Confections! (2006-2012)

[Desiderio]

Hello , first of all welcome!

I can link some web site with info etc.

One is the Callebaut site that has few tips and pics on how to mold chocolates etc.

http://www.callebaut.com/en/25011

Second , molds there are different places where you can buy them , usually online and the price for a polycarbonate mold usually is around 20$ , you can probably find the plastic molds in your hobby and craft store or locval candy/vcake suppliers for around 1.50 or less.

This web site is nice and he has good prices for molds but not much selection .

http://www.chocolateman.com/pc-354-5-polycarbonate-mold.aspx

This web site has lots of stuff and a decent mold selection.

http://www.bakedeco.com/dept.asp?id=347&pg=2

Another place , where lots people here buys their molds from.

http://www.jbprince.com/index.asp?PageActi...TS&Category=278

http://www.chocolat-chocolat.com/c210018.2.html

This site has a great mold selection but its in Canada

Another Canadian site for molds, good prices even with the shipping ( I ordered some from them ).

Another site

http://tomric.com/CatalogType.aspx?catType...tle=MoldsFooter

Well there are a few web site.Onthis forum you can find some tips on molding chocolate as well .

Good luck

[Kerry Beal]

Firstly, I am absolutely in awe of all the magnificent chocolates here! I feel a little inadequate about my candymaking skills after this!

Secondly, I'm not quite sure if this is the right place to ask this, but where do all of you buy your molds? This will be my first time trying, so I want something simple and not too expensive-- like just the round bonbons. And two other related things: do any of you have a good beginner's recipe for a center, and can any of you direct me to a good tutorial about how to do this? Thanks!

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Looks like you still need a recipe for a center - are you looking for a ganache or some other center? Is there something commercial out there you want to imitate?

[enurmi]

Looks like you still need a recipe for a center - are you looking for a ganache or some other center? Is there something commercial out there you want to imitate?

I'm thinking probably ganache-- I've made plain truffles before, but was thinking that a little more flavor or even something non-chocolate would be nice. I'm not imitating anything in particular-- I just want something delicious and not too difficult for my first.

Thanks for all the wonderful advice!

Edited January 16, 2007 by enurmi (log)

[tammylc]

The basic ratio I've been using for my ganache filled chocolates is 8 ounces of chocolate to 6 ounces of cream, plus 2-3 tbsp of liqueur or other flavoring. Once you've got the basic ganache made, you can add your flavoring a little at a time until you get the flavor you're looking for. My favorite so far uses Patron XO Cafe, a coffee liqueur made from tequila - it makes the absolute best chocolates - much better than Kahlua or something like that.

For my caramel filled chocolates, I'm using the Fleur de Sel caramel recipe from Epicurious and only cooking it to about 242 degrees, then piping that into the shells once it's cooled.

There's a couple of ideas for you - other people will no doubt have more!

[Kerry Beal]

Here is a basic ganache I often build other recipes on.

250 grams heavy cream

65 grams glucose (white corn syrup)

125 grams butter

375 grams dark chocolate

125 grams milk chocolate

65 grams liqueur

Melt chocolate, heat cream, add hot cream to chocolate, mix until glossy. Add glucose and liqueur. When cools mix in room temperature butter.

[Anna N]

The basic ratio I've been using for my ganache filled chocolates is 8 ounces of chocolate to 6 ounces of cream, plus 2-3 tbsp of liqueur or other flavoring.  Once you've got the basic ganache made, you can add your flavoring a little at a time until you get the flavor you're looking for.  My favorite so far uses Patron XO Cafe, a coffee liqueur made from tequila - it makes the absolute best chocolates - much better than Kahlua or something like that.

For my caramel filled chocolates, I'm using the Fleur de Sel caramel recipe from Epicurious and only cooking it to about 242 degrees, then piping that into the shells once it's cooled.

There's a couple of ideas for you - other people will no doubt have more!

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Can you describe how you accomplish the filled caramel? Do you have the shells already poured when you make the caramel? I have been hoping to have a caramel-filled molded chocolate but the technique escapes me! Doesn't the caramel harden rather soon? Thanks for any information on this.

