Create your own custom chocolate designs with a homemade chocolate mold. Chocolatier Simon Knott explains how to make chocolate molds at home using two methods.
If you want custom chocolate molds, you have two options: buy one made to order, or make it. Before you spend lots of money on a custom-made mold, why not have a look at how easy it is to make your own? Not only will you save money, but you can get the exact look you want, and if you get good at it you could even start selling them yourself.
Custom chocolate molds are surprisingly easy to make with food-grade silicone available from online stores. The process is not complicated, and if you already have a crafty DIY mindset, you will probably find making your own chocolate molds to be quite fun.
In this article, professional chocolatier Simon Knott walks you through the exact steps for how to make chocolate molds at home yourself. Let’s hand over to Simon.
How to Make Chocolate Molds at Home
Article by Simon Knott, Professional Chocolatier
Chocolate manufacturers first started using molds in the early part of the 19th century. Initially, made from tin-coated stainless steel, they evolved over the years using a variety of materials until the advent of modern-day polycarbonate molds in 1953 (Source: The Chocolate Mold Museum). This rigid form of plastic transformed the industry with two distinct advantages over earlier molds. Firstly, it’s easy to polish the mold interior with cloth and a little alcohol to create a mirror finish. This produces a corresponding high gloss finish on the chocolate. Additionally, as filled polycarbonate molds cool slower than the chocolate, this makes their release that much easier.
More recently, the development of new materials for craft hobbyists has enabled home chocolatiers to invent any number of new molded chocolate designs, which are reasonably cheap and easy to create.
How to Make a Mold for Chocolate at Home
But how exactly do you make a mold for chocolate?
There are several methods of creating a mold box, and the following two are reasonably straightforward. The Tupperware box mold is ideal for larger models but it does require more silicone to pour around the model. The second, Lego, mold is more adaptable to the shape of the model and consequently requires much less silicone.
Safety Precaution: When buying silicone for chocolate molds, make sure you only use food-grade silicone. See the note further down this article for more information and suppliers of food-grade silicone.
Tupperware Box Chocolate Mold
Materials needed for the Tupperware Box Mold
Your models – the items you want to mold. (figures, shapes etc) Ideally made from plastic and with a flat bottom, so they rest flat against the bottom of the molding box.
Plastic Tupperware box – this needs to be deep enough so that when you pour in the liquid silicone, it will fully cover your models. Washed and thoroughly dried.
Tube of glue
Molding Silicone – make sure it is platinum-based and food safe. buy this online.
Plastic pot – for mixing the silicone. Washed and dried.
Stirrer– for mixing the silicone
Cutlery knife – for easing the silicone out of the molds. Blunt is better.
Modelling knife – for trimming the excess silicone away from the mold opening. Buy online or from a DIY store.
How to Make a Mold for Chocolate using a Tupperware Box
STEP 1: Choose the models you want to cast.
The models can be any shape, but they need to have a flat bottom so you can stick them to the bottom of the molding box. This keeps them in place as you pour in the liquid silicone.
STEP 2: Choose your plastic Tupperware box.
It needs to be deep enough for the models you are using. The silicone needs to be at least 1 cm above the height of your models.
You can measure how much silicone you will need by pouring uncooked rice into the molding box until it covers your models by at least 1 cm. Then pour off the rice into a container you have weighed and subtract this from the total weight. This is approximately the weight of silicone you will need to fill the molding box.
STEP 3: Glue light models into the box.
Heavier models will have enough weight to remain in position as you pour the silicone around them. However, it’s best to glue lighter models to the base of the molding box, otherwise they will come adrift as you pour in the silicone. Just a small drop of glue should be enough to keep the models in place.
STEP 4: Prepare the silicone.
When you have prepared your molding box and models, prepare your silicone mixture according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Often, the silicone comes in two separate containers. Mix these thoroughly in your container in equal proportions, which initiates the setting process.
STEP 5: Pour in the silicone.
When the silicone is clear, pour it, in a steady stream, into the mold box, covering the models and around them. Release any trapped air bubbles with a cocktail stick.
STEP 6: Allow silicone to set.
Silicones vary but 3 to 4 hours is a typical setting time. It’s set when it is no longer liquid or sticky.
STEP 7: Remove the silicone from the box.
When set, you can remove the silicone from the molding box. Use a cutlery knife, which isn’t too sharp, to ease the silicone carefully away from the sides of the molding box without damaging the silicone.
STEP 8: Trim the chocolate mold openings.
Once removed, use a modelling knife to trim the openings to the mold. There may be small scrappy pieces of silicone left over, which need to be removed to make filling the molds with chocolate easier.
STEP 9: Wash your chocolate mold.
Finally, give your mold a gentle wash in warm soapy water and allow it enough time to drain and dry.
Lego Box Chocolate Mold
Materials needed for the Lego Box Mold
Your models – the items you want to mold. (figures, shapes etc) Ideally made from plastic and with a flat bottom, so they rest flat against the bottom of the molding box.
Plastic building blocks/Lego – enough to make a four-sided 10 cm tower.
Clear, laminated self-adhesive sheet – sticky-backed plastic.
