Tools and materials for homemade chocolate molds
3D printer or carved clay, or a ready-made model you like, etc.
Food grade silicone (with curing agent)
Vaseline
Files, sandpaper, etc.
AB soil replenishment
502 super glue
Measuring cups and disposable containers of different specifications (for mixing silicone)
Deeper ceramic bowl
Water bath container
Chocolate ingredients
Thermometer (optional)
Oil-soluble food coloring (for making colored chocolate, optional)
Aluminum foil paper (for packaging finished products, optional)
Steps to make homemade chocolate molds
Step 1: Make the prototype
This year is the Year of the Snake, so I designed two models with reference to the python 3.0 logo. When visiting relatives during the Spring Festival, the subject of a partner is always a popular topic, so let’s find another partner.
After designing, print it out with a 3D printer. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a 3D printer. You can use fine carving clay to create any shape. For specific methods of using putty, please refer to this article: Violent Rhino, a toy design that everyone can do
If you are not into styling, you can choose a ready-made model you like and slightly modify it with clay. This is a pendant in the shape of a camera that I like. Use clay to thicken the bottom and use it as a prototype.
If you use clay or models to make the original model, you can almost jump to the second step. However, there are still two problems with the 3D printed original model. First, the density of ABS plastic is low, and there are gaps inside, which will cause it to float. On the silicone surface; secondly, the surface of the printed model has poor air tightness. During pouring, the silicone will seep into the original mold, and the gas inside the model will continue to be discharged to form bubbles. In order to solve these two problems, we first need to fill the original mold with soil and fill in the gaps on the surface.
In addition, the surface of the 3D printed model will have a "drawn" shape. If you don't have a special hobby for chocolate with this surface texture (for example, you can fool others and say, this is the chocolate I printed directly with a 3D printer~) , it is best to polish the model smooth before applying soil.
Mix the AB filler soil evenly and paste it on the surface of the model where there are gaps.
It’s better to add more soil than less, if you don’t want to rework this step. Then let it sit for 24 hours and wait patiently for the filler soil to solidify.
Use a file and sandpaper to polish the original mold. For silicone, basically all the details visible to the naked eye can be reproduced, so you can’t be lazy in the polishing step.
Various models after slight polishing.
After polishing, soak the model in water for a while and carefully check whether there are any bubbles. If there are many bubbles, repeat the soil filling step. If there are not many bubbles, you can fill them directly with 502.
Use 502 to coat the surface of the model evenly to increase smoothness. Wait for drying again. Use the file and sandpaper again to adjust the shape if necessary. I spent more than 4 hours in total processing the four models above, but it turned out that some details were still not handled to the best.
Step 2: Make silicone mold
You may have to find a container for silicone based on the size of the original mold. If you can’t find a ready-made one, use thick cardboard, plastic board, wooden board, tape, etc. DIY.
Fix the original mold to the bottom of the container in an orderly manner, trying not to have large gaps (shown here is another mold I made, with more original molds inside). This saves silica gel raw materials. Secondly, large pieces of silica gel are relatively hard and are not as easy to release from the mold as thin-walled silica gel after filling with chocolate. If you are using a 3D printed prototype, use 502 to stick the prototype to the bottom of the container.Reality.
Chocolate molds need to be in direct contact with food, so be sure to choose food-grade silicone. Adjust silicone and hardener according to instructions. The one I chose requires a ratio of 9:1. When preparing silica gel, you need to control the amount of silica gel according to the size of the original mold and the size of the container, because it is difficult to pour the poured silica gel back... If you are incapable of visual inspection, you can first fill the container with water and then pour it out to measure the actual volume.
Theoretically, it is possible to use one-component silicone glass glue, and it is much more convenient to operate than two-component silica gel. However, the safety of contact with food needs to be verified, so it is not recommended here.
Unsolidified silicone has a rather subtle sticky feel, and neither surfactants nor organic solvents are effective on it. It will make people crazy if it sticks to their hands. Therefore, it is recommended to wear disposable gloves for this step, and do not touch the silicone with your hands unless absolutely necessary.
