Showing posts with label Candy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Candy. Show all posts
Making Chocolate and Ways to Shape It Up
Anything that you eat will become more yummy or a delicious treat depending on its presentation. This is also true in making chocolate. That is why as of today, you will enjoy such type in many forms and sizes. It all depends on the moldings that were used to create such impact.
Groovy Treats
Chocolates are known to be given as gifts to loved ones, to friends, even to your bosses or peers. The shape in which you buy such treat will depend on who are you going to give this or present such as a gift.
Did you know that since in the late 1800s, molds were already used by those who make chocolates? The more popular form at the time is the moldings that were made from metal. But through time, such type was replaced by those that were made out of plastic. If you'll ask why, well, it is mainly because of the price. Those that were made from metal become too expensive especially for people who only want to make chocolates at home for personal consumption.
When you are out shopping for chocolate molds, be careful with what you buy. Choose a brand that is known for its quality and durability. You must also take time to hold the pieces that you will be purchasing as if imagining that you will be taking out your chocolates from there.
Make sure that the one that you will avail can be bended easily so as you can get your chocolate products without any hassle. Also, if you are out shopping for the perfect mold, choose the one that will last long.
You never know, your hobby can turn into one profitable venture. And your moldings should see you through it. So invest on good and quality products than choosing the cheaper materials for their price.
You must also have an eye for the right design. Choose those that will give your chocolates the perfect shape and mould them to look better and give justice to its taste. Of course, the molds cannot do anything with the taste factor. This will all be up to you. But you will be inspired to come up with better products when you see the shapes that you can come up with through the molds that you have invested real good with.
Plastic molds must be cleaned properly after each use. Do not wash them with soaps. This can contribute to the taste of your product. As a better option, you can use hot water to clean the molds. Just make sure to wipe it dry after using a clean cloth.
This will be easy to maintain. You will only need to put a little bit of grease every once in a while. This will only be applicable when you put some more ingredients into your mix like marshmallows, cookies and candy sprinkles.
Putting in fillings for your chocolates will take more effort. You must study such task in order to perfect the craft. This will be beneficial on your part if you'd like to take your hobby into another level or if you want to make a business out of this venture.
The good thing about taking in a hobby of making chocolate is that you don't waste your materials. You can re-use things over and over again as long as they are still in good condition.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=fb0bca45-af24-4b88-84cf-c2eb01e0a301)
Making Chocolate from Molds
When you buy chocolate molds from the craft store, make sure that this is made from strong plastic that has intricate designs so the finished product will come out beautifully after it comes out of the freezer.
Remember that this must never be washed using soap as this can mare the taste of the chocolate. You should simply use hot water and then dry it thoroughly using a dry cloth.
Each time you use the plastic mold, make sure to wipe it clean. Greasing, spraying or dusting is not needed as this will ruin the appearance of the finished candy.
But there is an exception to that rule. If you will be mixing your chocolate with some marshmallows, candy sprinkles, jellies or cooked candies, then you must first grease or spray the chocolate mold with oiling spray. This will make the chocolate easy to remove from the mold and if you are going to make another batch, the good news is that you only have to oil spray it once.
Next thing you need to learn is how to properly put chocolate filling into the plastic sheet. For that, you use a regular teaspoon and fill each cavity with chocolate. Some of the chocolate might spill out but don’t worry because you can clean that up later on.
There may be some air bubbles trapped within the chocolate. To release it, tap the filled mold on the counter to settle the chocolate. Another way is to hold the mold horizontally then gently drop it on the counter. You will probably have to do this several times until there all the air bubbles have been removed.
When the chocolate is ready, this is the time that you put this in the freezer. This is because it is the coolest place in the house taking it less time for the chocolate to harden so you can reuse the mold if you are making another batch of chocolates.
You will know when the chocolates are ready by looking at the back side of the mold. If the cavity appears to be graying, this means that the second you turn this over, the chocolate will easily fall off to the tray.
