2 posts tagged “directions”

Step by step instructions on making molded chocolates with fillings

 

First, gather your supplies. 

            Candy coating.  I use Wilbur’s – the best American made chocolate coating.  I'm using White Chocolate but this would be really good in dark or milk as well.

 

            Microwave safe container for melting chocolate and something to stir with.

 

            Filling for molded chocolates.  Ganache or creamy peanut butter are options.  In this case I used Nutella right out of the jar.  It is an easy and yummy hazelnet chocolate flavor.

 

Chocolate molds – I prefer to have at least three molds of any design I’m working with.  That way I always can be working on one while the others are in the freezer.

 

            Clear plastic decorating bags.  I got a pack of 100 of these from sugarcraft.com. 

 

            Candy foils.  I’m using a royal blue candy foil in this case to make this particular piece stand out among the other chocolates I’ll be serving.  I’m also planning on using a red foil for a red hot cinnamon/cayenne formula and a silver foil for an Earl Grey ganache formula.  These three foil wrapped chocolates will really set off the display.  (We’re using the colors of the Colombian flag – red, yellow and blue.  I bought these from sugarcraft.com.

 

 

 

 

Melt the chocolate coating in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between.  Too much heat will turn the chocolate gritty and stiff and disgusting.  If water gets in the chocolate it will seize up and will be gritty and nasty.  The warmer the chocolate gets the more you need to stir in between heating.  A few lumps will disappear by stirring the product.

 

Open the end of the decorating bag and place the small end in a cup and folding the edges around the rim of the cup.  Pour in the melted chocolate and twist together the end of the bag, trying with a twist tie if possible.  Snip the end of the bag to about a ¼ inch opening.

 

 

 

Repeat the above process with your filling.  Avoid warming ganache as the heat from your hand will warm it enough to make it workable.

 

Make sure your molds are clean and dry.

 

Pipe a line of chocolate around the rim of the mold.

 

Tap the tray until the entire mold is coated.  Place on a level surface in the freezer.

 

After the coating has set remove from freezer.  Pipe filling into the center of the mold leaving space between the filling and the edge.

 

Pipe warm chocolate on over the filling

Tap the tray on the counter to settle the chocolate.

 

 

Freeze briefly until mold is set.

Turn upside down and gently tap the mold on the counter or flex mold to remove the molded chocolate.

When the coating chocolate in the decorating bag begins to become harder, remove any wire twist tie and microwave for ten seconds.  Massage the bag and pipe chocolate into the melting bowl until the chocolate flows freely again.

 

I wrapped these chocolates in foil which is pretty simple to do.  Just turn the chocolate upside down over the foil square and turn both sides in to the center.  Then turn in both ends.  Turn the chocolate right side up and gently rub the foil into the design of the mold.  That’s all there is to it.

 

 

 

 

For variation try these with milk chocolate and creamy peanut butter.  Or dark chocolate with marzipan in the center.  The process is the same no matter what the filling is.  I know it looks like a complicated step by step process but when you have three molds going in and out of the freezer it goes by pretty quickly and they look so pretty when finished.  Yummmmm! 

 

Oh, and the hazelnut Nutella is better with dark chocolate in my opinion, the white chocolate is a bit on the sweet side but the crowd I'm serving has quite a few who hate dark chocolate so I'm trying to cater to a variety of tastes here. 

If you try this, let me know.  I'd love to hear how it goes.

toodles foxy voxers!

 

A friend asked me to come to the hospital to drive home behind her car.  Her daughter was having tubes put in her ears for about the forth time and apparently the hospital asks everyone leaving to have someone follow them home.  Ok, sounds strange to me but I said I’d be happy to. 

 

I may have mentioned this before, but I hate phones, finding one little room in really big hospitals and complicated driving directions.  But I especially hate phones.

 

Phone rings at about 11:15:

Hello?  Yeah, I am still in town, I got hung up with some stuff but I’ll be there shortly.

Ok thanks

(click)

I’m late, dang it!

 

11:35 I call hubby:

Hey, I’m trying to get to AMC and this doesn’t look right, can you help me figure out where I am?

What?  Wrong road?  I’ve been driving for ages and I’m going the wrong way?  

Ok, how do I get to the right road?

Go all the way back to town and start over?

Can’t get there from here?

Ok thanks

(click)

 

11:40 I call friend:

Hi, I’ve taken a wrong turn and I’m going to figure out how to get where you are and I’ll be there shortly.

K, bye

(click) STINK!

 

11:45 I call hubby:

Hey, I’ve pulled over.  I'm sitting here in front of a bunch of signs for two different interstates going four different directions.  Which one do I take?

(not-so-muffled laughter)

Ok, thanks

(click) mumble mumble

 

I’m high tailing it down the interstate when the car starts to shake.  It really put up a fuss.

Note to God - please don't let this be a flat tire. 

Note to self – have someone look at the tires and alignment.

 

She told me it was exit #609.  I see exit 91 and that’s not remotely similar to 609, am I even on the right road?  Oh great, a friend with a sick kid has been sitting there at the hospital waiting on me and I may be on the wrong road again.  Then I found the sign that said Exit 91 TO route 609. 

 

I consider calling someone again as I look at the directions hastily scribbled on a bit of paper I never actually intended to use.  (But seeing where the Yahoo directions got me, this was all I had.)

 

Ok, there’s the Medical Center, directions don’t say which entrance to use

 

12:02 Phone rings:

Hi, I’m at the patient entrance by the cancer center is that right?  Good.  Now where are you?  2^nd floor?  I’ll be right there.

Ok Thanks

(click)

 

12:09 Phone rings:

Hi, I’m on the second floor getting directions to your room from the receptionist.  Great.  Where are you?  Coming out of your room?  I’ll be right there.

Ok Thanks

(click)

 

12:12 Phone rings:

Hi, I’m outside your room.  Where are you?  At the entrance on the first floor?  Great.  I’ll be right there.

Ok Thanks

(click)

 

12:15 Phone rings:

Hi, I’m at the patient entrance on the first floor.  Where are you?  In the parking lot?  Great.  Would you stay put?  Great.  I’ll be right there.

 

About that time I see her on her cell phone by a car at the curb.

That’s her.

(click!)

 

I pull over and roll down my window.

I paste on a smile and act like it’s funny that I spent an hour on a wild goose chase.

 

Hey girl!  How are ya?  How’s the little one?  Great!  Ok, I’ll follow you.

 

12:20 So I followed her. 

 

12:25  Right back to town.