5 Phenomenal Chocolate Molds posted by Taylor Munsell Pin Share Tweet Email SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I’ve always loved chocolate, but not until the past few months have I dived into chocolate-making headfirst and taken on the role of chocolatier. Not only does homemade chocolate taste better since you can use the high-quality ingredients that store bought chocolates rarely include, but it also looks gorgeous – an edible decoration that’s easy to make. That’s only if you use the best chocolate molds, though. In this post, I’ve rounded up five of the most beautiful, easy-to-use chocolate molds out there and discussed how to use them correctly. I’ll also tell you how you can “go off the beaten track” and find great chocolate molds of your own accord. Table of ContentsAll About Chocolate MoldsWhat is a Chocolate Mold?How to Use a Chocolate MoldWhat to Look for When Buying Chocolate MoldsBest Chocolate Molds1. Variety Pack2. Chocolate Bars3. Silicone Heart4. Game Controller5. Hand toolsChocolate Mold FAQs All About Chocolate Molds Removing mini pink chocolates from silicone chocolate mold. First of all, let’s look at why chocolate molds are such great tools and how you can find a good one yourself. What is a Chocolate Mold? A chocolate mold is a tray with indents that you can pour liquid chocolate in so you can cool it and make actual chocolate! They look and function a bit like those patterned ice cube trays except for the fact that chocolate molds can withstand extremely high heats. High quality chocolate molds even have coatings that hold cocoa better to help the chocolates made in them to become shinier. By the way, they’re only called “molds” because they shape the chocolate. They have nothing to do with the kind of mold that grows on old food. How to Use a Chocolate Mold Making chocolate might seem simple, but it’s actually a lot more complicated than just pouring melted chocolate into the mold and cooling it. I’ll surely get around to writing a detailed post about the process one day, but for now you should refer to a recipe. Make sure to follow every step to the letter, as chocolate-making is an even more temperamental form of cooking than baking! If you have a chocolate mold that has molds of a standard shape (like rectangles or circles), you can also use it as a mold for non-chocolate recipes like protein bars. What to Look for When Buying Chocolate Molds If you want to look at chocolate molds yourself, make sure to check out the following aspects on each model before committing to any of them. Durability/flexibility – At one point or another, you’ll probably end up dropping your mold or at least tossing it into a cabinet. For that reason, it’s good to have a soft, durable mold that can absorb impact. That’s why I often prefer silicone molds over plastic. Temperature versatility – You want a material that can go from the oven to the freezer to the microwave without cracking. Nonstick properties – There’s nothing worse than slaving over some chocolates only to be unable to release them cleanly when they’re all done. Lower-quality chocolate molds often need to be greased to help them become non-stick, but it’s even more effective to buy a model with natural non-stick properties. Mold size/number – Some people prefer making larger chocolates that you can really sink your teeth into, while others prefer bite-sized morsels. Ask yourself which you’d rather have. Also, make sure the mold makes enough chocolates to satisfy your needs. Mold shape – Especially in recent years, chocolates with intricate shapes have come into vogue. Remember, though, that standard-shape chocolate molds are better for use in non-chocolate recipes as well. Plus, straightforward shapes are easier for beginner chocolatiers to work with. Optional: Dishwasher-Safe – Even though many chocolate mold makers claim that putting their products in the dishwasher is fine, I prefer to wipe my chocolate molds clean with a dry, heatproof rag after use. I’ve heard in some places that getting a chocolate mold wet at all is a bad idea, because water and liquid chocolate (which is oil-based) are mortal enemies. This even holds true to water that will evaporate completely before next use, because the water will wash away the cocoa butter coating on the molds that will help give the chocolates a shiny appearance. Best Chocolate Molds Maybe you’d rather go for a tried and true model of chocolate mold than go through options yourself. In that case, I’ve got you covered! I’ve done a ton of research into the best chocolate molds since I picked up chocolatiering, and here are descriptions of my top five picks. 1. Variety Pack by [amazon link=”B06XQZ12NH” link_icon=”none” title=”Mighty-X” /] [amazon fields=”B06XQZ12NH” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Cute Silicone Molds – 6pk Food Grade”] The six trays included in this set each contain 15 molds in different shapes – flowers, helixes, stars, hearts, shells, or smiley faces. The shapes are distinct and give the chocolates a pleasing aesthetic flair, but they’re also basic enough so as to be easy to work with, even if you want to use the molds to make something else like energy bars, candles, or jello snacks. The rich brown color of the food-grade silicone used is also a plus. It looks nice on the counter and it’s nice and flexible. The set also comes with an eBook containing recipes for five types of candy. 