If it doesn’t fall off on its own, you can tap it firmly. If this does not work, perhaps it needs a little more cooling time in the freezer so put it back in for a few minutes and then try again.
If you happen to have some leftovers from filling the mold, don’t throw it away because you can use it again in the future. Just wait for the chocolate to harden so you can scrape it off and then wrap it in waxed paper.
You don’t always need to make chocolate creations from molds even if this is the conventional way of doing it. The other option is to dip it in with other things like cookies or fruits so you have your own chocolate fondue as part of your dessert.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=8bb4e2e6-14f2-4da3-a946-e63ec600b7d6)
Making Chocolate Candy that Lasts
The success of your chocolate candy lies on the ability to temper the chocolate. Even in other chocolate delicacies, the importance of tempering the chocolate mixture will never be understated. Chocolate, to begin with, must have a premium quality to it. You can have fun experimenting on different core chocolate materials that you can use for your chocolate candy.
Sometimes, you will find in the market some melted chocolates that are ready for making chocolate candy. You can make use of this or do chocolate the hard way and start from the cocoa beans. The good thing about melted chocolates is that you can focus on the making of chocolate candy itself. The making of chocolate from cocoa beans can be very difficult and tedious, and you may be robbed of your energy the moment you decide to do both. By the time that you reach the chocolate candy making aspect, you may have no more gusto or enthusiasm to complete it.
But when buying melted chocolate, make sure that it is not made of a processed candy bar. The courveture quality of chocolate is something you must look for since it makes for an ideal chocolate core for chocolate candy.
Other Ingredients and Steps
An electric frying pan is needed with ample space for your mixture. Have a temperature of about 60 degrees for mixing the chocolate and creating your candy. But don't melt the chocolates in your frying pan. It is still better to place them in the oven for melting. Introduce the chocolate by increments and not by instantly putting a large heap.
This way, the stirring part will be easier and you will not run the risk of losing control as you create your chocolate candy. Avoid moisture in the chocolate at all costs because it will affect the taste of your chocolate candy. After you have fixed your chocolate core, you can then dip it into the other components that create the chocolate candy.
The Steps
Coat both sides of your material with chocolate. Make sure that your flip the center for balance of chocolate distribution. You can also use your fingers to have a swirly mark on your chocolate candy, but this must be mastered with constant practice before you can smoothly pull it off. Keep mixing the chocolate in such a way that it does not get too stiff. Chocolate candy usually results in a less shiny quality. If you find the chocolate candy too shiny, you may have overdone or underdone something from the previous steps.
What Next?
You can now store your chocolate in the fridge. With the use of wax paper or other similar material, you can make your chocolate candies appear more professionally made than when you leave them bare in the tray. The good thing about chocolate is that it lasts for a very long time.
The leftovers from your chocolate making may also be turned into other delicacies. Just use your imagination and you will be able to find delight in making other forms of chocolate delicacies. You can also save the leftovers for your next chocolate candy making sessions but gaining the right texture and temperature may prove to be a bit more challenging.
Either way, there are no wasteful moments when it comes making chocolate candy and other chocolate delicacies for that matter.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=c1961a4e-c134-4609-8554-5e415f0d2fb6)
Tips for Making Homemade Chocolates
First, you have to get ready all the materials and ingredients you will be using. The two most important happen to be the chocolate and the mold both which can be purchased at the craft store.
Chocolate comes in many flavors. Some examples of these are bitter sweet, milk, dark, semi-sweet, sweet and white. These are often sold in blocks if you don’t have the time to convert these from cocoa beans. As for your molds, make sure that these are made from FDA approved food grade plastic.
You will also need sugar as this is a basic ingredient in most chocolates recipes. When you buy this from grocery, make sure that this does not have any trace of flour, salt or other kitchen ingredients.
