Candy bar molds

[JaclynM]

For my upcoming July wedding, I plan on making the reception favors myself. I'll be making candy bars, using a recipe for chocolate treats that I've used many times before. The way I've made them in the past is to melt the chocolate in a double boiler, add the other ingredients (which includes nuts), and use a spoon to drop onto wax paper and then chill in the refrigerator.

For the wedding favors, I'd like to make these treats in the shape of a candy bar, so that I can print up a candy bar "wrapper" to go on each item, with our names and the date of the wedding on it. (They would of course be covered in foil before the wrapper goes on.)

The problem is, I have had a terrible time trying to find candy bar molds that will work for this. All the molds I've seen are either really small (for example, they would make a bar that is about 3 inches long) or they aren't deep enough to hold a mixture containing nuts (I've seen some molds that are only a quarter inch deep). Since I'll be saving money on the favors by making them myself, I'd like them to be a good size.

Does anyone know where I can find some molds that are about the size and shape of a regular store-bought candy bar? (Maybe something the size and shape of a regular Snickers bar, but it doesn't have to be quite that deep.)

Failing that, my other idea is to put a silpat on a jelly-roll pan, spread the whole mixture into the pan, and then slice it up into bar shapes once it has cooled.

Edited April 2, 2006 by JaclynM (log)

[stscam]

Tomric has a huge range of molds - many of them for bars of all sorts of sizes. Fine them here: tomric.com.

The ones imported from Europe, though more expensive, may be just what you're looking for.

Cheers,

Steve

[Truffle Guy]

JaclynM,

Congrats on your upcoming wedding! There are a few options that supply more than the standard bon bon molds. Here is one with a variety of bars of varying sizes, some large like you are looking for Chocolt-Chocolat

Tomric also has some molds you might like Tomric

But I agree you can easily just pour and cut then dip in tempered chocolate. You could even make bars with transfers on top that way.

[alanamoana]

another company choklit molds (you have to run java script to view the site)...has tons of molds like tomric. their website doesn't have pictures but if you request a catalog they are pretty quick to send it.

their molds are the cheaper flexible plastic and can be used about ten times each. i bought some for my wedding (flip-flop shapes and they were exactly what i expected).

good luck and congratulations!

[Kerry Beal]

I would also suggest www.chocolat-chocolat.com which is in Montreal.

Check out CW2051 looks like the right size, I have one like this, CW1187 is a bit larger, but would also be large enough to handle nuts. or CW1458

The one concern I have is weather or not you are tempering the chocolate in these bars, if not they won't come out of the molds. When reading your description I suspect they aren't tempered.

[JaclynM]

The one concern I have is weather or not you are tempering the chocolate in these bars, if not they won't come out of the molds.  When reading your description I suspect they aren't tempered.

Hi Kerry,

I feel embarrassed to admit this, but I don't even know what tempering is. I looked it up online and just about every definition I found was exactly the same, so they must have all been copied from the same source:

"Tempered chocolate is chocolate that has been melted and then stirred or "tempered" on a marble slab until it reaches a relatively cool temperature (86-88 degrees for semi-sweet chocolate). Then it is quickly used before it sets again."

So in order to temper the chocolate, I would melt the chocolate, nuts and other ingredients, then let everything cool slightly before I pour it in the molds?

Thanks to everyone who recommented Chocolat-Chocolat. I have a question about their mold listings. Each one has a list of numbers like this:

125x30x13 mm

1x7 pieces

50 gr

275x135x24

Can anyone tell me what these mean? I'm assuming the first number is the dimensions of the finished bar, and the third number would be the weight of the finished bar if it was made with solid chocolate.

Edited April 3, 2006 by JaclynM (log)

[Trishiad]

Jaclyn, you may want to learn how to temper so that you don't have chocolate bloom (white-ish streaks) on your time consuming wedding favors. You may not have had a problem in the past but chances are that when you commit to making such a large quantity of bars fo something as special as your own wedding that bloom will rear it's ugly head. At the very least, tempering the chocolate will give your bars a nice snap and a lovely shine.

You are correct about the mold dimensions. Size of bar, number of bars per mold, weight of solid chocolate bar, and the last one should be size of mold although it doesn't look quite right to me. Buy enough molds. The longer your bars stay in the molds, the shinnier they'll be. You don't want to be pressured for time and mold space and try to pop out perfect bars in 5 minutes, they won't be ready.

