Chocolate Candy Making And Molding How To Tips Food

MODELING CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• Melt candy melts in a plastic or microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or stove-top sauce pan.
• Warm corn syrup and add food coloring. Remember that your final product will be lighter than the color of your corn syrup. You can also add color later if you want.
• Fold mixture together with a spatula until mixture starts to seize and resembles soft serve ice cream.
• It is important to not over-mix or your modeling chocolate will get oily.
• Wrap in plastic and let set until chocolate is firm but still pliable. Usually a couple of hours depending on how hot it is in your room.
• Unwrap chocolate and knead until smooth, smashing any hard lumps with your fingers.
• Re-wrap chocolate and place back in plastic wrap to set up until hard.

CHOCOLATE CANDY MAKING AND MOLDING: HOW-TO TIPS

Steps:

• 1. If you are playing around with chocolate molding, or getting to be a real pro at it (and very addicted) it's very important to know that you used the best ingredients. Skimping here and there affects the taste and presentation of your gift!
• 2. The biggest and most important chocolate Candy Making How-To tip: use THE best chocolate, pure vanilla, heavy whipping cream, candy coloring, candy flavorings, and other candy making supplies you can find. When you know you used the best, the praise you receive means even more.
• 3. Candy Making How-To Tip 1 - Melting - Microwave Guittard molding chocolate in 30-second intervals using microwave safe bowls, stir in-between to distribute the heat, in order to avoid scorching the chocolate. Keep chocolate at a constant temperature to produce a smooth, professional look. You can purchase a griddle, or use your stove top and frying pan. Lay two towels on the pan or griddle before placing the chocolate filled plastic bowl.
• 4. Candy Making How-To Tip 2 - Chocolate and water don't mix! Chocolate is oil based. Oil and water don't mix. Avoid any contact with water, including a freshly washed mold or tool - dry them first!
• 5. Candy Making How-To Tip 3 -Truffle Ganache (center) - When making your ganache filling for your truffles, make sure the heavy whipping cream you use is at room temperature, to avoid 'freezing up' the chocolate.
• 6. Candy Making How-To Tip 4 - Cooling - For faster cooling of the chocolate and for that fine, professional, finished look, put your mold, filled with warm chocolate, in the freezer, and dipped items in the refrigerator. Be sure do to this before they start to harden up, or the chocolate will look a bit foggy instead of shiny.
• 7. Candy Making How-To Tip 5 - Cleaning up - Pour leftover chocolate onto a piece of waxed paper and let cool so you can break and re-melt later. For the squeeze bottles - squeeze out leftover chocolate and place squeeze bottle in freezer. When frozen, squeeze the bottle to crack the chocolate so it comes out easily. Wash everything with hot water and then towel dry instead of air dry. Do not use soap with the molds because the residue will make it so the chocolate will not easily leave the mold the next time you use it. Don't throw away the mold when you are done! Make molded crayons! Take off the wrappers of the crayons, microwave in a paper bowl or cup for 4-5 minutes until melted. Pour into mold, you can use solid colors or swirl the colors together. Put in freezer for 15-20 minutes. Makes a great gift.
• 8. Candy Making How-To Tip 6 - Candy colors, oils, and flavors - Make sure these are oil-based so no water gets in your beautiful creation. When coloring the chocolate, don't use too much color or it will affect the taste and consistency of the chocolate. Make sure the vanilladoes not have added water; use the purest form. Use the candy paint brush or the painting/writing squeeze bottle to help you decorate!
• 9. Candy Making How-To Tip 7 - 3-D - Always clip the 3-D molds together withbulldog clips. They are the strongest, which leaves a cleaner line and less mess.
• 10. Candy Making How-To Tip 8 - Leftovers - After molding, always have a few things to dip in the left over chocolate. Pretzels, raisins, nuts, marshmallows, cookies, and dried fruits are all yummy when dipped in chocolate. If you have a lot of left over chocolate, it can be saved and re-melted next time you mold chocolate.
• 11. Candy Making How-To Tip 9 - Storage - Keep chocolate in a cool place. It is moisture sensitive and absorbs odors. Do not store chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer as it will pick up off-flavors and moisture.
• 12. Candy Making How-To Tip 10 - Don't get frustrated. If your first chocolates don't look as nice as the ones from the candy store, eat them anyway and try again! It takes some practice to master the dipping and molding skills, but you will get better the more you practice. In no time at all you will be turning out beautiful, professional-looking candies every single time.

