

Are there any techniques for sealing soft/liquid products into the shells? Perhaps placing a thin layer of cocoa butter on top before sealing?

[Marmalade]

I've just begun seriously tackling molded chocolates as most of my work to date has been dipped.

Today, I wanted to try a formula given to me for an intense vanilla/white chocolate ganache.  The ganache is very thin with 250 grams cream and 390 grams white chocolate, and 25 grams butter.

After molding the "shells", I piped the ganache into them and them began sealing the plaques.  The trouble was that the chocolate appears "heavier" than the ganache and forces it over the top of the impression making it difficult to seal.

Are there any techniques for sealing soft/liquid products into the shells?  Perhaps placing a thin layer of cocoa butter on top before sealing?

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You should let them set up overnight so that a thin shell forms over your filling. I found this has worked best for my products that have similar characteristics as the ganache you're describing. Same for caramel filled pieces.

[Kerry Beal]

As mentioned letting then sit overnight is a good solution. You can also airbrush a thin layer of melted cocoa butter on them - but that's a pain to take out all the equipment just to do that.

A third option is to dip your metal spatula and coat one row at a time - so you don't put a huge weight of chocolate on each piece.

I often coat flowing caramel right after I pipe it - as long as you don't put the backing chocolate on one side of the piece allowing it to flow up on the other side - you can often get away with it.

[lebowits]

Thanks. With this batch I was trying to work fast as I won't be able to do much the next couple of days and was juggling the temper of both white and dark chocolate.

I've just unmolded the pieces and we'll how many of them leak.

I'll definitely try letting them sit overnight when I do them next. I figure I'll be doing these same pieces again this weekend.

[prairiegirl]

Steve,

your recipe is a little unbalanced. I make the classic vanilla all the time it it is one of my personal favourites. My recipe is: 135 grams white chocolate, 70 grams cream, 1 vanilla bean, 1 tsp glucose, 1 T Galiano Liqueur.

The glucose is optional. The vanilla bean can be replaced with vanilla paste.

I usually infuse the vanilla bean (cut and split in half) with the cream. I tend to make a bit extra cream and as I add it into the melted and warm white chocolate, I watch for the emulsion and how viscious it gets. I don't want to viscious and I don"t want watery! The chocolate should be above 35 C (prefereably 40-45 C) and the cream should be just as warm (or equivalent!)

Then after emulsifying I let it crystalize for a few hours or overnight. Then I cap!

edited to say:

When you add the cream do it in 3 parts. Pour 1/3 into the chocolate and stir. It will look like broken ganache, then add some more, it will start to come together, and then the third time add the rest (but use your judgement on what is enough..remember, not watery,and not too thick). Then add your alcohol.

Edited May 25, 2009 by prairiegirl (log)

[lebowits]

Steve,

your recipe is a little unbalanced.  I make the classic vanilla all the time it it is one of my personal favourites.  My recipe is:  135 grams white chocolate, 70 grams cream, 1 vanilla bean, 1 tsp glucose, 1 T Galiano Liqueur.

The glucose is optional. The vanilla bean can be replaced with vanilla paste. 

I usually infuse the vanilla bean (cut and split in half) with the cream.  I tend to make a bit extra cream and as I add it into the melted and warm white chocolate, I watch for the emulsion and how viscious it gets. I don't want to viscious and I don"t want watery!  The chocolate should be above 35 C (prefereably 40-45 C) and the cream should be just as warm (or equivalent!) 

Then after emulsifying I let it crystalize for a few hours or overnight. Then I cap!

edited to say:

When you add the cream do it in 3 parts.  Pour 1/3 into the chocolate and stir. It will look like  broken ganache, then add some more, it will start to come together, and then the third time add the rest (but use your judgement on what is enough..remember, not watery,and not too thick). Then add your alcohol.

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I hadn't posted the whole formula (which isn't originally mine) as I wasn't overly concerned about the ganache itself. However, given your comment that it seems unbalanced, here it is for completeness:

250 grams heavy cream

90 grams invert sugar

3 vanilla beans

390 grams white chocolate

25 grams butter

6 grams cognac

Method:

1. Combine the cream, invert sugar,and scraped vanilla bean and bring to a boil. Let steep for 20 minutes

2. Take out vanilla pods and bring the cream back to a boil

3. Pour cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth

4. Add butter and stir until the butter melts out and is combined

5. Add the cognac once the mixture has cooled below 100F and stir to combine

I really like the flavor and you can vary it somewhat by your choice of cognac (or in today's case frambois). I've used vanilla paste in other products but personally prefer the taste of the bean.

[prairiegirl]

Thanks for responding. My opinion still hasn't changed. I still think the cream:chocolate is out of balance. It seems that the invert sugar is quite high as well.

Edited May 26, 2009 by prairiegirl (log)

[Lior]

I have a can of cocoa butter that is usually used for spraying marzipan. I spray thin fillings with it-even plain honey let sit over night and have no problems closing. Super easy-no equipment.

[pastrygirl]

When pressed for time, 15-20 minutes in the fridge can help get crust on top of a filling, especially if you can put them under the fridge fan (if there is one). I'm not saying it's right, just that it can make it work.

[mostlylana]

I have a can of cocoa butter that is usually used for spraying marzipan. I spray thin fillings with it-even plain honey let sit over night and have no problems closing. Super easy-no equipment.

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Can of cocoa butter? Tell more... I'm assuming it's food safe. Do you have to melt it before use? Is it aerosol? Where do you get it?

Thanks Ilana!

[Lior]

Yes food safe! cb spray

I got mine from chocolateworld...

I spray marzipan before enrobing as it helps prevent leaks. And thin fillings like honey.

[cakemuse]

Decided to use a flat mold - not a tile - small square, about .5" deep. The chocolates will not release!!

Could be the cocoa butter I sprayed - possibly too thick and there is an engraved? design (that will appear on the top of the square once released) on the mold not permitting the squares to release? Could be the extra cocoa butter I added to the chocolate? They were in the 'fridge fifteen minutes. I turned the mold over to tap out the chocolates - nothing; I have 'tapped' the tray hard and still they will not release. They are back in the 'fridge...

It seems to me that molds with some sort of curve or angle will release easier. What am I missing? You know that when I go check again, they will release with no problem...just being hopeful!

Thanks all!

[tonylombaardi]

Was the cocoa butter tempered? Chocolate only shrinks from a mold if it's tempered. I think you can do with a little bit of non-tempered cocoa butter on the mold if later tempered chocolate is used, but too much non-tempered cocoa butter probably isn't a good idea.