chocolate molds

The idea was create bite-size chocolate wafers possibly mint individually wrapped and boxed for gifts. Gift chocolates.

Of the tens of thousands of commercial chocolate molds there is nothing for Egyptian hieroglyphics. What a regrettable gap, don't you think? I did see a few things pass through eBay since then, but that's it. I would have to make my own chocolate hieroglyphic molds. I do know how to carve hieroglyphs but I know nothing about silicone mold-making.

Turns out you buy 2-part food-safe silicone goop in one of three drying times, fast medium or long depending on the anticipated difficulty of your project. You must estimate how much goop will be needed for the project and divide that estimation by two and buy both. It is expensive. Darn. Seems all supplies are always expensive. The worst that can happen, and it's bad, is not have enough and the second worst thing, and it's bad, is buy too much expensive goop.

I carved the glyphs the usual way into plaster, made modeling clay negatives from my carvings, poured plaster into the clay negative mold to produce plaster positives in number sufficient to be repeated several times per mold. Each mold will have eight glyph chocolate mint molds of the same carving. Rather than a set of eight different glyphs for each mold.

I made mistakes making these molds but they work satisfactorily. The original positives from the original carvings are saved too. I can make more molds if I want to. Better ones now that I know what I'm doing. I could start over and do better, but c'mon.

I tried twice and got better the second time. Every mold is a different glyph.

Couverture chocolate. The machine did not come with instructions. I was removing the bowl to have it right next to the molds for minimal dripping, I learned to keep the bowl in the machine and keep the machine running and dip directly from the machine then the chocolate will not cool and fall out of temper as I'm pouring by teaspoon into the molds. It makes a big difference in results.

Each square or circle takes one teaspoon chocolate. The perfect amount. 

The original idea was wrap them in gold foil like Hanukah coins as if opening a treasure. Then Hare Krishna friend compared them and told me he likes the colorful foil better.  He goes to India all the time. He would say that. I don't know why I took his advice. The result is they look less serious, my preference, and more cheerful, Hare Krishna's preference.

The boxes are not my favorite thing to print and assemble. It is a real test of patience. 

I've left these tiny boxes all over and discovered that ladies really dig them and save them and use them for other things when the chocolate is gone because the boxes are cute and guys couldn't care less, a plastic sandwich bag will do.

I leave them on tables along with tips. They're dropped off at people's house when I visit. I hand them out to places I stop into on walks, drink their refreshing bottled water, use their ATM, what have you. I send them through the mail when the temperature allows it to shock the heck out of people and make friends when they don't expect any such thing. I pass a box to whoever visits. To whoever comes over here and does something, change the air filter, hook up the cable, repair the disposer, install a new washer, clean the carpet in the hall, whatever.

And if they don't want one I go, "do you have any kids?" You wouldn't believe how many men who don't appreciate chocolate, UPS, Fed Express, pizza delivery, repairmen, carpet kickers and such, took one of these home to their kids.