Right! I have an URGENT question about chocolate moulds!

[MrsOgg]

I've been looking at the Lakeland website (always a mistake) and they've got these seemingly adorable moulds for making a fairytale cottage or Santa's sleigh out of chocolate as a sort of centrepiece. This appeals to me. However, in the past I've melted chocolate and poured it into moulds and it went all manky looking - I think the technical term is 'bloom', you know whitish bits on the chocolate.

I need to know, is this inevitable? Can I fix it? Should I definitely buy these moulds from Lakeland because I feel I need them in my life??

Getting a bit over excited, actually.

Forgot - link is here www.lakeland.co.uk/18208/Santas-Sleigh-Mould

We have the Santa sleigh one. It is quite easy to use and does produce a good sleigh. But yes the chocolate does produce a bloom after a few days. As far as I know the only way to prevent this is to temper the chocolate first. For me that is far to much work so we just put up with the bloom - could be frost on the sleigh maybe.

OK, just googled tempering and have now had to add thermometer to my list of things I now am compelled to buy.

Thanks for the tip!

Oh yes the moulds look lovely (and you could do a Hallowe'en House to practice)

I had some moulds (QVC) heavy silicone individual shapes.
IIRC the discolouration was worse if I put them in the fridge - which they recommended on the instructions to set them.

I haven't got mine now. I did some for my DC Christmas Fayre but now they are in secondary.

Have a few practice runs first

You need to buy candy melts online not just chocolate.

The good thing is they come in a rainbow if colours.

They're for that type of thing so don't bloom for longer.

Do candy melts taste nice though?
If I was making chocolate shapes for myself I'd rather have the nice proper eating chocolate (preferably dark) and put up with the 'bloom'
Different if you make them as presents though.

The different coloured ones (they have them in Hobbycraft too) reminds me of those flavoured chocolate bars , like the strawberry Pink Panther bars that I used to eat as a child

I had very unsophisticated taste back then

A Halloween house is a brilliant idea. We bought Lakeland mould last year, but Xmas got really busy and it didn't happen.

I have teen DDs who like arty cooking and Halloween is in half term. I feel a high calorie mess

? Can Darleks attack a Halloween house?

Have you seen the Dalek cupcake thingies in the Lakeland shop Star?

Ahem,,,,,,,,seriously.....

Of course not >. In MY day (the Tom Baker Dr Who era) Daleks couldn't climb stairs. So can't get near the Hallowe'en House.

But these new fangled Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant Daleks can hover

Have a Lakeland silicon ice cube tray that I feel could be pressed into service making Daleks and cybermen out of chocolate or candy melts.

DD1 has Dr Who geek DFs hence a slightly more grown up 'Halloween' party and an excuse to buy DVDs, candy and chocolate.

And yes OP DH would agree it needs tempering for shine, I can't be bothered.