[tammylc]

I cooked the caramel to only 242 degrees, so it's a little softer than one you'd cut. Plus the Epicurious recipe is pretty soft as it is. When it's done, I let it cool a little, then pour it into a piping bag and let it cool some more there. You don't want to put it into shells until it reaches 85 degrees or so, so that you don't put your chocolate out of temper.

It takes quite a long time for the caramel to cool to room temperature, so you can make the shells before or after making the caramel. Once it's ready, I just pipe it into the shells. You need to cut a large hole and it requires a fair amount of hand strength, but it goes in pretty well. Let it sit for at least several hours after that to smooth out and fill in all the cavities, then cap as usual.

[John DePaula]

The basic ratio I've been using for my ganache filled chocolates is 8 ounces of chocolate to 6 ounces of cream, plus 2-3 tbsp of liqueur or other flavoring.  Once you've got the basic ganache made, you can add your flavoring a little at a time until you get the flavor you're looking for.  My favorite so far uses Patron XO Cafe, a coffee liqueur made from tequila - it makes the absolute best chocolates - much better than Kahlua or something like that.

For my caramel filled chocolates, I'm using the Fleur de Sel caramel recipe from Epicurious and only cooking it to about 242 degrees, then piping that into the shells once it's cooled.

There's a couple of ideas for you - other people will no doubt have more!

←

Can you describe how you accomplish the filled caramel? Do you have the shells already poured when you make the caramel? I have been hoping to have a caramel-filled molded chocolate but the technique escapes me! Doesn't the caramel harden rather soon? Thanks for any information on this.

←

I cooked the caramel to only 242 degrees, so it's a little softer than one you'd cut. Plus the Epicurious recipe is pretty soft as it is. When it's done, I let it cool a little, then pour it into a piping bag and let it cool some more there. You don't want to put it into shells until it reaches 85 degrees or so, so that you don't put your chocolate out of temper.

It takes quite a long time for the caramel to cool to room temperature, so you can make the shells before or after making the caramel. Once it's ready, I just pipe it into the shells. You need to cut a large hole and it requires a fair amount of hand strength, but it goes in pretty well. Let it sit for at least several hours after that to smooth out and fill in all the cavities, then cap as usual.

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That's exactly right. The caramel, when cooled, is still pretty soft and you can then pipe it into the shell.

This is how I make my Caramel Fleur de sel:

Caramel Fleur de sel

To speed up the process of cooling, which can take all day, I either make this filling first or I stick the bowl into another bowl filled with ice water.

[Desiderio]

The caramel can be even more liquid than that. I do the fleur de sel solid and liquid, sometimes I have extra solid caramel so I just remelt it and add some more cream till is the consitency of a thick cream or so.You have to make sure they crust inside the chocolate shells for a while before closing, I never had problem closing this liquid caramels as long I waited a while before the closing.

[Anna N]

Many thanks, Tammy, Vanessa and John. I will let you know how it all works as soon as I attempt it - sometime next week I expect.

[miladyinsanity]

The caramel can be even more liquid than that. I do the fleur de sel  solid and liquid, sometimes I have extra solid caramel so I just remelt it and add some more cream till is the consitency of a thick cream or so.You have to make sure they crust inside the chocolate shells for a while before closing, I never had problem closing this liquid caramels as long I waited a while before the closing.

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Sinful. So sinfully good.... I need that drool smiley!

[Desiderio]

[enurmi]

Thank you all so much for your help!

I tried molding filled chocolates for the first time tonight with some molds my art teacher lent me.

I'm sure you all know this, but the rush when you unmold your first chocolate... And looking at it... My chocolate was really well tempered, I think-- it had a really nice shine and snap. I used a sort of amalgamation of methods plus my own-- a bowl of chopped El Ray 73.5 in a glass bowl in another glass bowl filled with instant hot water. Stirred that, then used a hairdryer on high on top to further melt the chocolate. According to my thermometer, the temp never went above 100 deg. Fahrenheit, so no danger. I used the dryer to warm the molds, as per a hint earlier in the thread, poured the chocolate in, dropped it to get rid of air bubbles, and cleaned it off with the other side of a serrated icing/bread knife (no offset spatula). I let it set for a few minutes and, meanwhile, made my filling-- a simple ganache flavored with honey-- which I then poured into a squeeze bottle. Used the bottle to pour the filling up to 1/8" below top, and let set in fridge. Finally, used a spoon to pour on more tempered chocolate to make the bottom, smoothing with the back of the knife again, and let set for a few minutes before unmolding.

