The Chocolate Den

Welcome to the world of chocolate moulding

Welcome to the world of chocolate moulding: it's fun, creative and a great way to make money. And it's easy - if you know how.

There are two very different types of chocolate: coverture and coating chocolate. Coverture is pure chocolate, which means that it is made with cocoa butter. Coverture has to be tempered before you mould with it. This involves lowering and raising the temperature of the melted chocolate so as not to destroy the molecular structure of the fats in the cocoa butter. If pure chocolate or coverture is not correctly tempered, it will either not set or it will re-melt at room temperature. A fat or sugar bloom - white surface layer - may also appear.

Coating chocolate suffers from none of these problems and, for this reason, most chocolate moulders use it. It is different from coverture because it contains vegetable fats and palm oil instead of cocoa butter. The molecular structure of these fats are less volatile and so the melting of coating chocolate is far simpler. The required melting temperature for coating chocolate is not so particular, although there is still a risk of burning. However, burning aside, it is almost impossible to flop a coating chocolate mixture.

It is true, however, that the difference between coverture and coating chocolate is immediately recognised by your mouth. The reason for this is not taste, as some people say, but because cocoa butter melts in your mouth faster than vegetable fat. The vegetable fat in coating chocolate needs higher temperatures to melt and so it remains solid in your mouth for a short time before dissolving. In the poorer quality coating chocolates that are sometimes available, the fat may take so long to melt that it leaves a fatty layer on your palate.

If you are serious about your chocolate moulding, avoid the cheaper coating chocolates and remain confident of your quality.

All the instructions in this catalogue are for coating chocolate. We hope to show you the correct and easy ways to work with moulding chocolate, and trust that you will be inspired with lots of good ideas.

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How Chocolate is made

Manufacturing chocolate from scratch is a very complicated procedure. We are often asked for the recipe for making chocolate, but this process is simply not possible from home as our illustration below will demonstrate.

Many of the required ingredients are not readily available in this country, and are only imported by gigantic chocolate manufacturers like Nestlé and Cadburys. In addition to this, large, sophisticated and expensive machinery is required.

Imported cocoa beans are the magic source for which the main ingredients of all chocolate products are derived. The chocolate factory has to clean, roast and shell the cocoa beans. These are then ground down to produce a thick brown paste called chocolate liquor. Despite how it sounds, this is a non-alcoholic product. The chocolate liquor is what all things good and chocolate are made from. It is pressed and cocoa butter is extracted. What is left over is then dried to make cocoa powder.

The chocolate liquor, cocoa powder and cocoa butter are combined in different ways with different ingredients to make different types of chocolate. The addition of milk, sugar and flavouring creates various chocolate types: some sweet or bitter, some dark or light.

When all the correct ingredients are added in their exact quantities, they undergo a long stirring process. The longer the stirring period, the smoother and creamier the chocolate. The end product is then poured, moulded, wrapped and dispatched by the factory: giving us all at least one good reason to go on living - chocolate.

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The rules of moulding with coating chocolate

- Do not add water, milk or any other liquid to your chocolate.
- Do not add butter, margarine or cream to your chocolate.
- Do not add any flavouring or colouring to your chocolate other than approved chocolate colourings and flavourings.
- Do not melt your chocolate directly on the stove.
- Do not overheat or burn your chocolate.
- Do not keep your chocolate longer than its expected shelf-life
- Do not store your chocolate in the fridge or freezer.
- Do not store your chocolate in plastic containers or tupperware.
- Do not mix your coating chocolate with coverture.
- Only mix approved fillings into your chocolate.
- Do not leave your setting chocolate in the freezer too long.
- Do not allow the steam from your double boiler to get into the chocolate.
- Package your chocolates as soon as you have moulded them.

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The Instruments…

Chocolate moulding, unlike many other hobbies or businesses, does not require many specialized instruments. The essential equipment is found in all homes - or can be bought very inexpensively.

