Hints to achieve the Best Results
Read the hints below and for more information, please click on the topic on the right side of this page.
There are a few important things to remember when making chocs.
- Buying Melting buttons: We recommend and sell Cadbury’s Compound buttons. Compound buttons are much easier to work with and comes in milk, white and dark. Pure chocolate (Cocoa Butter) requires tempering and is a much more involved process.
- Melt your compound buttons slowly on low in-direct heat, in small batches, stir often. Do not try to hurry the melting process otherwise you risk burning the chocolate and you will have to throw it out as you will not be able to do anything with it and it will taste and smell burnt.
- Polish the mould cavities with a dry and clean tea towel before filling. This will remove small particles like dust and ensure your end piece has a nice shine.
- Use a warm but dry metal spoon when filling your mould cavities, especially in winter when the melted buttons set very quickly. Whilst working, keep melted buttons warm (but not too hot).
- Do not allow water to get into the melted buttons, this includes steam, condensation, additives such as water based flavourings and colours and wet utensils. Don't use a wooden spoon, it may have absorbed water (even if it looks and feels dry) and odours which may affect your melting buttons.
- A common fault is to overfill your mould cavity especially when using fillings. It is better to underfill than overfill.
- For tricky mould cavities (stars etc) with sharp corners or hard to reach edges, tap the mould against a hard surface to smooth out and if that doesn't help use a food brush or toothpick to prod into place. Make sure you have enough coverage or when set, that part may snap or break.
- Once chocolate has been unmoulded, try not to over handle them with your hands. You will dull and mark the chocolate and the heat from your fingers may even melt the chocolate. I suggest you use food handling gloves.
- All leftover of bits that fall off the mould after setting can be put back into be re-melted. If you are using flavours you might want to make sure you put it with the same flavour!
- Store chocolates in a cool position (not the fridge) in an airtight container. Do not store different flavoured chocolates together as the flavours may intermingle.
- Don't try washing the moulds in the dishwasher. Just use plain warm water to wash. Whilst not in use, store your moulds flat in a plastic bag (to stop dust settling) in a safe place away from where they can be damaged. If your moulds come in our small white boxes, they are ideal to use for storage. They will last you a long time if you look after them.