Easy to Use From Start to Finish
I have several silicone molds. Some work well. Others do not. This one works very well.The mold is very flexible and non-stick. I had zero problem getting my chocolates to pop out. Cleaning was also a breeze. A quick hand wash with fairly hot water, dish soap, and a sponge, and they were clean and ready to use again.The molds don’t come with any instructions or information. I did a little research and found that food-grade silicone molds like this one can withstand oven temperatures up to 400F. I haven’t tried baking cake batter yet, but I do intend to give it a try.For the most part, I am perfectly happy with how they function, but I was a little disappointed to see that the only molds I can use to create chocolates with a 360 degree image are the rabbits with both ears standing up straight.While working with this mold and chocolate, I discovered a procedure to help eliminate air bubbles which create holes in the finished product.First, you will need additional tools consisting of a toothpick and a flat frosting spatula. Once your chocolate is hot and completely melted, fill the molds only half way. Then carefully raise the mold about 2” from the work surface and drop it. Do this several times until you see air bubbles rising through the chocolate. Pop them with the toothpick and then repeat dropping and popping until no more air bubbles are evident. Fill the molds the rest of the way with chocolate, drop and pop again, and carefully scrape the edge of the spatula across the mold to remove any chocolate that has run over the edges of the individual molds. Let the molds sit for several hours until the chocolate is set. Once the chocolate is set, pop the chocolate out of the molds.If you want to put the chocolates together to make a 360 degree image, melt a bit more chocolate and smooth a thin layer on one side. Then quickly press the two pieces together and hold until the pieces are “glued” together. My second photo shows an example of both the small, flat chocolates and a large, 360 degree chocolate bunny.I experimented finishing the chocolates with both edible paint and edible luster dust. The edible paint was tedious and required a lot of time just to get a few details painted. I test the luster dust on one of the small chocolates and it went on quickly and looked pretty good. Since it comes in several colors, I intend to use it when I make chocolates for Easter.In working with these molds, I found them to be easy to use, deep enough to produce chocolates that withstood the unmolding without breaking, and easy to clean after I removed the chocolates.I still need to master the art of producing chocolates without air pockets, but overall I am very happy with the quality of the molds and the price is right in line with what you would expect to pay for molds like these. I recommend them.