How to Make a Chocolate Mold from Building Blocks (Lego)
STEP 1: Make the walls of your mold using the building blocks.
Layout your models, flat bottom down, spaced apart on your work surface. Then, use the building blocks to create a wall around your models (the frame).
Leave 2 cm clear around your models to make pouring the silicone easier. Interlock the building blocks, so you have a stable square frame surrounding your models.
STEP 2: Stick the models to the self-adhesive (laminate) sheet
Cut a piece of laminated sheet so it is 3 cm wider than the exterior of the building block frame all the way round.
Turn the laminated sheet adhesive side up and remove the backing paper.
Space each of the models onto the adhesive sheet and push them down hard so they stick to the laminate.
STEP 3: Attach frame to the self-adhesive sheet.
Place the building block frame over the models and push it squarely onto the laminate sheet. Cut the laminate at each corner and raise the flaps, so they stick against the walls of the square frame. You may need to use tape to keep the flaps in place.
STEP 4: Measure the silicone quantity.
You can measure how much silicone you will need by pouring uncooked rice into the square frame box until it covers your models by at least 1 cm. Then pour off the rice into a container you have weighed and subtract this from the total weight. This is approximately the weight of silicone you will need to fill the molding box.
STEP 5: Make the silicone mold.
To make the chocolate mold, now follow steps 4 to 9 from the above Tupperware Box Chocolate Molds instructions.
Troubleshooting & Tips for How to Make Chocolate Molds
Silicone molds are quite versatile and reliable, so you shouldn’t encounter any problems when using them. However, if something isn’t working, it’s worth checking the following points for a possible solution.
Chocolate Molds Issues & Tips
Ragged Edges
When you have finished making your mold always trim them. The entry to the mold is likely to be ragged, where the silicone hasn’t been able to make a clean finish. Use a sharp modeling knife to remove any extra pieces of silicone around the opening. This ensures cleaner filling when it comes to pouring chocolate into the mold.
Air Bubbles
Usually, when you mix the silicone from the two different containers, it’s not unusual to incorporate some air. These air bubbles can end up against the surface of the interior mold where they will produce a bubble in the chocolate casting. There are various techniques for removing these bubbles in the silicone.
- Wait before pouring. Let your mixed silicone stand for half an hour. Many of the existing bubbles will float to the top and escape. Silicone takes at least 3 to 4 hours to set, so this short period won’t affect that.
- Place in warm water. Place your silicone container in a water bath at about 40° C. The heat will thin the silicone making it easier for the bubbles to escape.
- Burst the bubbles. If you have some small bubbles after pouring your silicone into your molding box, use a cocktail stick to burst them.
Making Chocolates using the Mold
Detailed instructions for molding chocolates are available in our article here, however, here are a few tips to bear in mind while using your homemade chocolate mold.
Avoid Using Oil
It might be tempting to use an oil spray inside your silicon mold with the idea of making the removal of your chocolates easier. However, an oil spray won’t assist with removal, but it is likely to taint the surface of the chocolate giving a poor appearance.
Temper the Chocolate
Always temper your chocolate correctly before molding. Tempered chocolate will create a much better crystal structure and strength, so there is less likelihood of your chocolate molds getting damaged when you take them out.
For instructions on tempering chocolate, read our article on chocolate tempering here.
Chocolate Consistency
Slightly more fluid chocolate is better for molding, as this ensures the chocolate can fill every gap and the contours of your models. Some manufacturers give details about the fluidity of their chocolate on their packaging.
If you find you need to thin your molding chocolate, adding a small amount of cocoa butter to the melted chocolate will help to lower the viscosity. The chocolate only needs a small amount, so add it sparingly.
Approximately 10 g of cocoa butter per 1 kg of chocolate should be adequate, but add a small amount at a time until you reach the required viscosity.
For instructions on tempering chocolate, read our article on chocolate tempering here.
Food Grade Silicone for Making Chocolate Molds
When learning how to make chocolate molds at home, it is extremely important that you only use food grade silicone.
There are many silicone products, particularly for home improvement purposes as a sealant. These are not food grade, and must not be used for food applications. For personal safety, do not buy silicone from hardware stores, and instead choose to buy the silicone for your chocolate mold from a kitchenware, culinary or other store that specializes in these products.
Read the label or item description, to make sure it is ‘platinum food grade silicone’.
Suppliers for Food Grade Silicone:
- MB Fibreglass (UK): https://www.mbfg.co.uk/food_safe_silicone.html
- Smooth On (USA): https://www.smooth-on.com/products/smooth-sil-940/
There are many other suppliers of food grade silicone as well, but these two links will give you an idea of what to look for.
How to Make Chocolate Molds Conclusion
We hope this article from chocolatier Simon Knott has given you the knowledge and inspiration to start creating your own custom chocolate molds at home. Just make sure, whenever making molds for chocolate at home that you always use food-grade silicone as a personal safety precaution.
Now that you have made your molds, it is time to learn how to use them correctly. As Simon mentioned above, for the best results you should always temper your chocolate, as well as follow the other priciples for correctly molding chocolate.
Luckily, we have articles on these two topics, so we recommend you head over there for instructions and further reading:
Happy chocolatiering!