CANDY MAKING : HOW TO TEMPER CHOCOLATE

Steps:

• 1. Tempered chocolate is the secret to professional chocolate products. Chocolate that has been tempered is smooth, with a shiny finish and a satisfying snap. If you're planning on making dipped chocolates or molded chocolates, the chocolate will need to be tempered so that it behaves properly and produces candies that are both tasty and beautiful. Learn how to temper chocolate with these easy steps.
• 2. Chop your chocolate. It is best to use at least 1 pound of chocolate, as it is easier to temper (and retain the temper) of larger amounts of chocolate. If this is more than you need, you can always save the extra for later use. Be sure that your chocolate is in block or bar form, not chocolate chips. The chips have additives that allow them to retain their shape at higher temperatures, and so they will not temper properly.
• 3. Place it in the top of a double boiler, set over simmering water. Melt 2/3 of your chocolate , Securely clip a chocolate or instant-read thermometer to the side of the boiler to monitor the chocolate's temperature.
• 4. Stir gently but steadily as the chocolate melts and heats up. Use a rubber spatula, not a wooden or metal spoon.
• 5. Bring the chocolate to 115 degrees (for dark chocolate) or 110 degrees (for milk or white chocolate). Do not allow the chocolate to exceed its recommended temperature. When it is at the right temperature, remove it from the heat, wipe the bottom of the bowl, and set it on a heat-proof surface.
• 6. Add the remaining chunks of chocolate and stir gently to incorporate. The warm chocolate will melt the chopped chocolate, and the newly added chocolate will bring down the temperature of the warm chocolate.
• 7. Cool the chocolate. Once the chocolate gets below 84 degrees, remove the remaining chunks of chocolate. They can be cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and saved for another use.
• 8. Reheat the chocolate briefly.Place the chocolate bowl over the warm water in the double boiler for 5-10 seconds, remove it and stir, and repeat, until the temperature reaches 88-89 degrees (87 for milk and white chocolate). Do not leave the chocolate over the hot water, or allow it to exceed 91 degrees.
• 9. Your chocolate should now be tempered! To make sure it has been done properly, do a spot test: spread a spoonful thinly over an area of waxed paper and allow it to cool. If the chocolate is shiny and smooth, it is properly tempered. If it is dull or streaky, it has not been tempered correctly. Test the temper by dipping a knife tip into the chocolate and letting it sit for two to three minutes. Is it still sticky? It's not in temper. Properly tempered chocolate should be firm to the touch after a few minutes.
• 10. Tip : To use tempered chocolate, you must keep it warm but not hot, ideally in the 85-88 degree range (86 degrees for milk and white chocolate)v. You can either keep it over a pan of warm (but not simmering) water, stirring occasionally, or try placing it on an electric heating pad set to "low." Whichever method you choose, it's important to stir often so that the chocolate remains a uniform temperature throughout.
• 11. Tempering Chocolate the Easy Way :
• 12. If you are using high-quality chocolate that is already tempered, you might be able to use a shortcut and avoid going through the whole tempering process. By carefully melting the chocolate at low temperatures, it is possible to retain the temper. First, ensure that your chocolate is indeed tempered: carefully examine the surface, making sure that it is glossy, smooth, and without streaks or blemishes. Next, break the chocolate, making sure that it has a crisp "snap" when broken, and that the texture of the inside of the chocolate is uniform. If all of these conditions are met, you can attempt to melt the chocolate while keeping the temper.
• 13. To use this method, chop 1 pound of tempered, semisweet chocolate in coarse chunks. Microwave it at 50% power for 3 minutes, stopping every 30-45 seconds to stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula. Remove the chocolate when 2/3 of it has melted, and stir the chocolate until the remaining chunks are fully melted. If the chunks do not melt, warm the chocolate again very briefly.
• 14. Check the temperature with a chocolate or instant-read thermometer. If it is less than 90 degrees (88 degrees for milk or white chocolate), it is still in temper and ready to be used. Remember to do a spot test to make sure: spread a spoonful thinly over an area of waxed paper and allow it to cool. If it is tempered, the chocolate will harden within 5 minutes and look shiny and smooth. If it is dull or streaky, it has lost its temper, and you shouldtemper the chocolate again.