Apply a layer of Vaseline evenly on the surface of the original mold, and then pour the silicone gently and slowly. After filling, tap it twice on the table to ensure that the silicone can completely penetrate into the gaps in the original mold.
Silica gel is a thermosetting material, which means it is easier to solidify in a higher temperature environment. Therefore, after pouring the silica gel into the container and letting it stand for a few hours at a lower temperature, a large number of bubbles in the liquid can be discharged. Then transfer to a higher temperature place to solidify. Some silica gel can be cured at room temperature, while others must be heated. Ask clearly when buying raw materials.
But remember, ABS plastic may deform at around 90°C, and many models and figures are made of ABS plastic. So the temperature should not be too high when heating. The picture above shows the result of the first test where the model was burned due to rapid heating.
Step 3: Release the silicone mold
The temperature, volume, and silicone model of the environment will all affect curing, so the specific time required for curing cannot be determined. Touch the surface of the silicone with your hands. If the surface is non-sticky and elastic, it means the curing is complete and can be demolded.
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Silicone is very soft and demoulding is basically easy. The upper part of the picture above looked empty, so I later put a few magnets in there to take up space. Use scissors to trim the edges of the mold that are not smooth.
Step 4: Pouring Chocolate
Cocoa butter will soften at about 38 degrees Celsius, and may burn if it exceeds 60 degrees Celsius, so it cannot be heated directly with a flame. For more interesting facts about chocolate, please see Yun Wuxin’s diary: Chocolate Talk.
Originally, I bought a temperature controller and an electric heating cup to make a homemade constant temperature heating device, but unfortunately the heating tube I just bought was damaged, so I had to use a water bath.
The chocolate ingredients are chopped or broken into small pieces in advance (well, you can actually be lazy and not chop it up...). I prepared several chocolate ingredients, one of which was 100% pure dark chocolate. Probably because there is no emulsifier added, this ingredient is very soft and cannot be removed from the mold when used alone, and the pure cocoa without sugar makes people want to cry... Later I found out that it is combined with other ingredients such as milk chocolate and milk hazelnut chocolate. Mix it at a ratio of 1:1 to achieve just the right sweetness and hardness. In short, everyone needs to try the specific taste according to the raw materials they buy. Don’t choose cocoa butter substitute “chocolate”, it not only tastes bad, but is also unhealthy.
Place a stand at the bottom of the pot and place the chocolate bowl into the pot so that the bottom of the bowl does not directly touch the bottom of the pot. Place the pot on a fire or an induction cooker to heat it. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature at the bottom of the bowl. When it reaches above 40°C, turn off the heat and stir the chocolate. If you don't have a thermometer, you can quickly insert your hand into the water. It will feel hot but the temperature is about tolerable. The advantage of ceramic containers is that they have a relatively large specific heat capacity, so the internal temperature will remain stable for a long time after stopping heating.
You can choose a ceramic bowl with an uneven inner wall to help further grind the cocoa powder. The fineness of the cocoa powder determines whether the chocolate has a sufficiently delicate taste.
The process of pouring chocolate is similar to pouring silica gel. Pour it in slowly, fill the bottom, and release air bubbles. Try to operate in a warmer environment, otherwise the chocolate will solidify before it has time to flow and become flat.
Also, the overconfident nut model on the upper left turned out to be extremely difficult to remove from the large hollow dark chocolate, so I had to ignore it.
You can use white chocolate + food coloring to make colored chocolate (this is the Tetris mold I made). The mistake here is that I used water-soluble food coloring, which cannot be dissolved in cocoa butter, so the color of the chocolate is not bright enough, and it is a bit uneven if you look closely (because it is full of small droplets of food coloring...) So, remember Choose oil-soluble food coloring.
Using the characteristics of chocolate that is relatively viscous and not suitable for flowing, you can also mix chocolates of different colors and pour them layer by layer to make "rainbow chocolate"
Step 5: Unmold the chocolate
Put the poured chocolate into the freezer of the refrigerator and it will solidify in about 1 hour. The silicone mold is very soft, so demoulding should not be a problem, just be careful with the details. The higher the cocoa content, the more fragile the chocolate and the risk of melting by body temperature, so you need to be more careful.