Firstly, you will need a means of melting your chocolate - either a double boiler or a microwave. Both these instruments work equally well, so if you do not own a microwave oven, a double boiler will do fine.

You will need a fridge or a freezer. We always suggest that you work with your freezer, as the quicker the chocolate sets, the better it shines. If however you do not have a freezer, your fridge will do. Remember to turn your fridge temperature down to as cold as possible.

The actual moulding equipment required is inexpensive and quite readily available:
- Assorted plastic chocolate moulds for different types of chocolates
- A long-handled teaspoon for spooning your chocolate into the moulds
- A thick, soft-haired, good-quality paint brush for brushing the sides of moulds
- A couple of good-quality small paint brushes for painting colour designs
- A dipping spoon or fork for dipping nuts and candies into the chocolate
- A good pair of scissors for cutting out hollow moulds
- Bulldog clips for holding together both sides of hollow moulds
- Chocolate colouring, flavouring, wrapping foils, fillings and packaging

…and the Ingredients

Essentially the only ingredient you need for chocolate moulding is the chocolate itself. Buy the coating chocolate you believe best suits your needs. For important functions, occasions and gifts, remember to buy the best quality chocolate.

Unfortunately, where chocolate is concerned, best quality usually means the most expensive.

Although we do not really recommend it, many people tend to compromise on the quality of their chocolate when making clusters and novelties for children's birthdays. These are perhaps the only times such compromises in chocolate quality may be made. However, you will always feel confident if you only use the best.

The other ingredients that you will need will depend entirely upon the type of chocolates you intend making.

To make your chocolate more interesting and exciting, you will need assorted chocolate colourings, flavourings and fillings.

The list of potential chocolate fillings is never ending - use your imagination to make your own exotic personal favourites. Some ideas for chocolate fillings are different types of nuts, Turkish delight, marshmallows, toffees, coconut, raisins, mint crisps, honeycomb, marzipan, flavoured fondants, as well as all the ready-made and delicious chocolate fillings available from the Chocolate Den.

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Melting Coating Chocolate

In the microwave oven

Melting chocolate in the microwave is clean, quick and easy. But be super careful not to burn your chocolate. Rather be slow than sorry, is our motto in this regard. Taking an extra couple of minutes to melt your chocolate slowly means that you save yourself throwing out a bowl full of burnt chocolate lumps.

Take 500g of coating chocolate and break it up into smallish pieces. Place these pieces into a glass bowl in the microwave. Set the microwave on high for thirty seconds and then take the chocolate out and stir it. Repeat this process until the chocolate is melted - usually four times. Take note that the hotter the melted chocolate, the thicker it will be. You will obviously then not want to overheat it as it will become too difficult to work with.

White and caramel chocolate are more heat sensitive and will need less melting time than the ordinary milk or dark chocolate.

If your chocolate cools down while you are working with it and begins to set, simply re-melt it in the microwave, using the same method as before. If only a small amount of chocolate remains in the bowl, re-melt it for only ten seconds at a time until the chocolate is smooth and runny.

In a double boiler

Melting coating chocolate in a double boiler is simple, efficient and has the advantages of remaining melted for longer periods.

Although we always recommend a proper double boiler, people often use a makeshift one from a pot and a glass bowl. This does work, although not as efficiently as a double boiler. It loses heat too quickly and allows steam to escape into the air and so into the chocolate - thus ruining your chocolate. These structures are not as stable as properly fitted double boilers and may tip over allowing water to seep into your chocolate.

If you are to take your chocolate moulding seriously, rather ensure that you have the real thing.

Boil your water in a kettle and the transfer it to the bottom half of your double boiler. Take 500g of coating chocolate, broken up into smallish pieces, and put it into the top half of your double boiler that is neatly fitted into the bottom half with the boiled water. Stir the chocolate until it has melted. The chocolate remains melted for a long time. When, however, it does cool down, simply boil more water in the kettle and replace the old water.

