Janet Puistonen wrote:
> Chembake wrote:
> > I use polycarbonate chocolate molds.( or what you call professional
> > molds).
> > .If I use it continuously I just have to wipe off the ' chocolate
> > 'dirt and reuse it.
> >
> > If it gets really dirty that wiping will not remove the dirt I have to
> > soak it in very hot water and let the dirt soften and then wash it
> > slightly soapy water.
> > Then rinse it again with very hot water, let it drip dry.
> > Then wipe it with clean cloth and put in the mold warmer for later
> > use.
> >
> > I occasionally wash it in the dishwasher but don't use much soap.
>
> Thanks--I've been washing mine in the dishwasher mostly--using gel, not
> granular soap. I think I'm going to try washing them less and see what
> happens.

Most of the craft chocolatiers dont wash their molds often so its
easier to use.
By the way I am using fluid soap.
> On a related note, I have one mold that causes me continual problems, andit
> sounds as if you might be able to help me with it! The mold in question is
> the tilted teepee. I can't recall who the manufacturer was, because I gotit
> from JB Prince, but you probably have seen it.
>
I have used a similar one but of pyramidal shape as well a deep
conical dome shaped molds.

> The first problem I had with this mold was that it was very difficult to get
> the chocolate to penetrate to the tip, despite shaking and tapping and so
> on. I solved that by poking into the bottom of each cavity with a tapered
> wooden chopstick when the mold was filled with chocolate, before pouring our
> the excess. It is unorthodox, I suppose, but it does work.

I usually use a thinner chocolate by adding more cocoa butter to
chocolate or better ( cost effectively )with the use of 0.1-% based on
the chocolate weight an emulsifier polyglycerol polyricinoleate. A
thinner chocolate will penetrate those crevices better.

Another thing is be sure to warm the molds before filling them up with
chocolate so it will flow better and not harden immediately if the
mold is otherwise cool.
Some chocolates even if well tempered is a bit thick and wont
penetrate the minute crevices of the molds so I thin it down with those
materials I mentioned.
Other made a mistake of filling such intricate molds with slightly
overtempered chocolate which does not flow evenly.

>
> The second problem I've had with this mold is frequent rashes of light
> spotting--similar to bloom, but not bloom. It happens with this mold, but
> not with others. I've been trying to figure out why, to no avail. Does it
> have something to do with the unusual depth vs width of the cavity? Does it
> have to do with the temperature of the mold, the room, over crystallization?
Light spotting similar to bloom?
I have not experienced that in my pyramidal molds....
Are that particular molds have rough surface just like real Indian
teepees ?
It might be uneven chocolate coating due to such irregular
surface.....that causes some sort of refractive effects on the
chocolate gloss which can be seen as some sort of a bloom by other
people.
But if its distinct even can you describe how it exactly appears...
and when?
> I'd appreciate your thoughts on the subject. The Wybauw book has helped me
> overcome some technical problems, but not this one so far.
>
Wybauw book is a good one , and really suited to the chocolatier.

 By the way, what temperature do you warm your molds to before use?
My mold cabinet is set at 32 to 35 deg C and all the chocolate comes
out fine with molds exposed to that condition.