Another important ingredient is unsalted butter. This is because the kind that contains salt is hard to ascertain and there are instances where it could spoil the taste of your dish. You must never substitute butter with margarine if you don’t have any because this will just make the cooking time longer as the water content here is much higher than that of butter.
There are three ways to liquefy chocolate before shaping this to its final form. You can heat this using the microwave, a double boiler or the oven. When making these into candies, it will be a good idea to also use a thermometer so you are able to monitor its temperature.
If you are using a thermometer that has a bulb, make sure that it does not touch the sides of the pan because this could give you the wrong reading.
When the chocolate is ready, this is the time that you put these into the mold. So it doesn’t look messy, get some using a teaspoon and pour this into the cartridges. This is also the time you should add in other ingredients like peanuts, marshmallows or candy sprinkles.
If there are air bubbles, remove them by holding the mold a few centimeters from the ground and dropping it on the table. You may have to do this several times to make sure that there is nothing left then you put these in the freezer.
You should check on your chocolate molds after 5 to 10 minutes. The bigger the mold, the longer it takes but you can check if it is ready by looking at the back of the mold. If a graying figure appears on the bottom, this means it is ready to be removed from the mold.
Once they are removed, put this in a plate or in a box if this is going to be given away. As for your molds, wash them in hot water and never with soap because this will remove its stickiness.
It should be dried thoroughly using a dry piece of cloth and stored properly so it looks good as new when you need to use it again.
You won’t have any problems making home made chocolates as long as you follow these tips. Who knows, this could open new doors for you like starting your own business.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=4be0c4f3-1b05-45e3-80a2-ad67a5e2bf47)
The Benefits of Making Chocolate
No matter what the study shows, chocolates remain to be the most favorite treats among kids and adults alike. Scientific research may find bad effects of such on the human system. But don't you think that it is the amount that you take in which results to such negative connotation?
Chocolates have flavinoids that are prominent in their effect in the improvement of circulation. Aside from this, chocolates also have anti-oxidants features that help the body to get rid of some of the harmful chemicals in the blood. For sure, those who dispute this sweet treat will find ways to claim more harmful and negative connotations than the previously mentioned positive ones.
But as a chocolate lover, you must also be responsible to the amount that you take in. Anything that is too much will have a bad effect on you, even if it's not a chocolate. So do not give the critics any reason to put down chocolates. Be a responsible chocolate lover.
The critics will always point out the bad effects of the sugar and fat that chocolates have on humans. But the key here is to really moderate your intake of sweets such as chocolates. Did you know that flavinoids can also be found on vegetables, as well as in fruit and tea drinks? For that reason alone, you must trust that this will also work toward your advantage when you eat a piece of chocolate.
Regarding the argument about sugars that chocolates contain, there are useful effects of sugar. Just always remember to take everything moderately. For example, simple sugars can act as carbohydrates. They can replenish the body's energy for it to function livelier and more efficient.
Some fats also have a good effect on your body. They help to control some hormones in the brain. Such will also cause the body to gain more energy in the process. Again, the key here is to take enough but not too much.
Chocolates also contain caffeine. But it is much smaller portion compared to coffee. So this can still be measured evenly.
Mature people also benefit from eating a piece of chocolates. Ask the women who have suffered depression or PMS. Most of them have resorted to chocolates to give them a light feeling after they have savored a bite. Why is this so? Chocolates contain trytophan. It is a compound that develops to serotonin. And serotonin is a chemical in the brain that helps you fight off stress as well as depression.
This is also may be the reason why chocolates have been a favorite gift to loved ones and friends. You are giving gifts in order to share your love and affection to people. And this can be best measured when you send out things that will make the people that you care about very happy.
Making chocolate and eating it as well will certainly make the recipient of your gift happy and glee. Just tell them to eat your gift in moderation. This way, critics will not have any reason to doubt the benefits of your favorite treat.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=a94f973b-3fce-41f6-866b-4e50b1c267f3)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