As with chocolate melted in the microwave, remember that white and caramel chocolate are more sensitive and need less heat to melt. If your chocolate becomes very thick and too difficult to work with, you are probably overheating it. Take it off the hot water and stir it until it cools down and thins out.

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Moulding a PLAIN SOLID chocolate

Plain solid chocolates are chocolates which are not coloured, not flavoured and not filled. Although this type of chocolate may not sound very exciting, it is very useful and is probably the most commonly made chocolate of all.

Melt your chocolate in the microwave oven or double boiler taking care not to burn it. Once the chocolate is melted, spoon it into your plastic mould with a long handled teaspoon. Do not overfill the mould as it is difficult to tidy an over-run chocolate once it has set. The chocolate has lots of its own fats and so it is not necessary to grease your moulds. Greasing or spraying the mould will give your chocolates a dull greasy finish. Once you have filled each chocolate in your mould, gently lift the mould and tap it on the table so that the individual chocolates run smooth on top and all air bubbles are released. Now place your mould on a flat surface in the freezer and allow it some minutes to set.

When the individual chocolates have separated from the sides of the mould and feel cold to the touch, they are then set. Remove the mould from the freezer and, over a clean surface, gently tap your chocolates out.

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FLAVOURING your chocolates

Flavoured chocolates are a treat and are very easy to make. Chocolates are often flavoured to suit their colour, for example, green peppermint chocolate leaves or red strawberry flavoured chocolate strawberries. They are also flavoured to suit their mould, for example, rum flavoured chocolate barrels. Different flavours help make a box of plain solid chocolates into something special.

You can only use approved chocolate flavouring oils in your chocolate. All other flavourings or essences are liquid based and will ruin your chocolate. Luckily there are many assorted flavouring oils available. These oils are natural (not synthetic) and may safely be used by diabetics.

The chocolate flavouring oils are very highly concentrated and only two or three drops will be necessary to flavour 500g of chocolate. Too much oil added will thicken your melted chocolate and make the taste of your flavoured chocolate too strong. Add your flavouring oils into your melted chocolate drop-by-drop, tasting after each drop to test. Remember that some oils are stronger than others, and so a taste test is always important.

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COLOURING white chocolate and PAINTING with it

Chocolates of all shapes and sizes decorated with colour have become very popular over the last few years. A box of cherry chocolates with the cherries painted red, a chocolate Easter bunny with pink cheeks, and a bunch of chocolate roses in yellow and apricot are examples of how important colour work has become in chocolate-making. The visual appeal, as well as the financial value, of the chocolates increase enormously once they have been painted. Painting your chocolates is great fun and all it takes is a little powder colouring and a little patience.

Only approved chocolate colourings can be used with coating chocolate. These are powder colourings that are oil soluble, known as Lake Colours. Other powder colourings may not be oil soluble and will therefore not dissolve in your chocolate. Normal liquid food colourings will obviously ruin your chocolate.

Start by melting your white chocolate in the microwave or double boiler. Please note that it is impossible to colour milk (brown) or dark chocolate. Once your white chocolate has melted, divide it up into the four available spaces in an egg poaching pan. Boiled water from the kettle in the bottom of the pan helps to keep the chocolate melted while you work with it. If you do not have an egg poacher, make sure that the containers you use for colours do not allow the chocolate to come in contact with water or steam.

When you have divided your chocolate into small containers, look at your moulds and consider what colours you are going to need. Add a pinch of powder colouring to your melted chocolate and mix it. Continue this process until you reach the colour you want. If, by mistake, you colour your chocolate a shade too dark, simply add more melted white chocolate.

You can start painting with your coloured chocolate as soon as a nice smooth colour has been achieved. With a good quality paintbrush, paint your coloured chocolate into your chosen mould. The chocolate must be painted in quite thickly, otherwise the background chocolate will show through. You can check the results of your painting on the other side of the mould and tidy up any slips. Paint in all the colours you desire and then leave your mould for a minute or two to set. When the colours no longer appear shiny on the inside of the mould, you can spoon in the background chocolate. This top-up chocolate must not be too hot or it will melt your paint. Remember not to overfill your mould.

