Witches' Cauldron
Chocolate Project

By Bob Sherman

This project is a combination of several simple techniques.

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PLEASE NOTE!! - Although chocolate making is relatively safe for the entire family to participate, adult supervision is required.

Chocolate
I prefer to use chocolate wafers designed for home molding chocolate. My preferred brand is Merckens which works well with all chocolate molding projects and tastes great.

Melting Chocolate
For a small project like this either melting method may be used.

Double Boiler - See Double Boiler Usage Instructions.

A microwave may also be used but care must be taken not to overheat the chocolate.

1. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Heat for 30 seconds (small amounts will require less - start with 15 seconds).
3. Remove and stir.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the chocolate is creamy.
5. Optimum pouring temperature is about 90 degrees F. Note: Pouring chocolate molds hotter than 160 degrees F. will destroy the mold. Do not place the thermometer in the microwave!

1. The mold halves need to be separated then the flat area trimmed to 1/2 inch from the mold cavity using a scissors. Next a sharp knife is used to carefully cut the top out. Leave a 1/8 inch lip around the top opening.	2. Visually align the mold halves, then clip together. Position in a bowl to hold it upright. Note: Notice that I have removed the alignment pins from the mold sheet - these are usually inaccurate and visually aligning the halves is better.
3. Fill the mold at least 3/4 with dark chocolate. Use a spoon to ensure that the entire inside has good coverage and to dissipate any trapped air.	4. Allow to sit for a few moments then pour the chocolate out.
5. Place in the freezer for 1 minute, then repeat steps 3 and 4.	6. The mold now has a nice thick coating of chocolate. I allow these to cool at room temperature until hard, then place them in the freezer for several minutes until they de mold easily.
7. The cauldron after de molding. It may be used as a dessert cup or filled with candy at this point.	8. I wanted something a bit more elaborate for this project. A ghost pretzel lolly was used. The pretzel is broken off at the base of the chocolate.

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Disclaimer: The information presented here is accurate to the best of my knowledge and common chocolate molding practices as of the time of this writing - August 2006. The author and the publisher accept no liability for the use or misuse of any of the information presented in this article. This article is presented for informational purposes and is used at your own risk.

Author: Bob Sherman

Publisher: Bobby's Craft Boutique Inc.

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