| Chocolate candy molds come in thousands of shapes, | | | | Belgian chocolate or other forms of pure chocolate, |
| called cavities. Typical, inexpensive, chocolate molds | | | | but they will use a tempering machine to heat the |
| are formed from food-safe PETG plastic in sheets of | | | | chocolate and smooth it at the same time. Better |
| about 8” x 10.5”. They can contain from one to | | | | temperers carefully control the heat to ensure that |
| about 50 cavities designed for filling with chocolate. | | | | your chocolate does not burn. |
| Most chocolatiers use candy melts to fill the cavities | | | | Most PETG plastic chocolate molds start to distort at |
| because they are easy to handle and melt evenly. But | | | | about 145 degrees. So, they should not me used for |
| the relatively-low percentage of pure chocolate the | | | | hot wax projects, such as candles. However, they can |
| melts contain prevent them from being labeled as | | | | be used for molding plaster of Paris. |
| “chocolate.” The melts, also known as | | | | Cleaning chocolate molds is simple. Use warm water |
| “pastilles,” come in a variety of colors that | | | | to loosen and wash off the excess chocolate. Never |
| simulate white, dark and milk chocolate. They also | | | | clean chocolate molds with soap because it can |
| come in pinks, greens, browns and dozens of other | | | | penetrate the plastic and alter the taste of your next |
| colors. Purists among chocolatiers will often use | | | | chocolate batch. |