[alanamoana]

Hi JaclynM,

I just did a quick search on eG and couldn't find any demo's in the EGCI or the pastry forum for tempering chocolate. Maybe this can be our next demo (Wendy?)

The definitions you have found are pretty incomplete. Although tempering can be a bit of a pain, it can be easily accomplished with a few simple guidelines. You might want to look up some other chocolate threads in the pastry forum because it has been discussed in length.

I'll give you the quick and dirty:

Chocolate contains (among other things) cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is made up of crystals. The crystals are structured a certain way under specific conditions.

When you buy chocolate and it is in its solid state, with a nice smooth texture and a good "snap" when you break it, it is in temper.

When you want to change the shape of the chocolate by putting it in a mold, you have to melt it. This takes the chocolate OUT of temper.

So, the idea is to break down specific cocoa butter crystals to a point where they are mostly melted out. You heat the chocolate.

Then you want the cocoa butter to recrystalize in a controlled manner so that the chocolate will set up nice and shiny, smooth melting and with a nice "snap" to it.

This process is called tempering the chocolate. This is a very simplified definition of tempering and I'm not giving you the specific method or temperatures...at this point. I just wanted you to understand the process. All of this can be done at home with a bowl, a rubber spatula and a microwave. If you need it, you can also use a thermometer, but this isn't always necessary.

Up to this point, you may have been lucky enough while making your chocolates at home to have done a straight temper without even realizing it (you mention heating over a double boiler). In other words, you have never let the chocolate get out of temper in the melting process and your chocolates have firmed up nicely without any streaking or "bloom". So you shouldn't overintellectualize the process .

edited to add: i noticed that in your initial post you said you set up your chocolates in the refrigerator...if you temper chocolate, and your room temperature is mild, you shouldn't have to refrigerate your chocolates and they will set up. but this does depend on your room temperature and how large the items are that you are molding.

But, if you are going to use molds, you'll want to temper so that they release nicely and look good. Especially since this is for your wedding!

Also, you are using "real" chocolate, right?

Edited April 3, 2006 by alanamoana (log)

[JaclynM]

The definitions you have found are pretty incomplete.  Although tempering can be a bit of a pain, it can be easily accomplished with a few simple guidelines.  You might want to look up some other chocolate threads in the pastry forum because it has been discussed in length.

Thanks - I'll do that!

Also, you are using "real" chocolate, right?

In the past, I've made them by using semisweet chocolate chips bought at the grocery store. For the favors, I was planning to go to a local candy-making supply shop that sells large bags of chocolate wafers for melting. (I would use the dark chocolate ones.) Does this count as real chocolate? I'm still somewhat of a novice at cooking/baking/candy-making.

[alanamoana]

usually, the stuff you buy at cake supply stores for melting is not real chocolate. i think that's why you haven't had a problem with your chocolate setting up, etc. you've been using chips and melts which contain large amounts of different fats and other ingredients which real chocolate (or couverture) doesn't have.

it might be nice to use "real" chocolate for your wedding favors as the flavor is superior to other products. but the downside to this is the fact that you will have to be able to temper chocolate. if it seems to daunting, maybe it is just best to go with what you know will work as you'll have tons of other things to think about for your wedding!

also, real chocolate can cost much more than some other ingredients, so you'll have to check your budget.

[John DePaula]

For tempering chocolate without a machine, check out this thread Tempering Chocolate with Warm Water.

I am also in the Use Real Chocolate camp. Callebaut is fairly easy to find in grocery stores, usually repackaged in bulk near/in the gourmet/deli/cheese area. Of course, there's also Valrhona if you want to spend the bucks.

Online chocolate can be purchased at Chocosphere but be sure to ask that the chocolate you buy isn't going to expire anytime soon...

Since this is such an important event, I highly recommend that you do a practice run about a month ahead of time. You want to be sure you've got the tempering technique down pat plus you'll also get a chance to see how long your chocolates are likely to last i.e. shelf-life.

GOOD LUCK AND CONGRATULATIONS!

ETA: If you're doing a lot of bars at one time, and this is taking a long time, you may need to check that your chocolate is still in temper all the way through. Yes, it can fall out of temper and then you may need to re-temper.

Edited April 3, 2006 by John DePaula (log)

[stscam]

If you have trouble tempering (and we all have), there is another possibility. Try "Coating" chocolate. It's not exactly "real" chocolate, but it does set up rather like tempered chocolate. Most of the major manufacturers make the stuff - calling it Confectionery Coating or Summer Coating (because it is less sensitive to heat than real chocolate). We use Cacao Barry Prima for a variety of applications - mainly involving decorations rather than for pure eating. If you decide to go this route, ask whatever source you're going to buy from about the flavor, because it isn't as good as real chocolate.