If your chosen mould is a lollipop mould, remember to put your stick into the chocolate before you put it in the freezer. Tap your mould gently on the counter to release air bubbles and place it in the freezer to set.

Take note that while working with your colours you do not wash your paintbrush in water as this will increase your chances of getting moisture into the chocolate. Simply wipe your brush on paper towels. Only wash it when you have completed your painting. Never leave your brush in the setting chocolate because it will be damaged and need to be replaced.

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PAINTING over your chocolate with COLOUR BASE

There are two different methods of decorating your chocolates. The first, described above, is by painting coloured chocolate into the mould. The second is by painting the chocolates after they have been moulded. Although the second method is easier, it does not have the same results as painting into the mould. The finish is not as neat, colourful or shiny.

Colour base is a clear chocolate paint that you can mix with the chocolate colouring powders to make coloured paints. With a good quality small paintbrush, you paint the colour mix onto the finished chocolate. Once the colour mix (colour base plus powder colour) is painted onto the chocolate, leave it aside for about a quarter of an hour to set.

Lustre colours as well as metallic colours can be mixed with the colour base for special effects. The normal mat chocolate colours can be mixed with the colour base and painted onto white chocolates. However, they do tend to look very dull on milk (brown) or dark chocolate.

We therefore advise that you only use the lustre and metallic colours on milk and dark chocolates.

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DIPPED Chocolates

Dipped chocolates are a delicious treat - their emphasis is on taste and flavour, rather than shape or design. They are very simple and quick to make and also very easy to decorate. An enormous variety of goodies can be dipped, ranging from assorted nuts, fruits, glazed ginger, Turkish delight, toffees, mint crisps, honeycomb, shortbread, marshmallows and whatever else you desire.

To make dipped chocolates, you will need a dipping spoon or fork, some waxed paper, melted chocolate and some candies, nuts or fruit to dip.

Place your piece of ginger (for example) onto your dipping spoon and submerge it into the melted chocolate. Lift it out of the chocolate and tap the dipping spoon against the side of the pot or bowl to remove any excess chocolate. Gently place the chocolate coated ginger onto the wax paper and allow it to set.

The dipped pieces can be easily decorated by dribbling some chocolate of the opposing colour - white onto dark or dark onto white - over them with a piping bag. Place the dipped chocolates into brown chocolate cups for beautiful presentation.

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FILLED Chocolates

Different types of fillings require different methods - some are easier than others, none are difficult, all are fun. The results of filled chocolates are always delicious. We suggest that any box of chocolates you make up for presentation should be full of filled chocolates.

Nuts

Most nuts make excellent chocolate fillings. Although they are fine raw, most nuts tend to be far tastier when roasted. Try to buy your nuts roasted, otherwise roast them gently in the oven yourself, taking care not to burn them. Do not buy salted nuts for chocolate fillings. Almonds, brazils, hazels, cashews and pecans are superb in chocolate.

When you have decided upon the type of nut you are going to use, make sure to find a suitable mould. Only the larger nuts can be dipped; the rest need to be moulded. The mould should be large enough to fit the nut and chocolate and could have a shape similar to the nut itself.

Drop your nut into the bowl of melted chocolate. Remove the nut with its surrounding chocolate from the bowl with a long-handled teaspoon. Drop the nut and chocolate into the mould. Tap the mould gently, so that the chocolate runs smooth and all the air bubbles trapped around the nut are released. Fill your whole mould this way. Make sure that the nuts do not stick out the back of the mould as it will not lie flat. Place the mould in the freezer for a few minutes to set.

Peanuts and chopped nuts can also be used in this way. They are, however, more commonly used for clusters. To make clusters, you will need melted chocolate, wax paper or chocolate cups, and any of the following: roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped nuts, desiccated coconut, raisins, rice crispies or corn flakes.