So thank you all!

Here are some pictures:

One of the bonbons:

One of the chocolates split open (sorry about the fuzziness!):

And all of the chocolates:

These will be served as postprandial candies at my dinner tomorrow night, and I have to say, the first thing I thought as I unmolded the chocolates (after, "I can't wait to post this on eGullet!") was, "let's do that again!" So, you've got another one hooked...

I'm thinking different fillings, maybe some white chocolate....

Edited January 20, 2007 by enurmi (log)

[Desiderio]

Great Job!!!! I can immagine the exciting feeling you got after you unmolded the chocolate4s!

Edited January 20, 2007 by Desiderio (log)

[Kerry Beal]

So, you've got another one hooked... 

That's all part of our master plan.

[mrose]

I had a few orders for turtle bars.

[miladyinsanity]

So cute!

[Anna N]

Many thanks, Tammy, Vanessa and John.  I will let you know how it all works as soon as I attempt it - sometime next week I expect.

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So I attempted the caramel (sorry about the messy cut - should have used a better knife!). The caramel is darker and firmer than Vanessa's but I am quite happy with it. The temperature continued to climb after I removed it from the heat so that if I wanted a more liquid caramel I think I would dip the pan into a sink of icy water to stop further cooking.

After my success with caramel filling I deserved some play time!

[Anna N]

I had a few orders for turtle bars.

. . .

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Those are too much Mark. I love them. Can I assume that those are purchased transfer sheets?

[mrose]

I had a few orders for turtle bars.

. . .

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Those are too much Mark. I love them. Can I assume that those are purchased transfer sheets?

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Yes, I got the sheets from American Chocolate Designs.

I like those frogs, I always wanted to get those molds. What did you fill them with?

The caramel I use in molded chocolates & truffles, I cook to ~230F. It will ooze but is not to thin. Works great to make a choc caramel truffle.

Mark

Edited January 20, 2007 by mrose (log)

[Anna N]

I had a few orders for turtle bars.

. . .

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Those are too much Mark. I love them. Can I assume that those are purchased transfer sheets?

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Yes, I got the sheets from American Chocolate Designs.

I like those frogs, I always wanted to get those molds. What did you fill them with?

The caramel I use in molded chocolates & truffles, I cook to ~230F. It will ooze but is not to thin. Works great to make a choc caramel truffle.

Mark

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The frogs are solid chocolate this time (for the grandkids!). I have filled them in the past but they are a bit tricky and you really cannot get a whole lot of filling in them (or at least I can't) though I know Kerry does!

This caramel I cooked to 242F but it rose many degrees after that! I am always doubting my thermometer, however. Somehow I suspect that digital thermometers go out of calibration easily at high temps and I can stick three different thermometers in there and get 3 very different readings. On the other hand, I hate the glass thermometers which I cannot read easily.

Edited to add: I remember reading very recently, though I do not recall where, that one ought not to trust thermometers when making candy but always to use the "soft-ball", "hard-ball" type chart instead. I must try to dig that up and re-read the reasoning.

Edited January 21, 2007 by Anna N (log)

[alanamoana]

anna, your chocolate skills just keep getting better. i love the little froggies, they're so cute. my husband always refers to the weather condition as "patchy frog" which describes your little treats perfectly

[Kerry Beal]

The frogs are a major PIA to fill. You get some filling in the head, then a tiny bit along the back. You really have to flatten it out. I use a caramel truffle filling for mine.

But they do end up looking lovely and the kids all think they are wonderful thanks to Harry Potter. I also have a mold that makes little 3 gram frogs. The kids like them even more. For the truffle drive I've been molding a ton of them, one for each box.

[enurmi]

Just thought I'd update that the chocolates were a huge hit-- everyone loved them! (And the other desserts: Bananas Foster tart and chocolate pudding with fresh whipped cream-- yum!)

[Kerry Beal]

Just thought I'd update that the chocolates were a huge hit-- everyone loved them! (And the other desserts: Bananas Foster tart and chocolate pudding with fresh whipped cream-- yum!)

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Ah yes, truly hooked. We can tell by the new avatar.