Cheers,

Steven

[Kerry Beal]

Do you think there would be enough interest in a demo on tempering? I have recently made an educational DVD on tempering (I'm currently waiting for the DVD on molding techniques to be duplicated, and the DVD that covers dipping,making ruffles etc to be edited before duplication) to sell to students in my chocolate classes. I could probably figure out a way to edit out pictures for a demo or I could put together some stills to do a demo if the interest is there.

[John DePaula]

Do you think there would be enough interest in a demo on tempering?  I have recently made an educational DVD on tempering (I'm currently waiting for the DVD on molding techniques to be duplicated, and the DVD that covers dipping,making ruffles etc to be edited before duplication) to sell to students in my chocolate classes.  I could probably figure out a way to edit out pictures for a demo or I could put together some stills to do a demo if the interest is there.

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Kerry, I think there certainly would be an interest in this since the subject of tempering is raised quite often.

[Kerry Beal]

Do you think there would be enough interest in a demo on tempering?  I have recently made an educational DVD on tempering (I'm currently waiting for the DVD on molding techniques to be duplicated, and the DVD that covers dipping,making ruffles etc to be edited before duplication) to sell to students in my chocolate classes.  I could probably figure out a way to edit out pictures for a demo or I could put together some stills to do a demo if the interest is there.

←

Kerry, I think there certainly would be an interest in this since the subject of tempering is raised quite often.

←

So John,

What is the procedure to doing a demo, do I check with Wendy about how to get started?

Kerry

[John DePaula]

Do you think there would be enough interest in a demo on tempering?  I have recently made an educational DVD on tempering (I'm currently waiting for the DVD on molding techniques to be duplicated, and the DVD that covers dipping,making ruffles etc to be edited before duplication) to sell to students in my chocolate classes.  I could probably figure out a way to edit out pictures for a demo or I could put together some stills to do a demo if the interest is there.

←

Kerry, I think there certainly would be an interest in this since the subject of tempering is raised quite often.

←

So John,

What is the procedure to doing a demo, do I check with Wendy about how to get started?

Kerry

←

Yes, I think that checking with Wendy would be good.

You'll probably want to begin by uploading all of the pictures to a Public Gallery in eGullet and then you can start a new thread in Pastry & Baking forum with a title something like "DEMO: Tempering Chocolate."

I wrote my demo in a word processor first to get my thoughts and pix in order, then cut/paste into the new thread. It's kind of a chore, but everyone here is very appreciative of the effort.

PM me if you have any difficulty or need some questions answered. I can also help you with resizing photos, if need be.

Cheers!

[Kieranm]

Definitely would be a cool thing to do. I went to a chocolate course at Valrhona and that was a big issue with most of the chefs along, even when they understood it there are still lots of questions/issues. I certainly would be happy for such a demo!

[SweetSide]

Do you think there would be enough interest in a demo on tempering?  I have recently made an educational DVD on tempering (I'm currently waiting for the DVD on molding techniques to be duplicated, and the DVD that covers dipping,making ruffles etc to be edited before duplication) to sell to students in my chocolate classes.  I could probably figure out a way to edit out pictures for a demo or I could put together some stills to do a demo if the interest is there.

←

Absolutely! I've been reading thread after thread because I am having problems with my Rev2 tempering machine looking for clues as to why my chocolate isn't in temper when the darn thing screams at me that it is done. If someone can do a demo on machines too, I would love it.

[Kerry Beal]

Do you think there would be enough interest in a demo on tempering?  I have recently made an educational DVD on tempering (I'm currently waiting for the DVD on molding techniques to be duplicated, and the DVD that covers dipping,making ruffles etc to be edited before duplication) to sell to students in my chocolate classes.  I could probably figure out a way to edit out pictures for a demo or I could put together some stills to do a demo if the interest is there.

←

Absolutely! I've been reading thread after thread because I am having problems with my Rev2 tempering machine looking for clues as to why my chocolate isn't in temper when the darn thing screams at me that it is done. If someone can do a demo on machines too, I would love it.

←

I gave away my sinsation because it sounded like a hairdryer going for hours on end. Now I alway temper by hand, quieter and I can do larger amounts. I'll put together a demo in the next couple of weeks.