To make good clusters, we advise that you mix equal quantities of melted chocolate with any of the above ingredients. For example, mix one kilogram of roasted unsalted peanuts into one kilogram of melted chocolate. When the peanuts are evenly mixed in, drop a spoonful of the mixture onto the wax paper or into a chocolate cup and leave it to set. The above quantities should make at least one hundred clusters.

Soft Centre Fillings

There are many wonderful ready-made soft-centre fillings available. They range from assorted fondants to toffee and divine chocolate based delights. But one does not have to be limited to these alone. Caramelised condensed milk, peanut butter. Marshmallow fluff and many others make up a long list of potential fillings. You can also make your own fillings - use your imagination to invent your own specialties.

To make chocolates with soft centres, you will need a thick, good-quality brush. Do not waste your money on a cheap brush. Cheap brushes shed their hair in your chocolate, and you will have to replace both brush and chocolate. You will also need deep moulds, soft-centre filling and naturally some melted chocolate.

Begin by painting the sides and bottom of your moulds quite thickly with melted chocolate and a thick brush. When you hold the mould up to the light, no light should show through the painted sides. When you have finished this, you will have a complete mould of the chocolate shells of which the sides and bottom of each mould is coated in chocolate.

Leave the painted shells for a couple of minutes to set. Press the soft filling into each shell, filling them three quarters of the way to the top. Then top-up each shell with melted chocolate. Do not overfill the mould. Tap the mould very well to release all air bubbles. Place the mould on a flat surface in the freezer for a few minutes to set.

Mixed-in Filling

Chocolates with mixed-in fillings give the appearance of solid chocolates. They are, however, deliciously filled and are smooth and soft in texture.

To make these chocolates, you will need to buy ready-made chocolate fillings. These come in various delicious flavours such as hazelnut praline, rum, orange, caramel mint, mint crisp, caramel crunch and caramello coffee. These fillings are all chocolate based and made with ingredients that are compatible with coating chocolate. This allows them to be mixed into the chocolate without ruining it.

Add two or three tablespoons of the chocolate filling into 500g of melted chocolate. Mix the filling through thoroughly. When the filling is mixed in, spoon the mixture into a mould with a long-handled teaspoon. Once the mould is complete, place it on a flat surface in the freezer to set.

Marbled Chocolates

A wonderful natural effect is achieved by marbling your chocolate. Marbled chocolate always looks beautiful - and they are even more special in a well-suited mould. For example, all moulds that have a wooden look, like barrels and treasure chests, look particularly authentic when marbled. Sea shell designs are also very popular for marbling.

Marbling can be done with white into dark or dark into white chocolate. Some of the ready-made fillings also work exceptionally well. Take two or three tablespoons of a dark filling or chocolate and drop them into the centre of a bowl of melted white chocolate. Drag a knife from the centre of the bowl outwards, distributing the dark chocolate into thick stripes throughout the bowl. Do not mix the dark chocolate though, as you will lose the marble effect.

Spoon the unmixed chocolate into an appropriate mould with a long-handled teaspoon - always taking chocolate from the dark striped areas. When the mould is full, place it on a flat surface in the freezer for a few minutes to set.

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HOLLOW moulds

Hollow chocolates are three dimensional chocolates that are hollow in the inside. They are most commonly made at Easter time. The exact know-how and a little practice will ensure successful hollow moulding, time after time.

You will need a mould with a matching back and front sides and bulldog clips. Cut out the two sides of the mould, leaving a two centimetre border around the edges. Fill one side of the mould to the top with melted chocolate. Clip the empty side of the mould onto the filled side with bulldog clips. Rotate the mould until it is entirely covered with chocolate. Leave the mould on the table-top for a few minutes on either side. Turn it only now and then until the chocolate inside reaches room temperature. It is vital that you rotate the mould sufficiently to ensure that the chocolate is evenly distributed and sets in equal thicknesses on both sides. You must avoid making one thick side and one thin side. Place it in the freezer for a few minutes, remembering to turn it from side to side occasionally. When the mould appears misty, remove it from the freezer. Take off the bulldog clips and release your hollow chocolate.

