Instructions on Casting and Maintenance
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR CRAFTING WITH CHOCOLATE MOLDS
For safety purposes it is not recommended that you cast chocolate from molds that have already been used to cast wax or plaster. Treat your molds gently and they will serve you longer. All hobby grade plastic molds come with a closed bottom, therefore, an opening for pouring will need to be cut with scissors or an exacto knife prior to aligning notches. Be careful not to cut into cavity. (NOTE: Some crafters prefer to pour plaster into the two halves and glue pieces together and fill sides, then sand seams.)
For all projects I always spray the inside of the mold lightly with cooking spray and wipe thoroughly with my finger so that cooking spray is distributed into detailed impression. You can also use a brush if the mold is extremely detailed. Wipe gently with a soft cloth or papertowel.
When using 2-sided molds, the notches need to aligned and then secured with clips. Black binder clips found at stationery stores make perfect clamps to secure the front and back of the mold together. Prior to securing with clips, however, I also like to use masking tape around the sides and bottom of the mold (top of mold becomes bottom when turned upside down for pouring) to prevent leakage.
Your mold then needs to be positioned properly for pouring.
MELTING WAX ON A GAS/ELECTRIC BURNER
Place wax in tin can. Use a coffee can for larger amounts of wax. Be sure to form a rounded spout for easy pouring. Place tin can in a pot that you will be using for wax crafting only. The tin can holding the wax should be immersed in the pot of water to 1/3 of its depth. Melt wax over low heat until wax has completely melted. The water in the pot should be simmering gently. You may have to adjust temperature a bit now and then. Slowly and carefully pour melted wax into mold.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CASTING WAX FIGURES FROM 2-SIDED PLASTIC OR METAL CHOCOLATE MOLDS
Prepare mold following above instructions. Your mold now needs to be positioned in a special 2-piece mold stand or a similar improvised holder, i.e., two blocks or wood, two books, bowl of sand, etc. to keep it in an upright position so you can pour and cool your wax. Pour melted wax into mold. After pouring, tap mold gently on counter a few times to remove air bubbles. Note that wax shrinks as it hardens so it's important to poke the center with a skewer a few times during hardening and refill with melted wax. Let cool at room temperature (at least 2 hours) until mold is cool to touch. Unclamp and release figure from mold.
TIPS: Beeswax or crafting wax can be found at your local craft store. Beeswax can also be purchased from beekeepers. Check your Yellow Pages directory for a local beekeeper. The prices are usually better. Try to use only enough wax for your project for that day. When you're finished with your wax crafting for the day, always wipe clean your can to get rid of any sediment which might settle at the bottom so it's not transferred to your next project. After a year or so, you may notice a white, powdery film forming on your beeswax castings. This is known as "bloom" and it can be removed by gently running the piece under warm water and wiping dry with a soft lint-free nonabrasive cloth or by holding your hairdryer to the casting and blowdrying the casting until the film is gone. Be sure not to hold dryer too close to casting, otherwise it will get too hot.
To remove the seam line on wax figures, take a knife and hold it at a right angle to the figure and slide knife down the seam. To highlight your wax castings, apply Rub n' Buff or Treasure Gold with your finger. To make candles, tie wick to pencil and center pencil at bottom of mold. Pull wick up through center and over top of mold leaving a 2 inch overhang. Trim and tape over side. Trim wick after casting is removed from mold.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CASTING CHALKWARE
Lightly oil interior of mold with cooking spray and wipe thoroughly with soft cloth. If using a 2-sided mold, line up notches and place masking tape around the three sides. Place clips over masking tape. I like to use masking tape because it prevents leakage.
To determine how much plaster mix you will need for your mold, fill your mold with cold water and pour the water into a plastic mixing bowl. (I like to use yogurt cups, however, you'll need a larger container if your mold is large.) Note: If you have more than one mold that you want to fill, it's best to mix enough plaster for one mold at a time as plaster thickens quickly and becomes difficult to pour.
Place your mold in mold holder. If you do not have a mold holder, support the mold in a large can such as a coffee can and tuck newspaper wads or paper towels around the mold so that it stands upright. You can also fill a can half way up with damp sand and place mold upright in the sand.
Using a plastic spoon, spoon the plaster powder slowly and carefully into the water in your mixing bowl until it has formed a mound in the center about ½ inch above the water level. Let the plaster soak thoroughly in the water for about 3 minutes. Gently stir for about 2-3 minutes until you've acquired a smooth, creamy consistency. Do not overstir. Slowly and steadily pour your mixture into the mold until it is about 1/3 full. Pick up the mold holder or can and gently tap your working surface a few times to try and release any air bubbles that might be forming. Be sure mold is secure in its holder so not to tip over. Pour another 1/3 and tap again. Now pour to the rim of mold being careful not to overpour. Tap a few times again.
Release casting when it has set. It should feel warm, usually about 30-45 minutes later for a 4-6 inch mold. Let dry. You can remove the seam line before casting has dried completely by taking a sharp paring knife and holding it at a right angle to the figure, slide the knife down the seam. Once completely dry, may require a little sanding with a fine paper for a smooth finish. Be sure to let your cast plaster dry thoroughly at room temperature for at least two days before painting. You will probably want to run the bottom of the casting over a piece sand paper in a circular motion to even it out.
CHOCOLATE
To make your chocolate molding really easy Candy Melts by Wilton are available in 1 pound bags in both light and dark flavored chocolate as well as vanilla which comes in white, pink, yellow, tan and green. Molding milk chocolate wafers are available from Guittard. These melts and wafers allow you to simply melt, fill, set and unmold - really easy! You can use one-sided flat molds or the double sided stand-up molds like Easter bunnies, Santas, pumpkins, turkeys, etc.
CARE OF MOLDS
Metal Molds: (Note: If the molds are covered with a protective coating, you will need to wash with a mild detergent before using.) After using for making chocolate, wash and wipe with a soft brush or rag in soapy water. Rinse and dry thoroughly. If you're making a lot of chocolate, you can simply wipe out with a clean, soft cloth.
Note: If the molds are covered with a protective coating, you will need to wash with a mild detergent before using. If you are using your metal molds for casting plaster, occasional rust spots may appear on your mold after use. These spots were caused either by the acid in the plaster or water remaining on the mold for a prolonged period of time. The rust spots can be removed with steel wool. You can use a mild, degreasing detergent to clean molds that have been used for wax casting or chalkware. Since antique metal molds are becoming more valuable, I would recommend using them for display purposes only.
Plastic Molds: Simply wipe with soft cloth in clear warm water. DO NOT use an abrasive cleanser. If molds become coated with cocoa butter, plaster, wax, or papier mache, then wash with a mild grease-cutting detergent to clean.