2. Chocolate Bars by [amazon link=”B07DQPNZ3K” link_icon=”none” title=”homEdge” /] [amazon fields=”B07DQPNZ3K” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Break-Apart Chocolate Molds”] This mold’s design is in the shape of a traditional rectangular chocolate bar, but what really sets it apart from the rest is that the large bar can be broken into 24 smaller break-away segments once it is made, just like a big bar of chocolate you might buy at the store! This solves the issue of deciding between a large or small size for the individual molds in your chocolate mold; with this model, you can have both! The set contains four trays, so you can make enough for a whole party of people at once. The chocolate-brown silicone used to make these chocolate molds is extremely flexible and can withstand temperatures between -40 and 466 degrees Fahrenheit. Since the trays are so thin and can stack together, they take up almost no storage space. 3. Silicone Heart by [amazon link=”B08MQ7KGM3″ link_icon=”none” title=”SUMUPUT” /] [amazon fields=”B08MQ7KGM3″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Silicone Heart Shaped Chocolate Mold”] One of the best things about being a chocolatier is the ability to customize chocolate to give to friends and family as gifts during special occasions, and the designers of this set really nailed that customization aspect. The large heart-shaped silicone mold allows you to make a birthday cake-sized heart of pure chocolate. You can make white chocolate (or any color chocolate you want using food coloring) in the included letter, number, and symbol molds and put the resulting edible message on the chocolate heart to create a picture-perfect gift! The set even includes two small wooden hammers to help with construction. Whether it’s Valentine’s day, Christmas, a birthday, or any other joyous occasion, the gift recipient is guaranteed to be amazed. 4. Game Controller by [amazon link=”B09GVLCGGR” link_icon=”none” title=”AIERSA” /] [amazon fields=”B09GVLCGGR” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Chocolate Molds Silicone for 3D Breakable Game Controller”] You can use this mold to make a life-size video game controller-shaped piece of chocolate that actually breaks open to reveal whatever goodies you’ve hidden in its hollow center. The technique to do so is a bit more advanced than using the previous chocolate molds on this list, but it’s immensely satisfying and definitely worth the effort if you can do it right. My 12 year-old loves video gaming, and he was more than a little delighted when I prepared a marshmallow-filled chocolate controller and plopped it on top of his birthday cake. If you’re up for a chocolatiering challenge, this mold produces one of the coolest results you’re likely to find. 5. Hand tools by [amazon link=”B0977X9YGS” link_icon=”none” title=”Sakolla” /] [amazon fields=”B0977X9YGS” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”3 Pieces Hand Tools Fondant Molds”] I’m a fan of novelty chocolate molds, and I think this set produces the most nuanced, accurate replicas of real objects (in chocolate, of course) that I’ve seen. The molds for saws, wrenches, hammers, and other tools in the set are intricate enough to look like the real thing but are still somehow great at holding together. I wouldn’t recommend the set for total chocolatiering beginners, but those who have made chocolate a few dozen times with good results should be able to use the molds without a problem. The silicone material is a vibrant pink color, too, and it’s easy to store. Chocolate Mold FAQs Time to turn to Google’s “frequently asked questions” search results section and answer some queries people often have about chocolate molds. Why use a disposable pastry bag? Using a pastry bag (aka a “piping bag”) makes it much easier to squeeze out precise dollops of chocolate (or whatever the bag is filled with) without wasting any of it. It’s immensely helpful for making sure all of your chocolate molds are filled without spilling any chocolate outside the molds.It’s also very easy to make a pastry bag; you can use any small plastic bag. Fill the bag with the mixture you want to squeeze out, and then use scissors to cut off a small section at one corner of the bag. You can then use the bag like a squeeze bottle to distribute portions of your mixture, and you can throw the bag out after it’s empty. How to fill a chocolate mold Use a pastry bag (as described above) to pipe out enough of your chocolate mixture to fill each mold almost to the top. Then, gently tap the mold on the counter. This tapping will get rid of the air bubbles in the chocolate. After you do that, you can fill the molds the rest of the way if you want to. Do you spray chocolate molds? If you use a high-quality chocolate mold, there is no need to spray it with oil or any other non-stick spray. These high-quality options include polycarbonate chocolate molds and food grade silicone chocolate molds like the ones recommended above. If you use an older model of chocolate mold, especially one made of metal, you will need to spray the mold with oil before use.Cooking with chocolate specifically meant for molding will help make release even easier even when non-stick spray is not used. How long does it take for the chocolate to set in molds? Smaller molds usually take about 10 minutes to harden while larger molds take closer to 20 minutes. Although many recipes say to cool chocolates in the refrigerator, I would recommend using the freezer instead since the condensation caused by some fridges can negatively affect the chocolate. Chocolate Thoughts Whether you’re a choco-holic like me or not, I can almost guarantee you’ll be blown away by the taste of fresh homemade chocolates compared to the ones you buy at the store. Homemade chocolates are also great gifts, especially if you use a beautiful design when making them. But all those amazing benefits hinge on the chocolate molds you use. It is my hope that this post will kick start more than a few fulfilling chocolatiering journeys.