Painted hollow chocolates are very attractive, but they are a little more tricky. Paint your mould on the inside with coloured white chocolate, as you would a normal coloured chocolate. Once your colours have set, paint a thick layer of the chocolate you will use for the rest of the mould over the coloured chocolate. Allow this layer to set. This will prevent your colours from running and smudging when you rotate the mould.

An alternative way to make hollow moulds more attractive, is by decorating them with hundreds-and-thousands, coloured vermicelli and sweets.

Care should be taken in the packaging, handling and transportation of hollow chocolates, as they crack and melt easily.

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BOXES out of chocolate

Boxes made from chocolate and filled with delicious home-made chocs make exceptional gifts. There are a large variety of moulds for box-making.

There are two methods used to make chocolate boxes. The method used depends entirely upon the type of mould. In recent years, a specialised mould has been developed for box-making, and this has made the moulding of chocolate boxes much easier and more popular.

Pouring method

You will need a box mould with a lid. The box will simply be a hollow shape with no indentation in the middle. Separate the box and lid parts of the mould with a good pair of scissors. This allows the lid to set evenly, otherwise any slant would cause all the chocolate to pour out of the lid.

Fill the lid part of the mould with melted chocolate, tap it to release air bubbles and place it in the freezer to set. When the chocolate on top feels cold, you can remove the lid from the freezer and release it from the mould.

Fill the box part of the mould to the top with melted chocolate. Leave the chocolate in the box to stand for a few minutes on the table until it has set around the edges of the mould. The longer you leave the chocolate to stand, the thicker the sides of the box will become. When the chocolate has set to the thickness you require, pour all the rest of the chocolate out of the mould and back into the pot. All that will remain in your mould are the semi-set sides and bottom of your box. Now put your mould into the freezer to set and remove it when the mould appears misty. Gently release the box from the mould.

Specialized mould method

This method is much easier and quicker. You must have a specialised mould with a lid. This box mould will be indented in the centre so that when you look at it, you can clearly see the entire shape of the box. Separate the lid and box parts of the mould by cutting the mould with a sharp pair of scissors. Fill the lid part of the mould with melted chocolate and tap it to release the air bubbles. Place it in the freezer to set. Remove it carefully and set it aside.

Fill the box part of the mould with melted chocolate. The chocolate fills the sides, goes over the top of the indentation and reaches the top of the mould. Tap the mould well to release the air bubbles and allow the chocolate to run smooth.

Place it ion the freezer to set. When the mould appears misty, gently ease the chocolate box out of the mould. Sometimes a little extra encouragement is needed to release the box from this kind of mould. Pull the sides of the mould gently to break the vacuum, and the chocolate should then slide out of the mould.

Fill the chocolate box with delicious filled chocolates and cover it with the lid.

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FOILING your chocolates

There is a variety of beautiful chocolate foils to cover your own hand-made chocolates. This process of foiling is very simple, and gives your products a very professional finish.

Cut your coloured foil into appropriately sized squares for the chocolates you intend to cover.

Place a square of foil over the empty mould of the chocolate. Then push the moulded chocolate back into the mould. The moulded side of the chocolate will now be neatly covered in foil. To cover the back of the chocolate, simply fold the extra pieces of foil over.

You can now remove the foiled chocolate from the mould and shine it up with a paper towel.

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Working with coverture (pure) chocolate

1. Melt the chocolate at 40-45°C
2. Allow the chocolate to cool at room temperature to 34-35°C for dark chocolate or to 33-34°C for milk, white or coloured chocolate.
3. Add 1% of cocoa butter Mycryo or 10g for 1kg of chocolate. Mix well.
4. When the chocolate reaches the ideal temperature (31-32°C for dark chocolate or 29-30°C for milk, white or coloured chocolate),
it can be used for the final product application.

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