Melty, molded monsters

Ooze chocolate into spooky shapes

I remember a time when trick-or-treaters strolled through friendly neighborhoods, stuffing popcorn balls, giant cookies and other homemade goodies into shiny plastic sacks, armed only with a glow stick and a costume of whimsical imagination.

One lost art from those carefree days is that of Halloween chocolate candy molds. My mother taught me how to make ghosts, pumpkins and witches with brightly colored chocolate in clear, plastic molds when I was just a child. It was a fun activity for the whole family. My little brother and I would always look forward to the creamy white chocolate taste of the bite-sized marvels. Each jack-o'-lantern and black cat became a tiny work of art rich with color and detail.

What you need

Candy molds

Dutch oven or double boiler

Merckens candy coatings

Shallow glasses or baby food jars

Lollipop sticks

Knives, spoons and toothpicks

Parchment or wax paper

Freezer

Melt the chocolate

Fill a Dutch oven with water about 2 inches deep. Fill several shallow glasses or baby food jars with one color of chocolate at a time, and place in Dutch oven. Heat over low heat, stirring candy until completely melted. You may also use a double boiler with hot, not boiling, water. Don't allow any water to steam or drip into the chocolate. If the chocolate gets hard or chunky, turn down the heat. To microwave: Heat 1 pound of chocolate for two minutes, then stir. Continue in 30-second intervals until chocolate is smooth. Be careful; chocolate burns easily.

Layering colors

Start simple. Smiling skeletons get milk chocolate eyes and tophats. I use toothpicks to gently dab details, like the red bowtie, into the molds. Put the mold in the freezer for 1 to 4 minutes to set the chocolate. Return to the freezer for each detail color. Small details take only about 30 seconds to set. But if the detail colors aren't properly set, pouring in additional warm chocolate can blend and run the colors.

Once the black and red are set, fill the body of the skeleton with white with a spoon or by gently dabbing with a butter knife. Fill to the rim. Gently tap the mold on the counter to remove air bubbles, to prevent gaps and flaws in the design.

Finishing touches

For lollipops, place sticks into the grooves in the mold. Gently roll the stick until it is completely coated with chocolate. Tap as described above. If the stick isn't properly coated with chocolate, it won't support the weight of the lollipop.

Breaking the mold

Allow the candy to set completely in the freezer. Place the mold candy-side down over a piece of wax paper. Gently bend and twist the mold to release the candy. Lift lollipops gently from their molds by the sticks. Snap off excess chocolate with your fingertips. If you make a mistake, just melt the chocolate and start again.

For 3-D objects, such as eyeballs, create two halves using the mold as described above. Coat back sides with melted chocolate in a coordinating color. Firmly press together. Return to freezer to set. Any mold can be made into a 3-D item in this way.

Getting started

If this is your first time with candy molds, pick up the Wilton Halloween MegaPack Candy Making Kit for $9.99 (available at Michael's stores). This kit includes everything you need: three molds, candy melts in four colors, sticks, decorating bags, brush and party bags. It's a good way to try the hobby out before investing in it. The candy melts are sweeter than Merckens coatings found in specialty stores but melt more easily. Microwave methods work better with the Wilton candy melts.

Merckens coatings are sold by the pound in a variety of colors for about $3 at most candy specialty shops. Molds can be found for $2 to $5, depending on the complexity. In the Triangle, visit P-Wee's Creations, 3005 Austin Drive in Garner --phone: (919) 550-9122.

Storage and cleanup

Store finished candy stacked in layers between parchment or wax paper in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It's chocolate, so it will melt. Wash molds in warm soapy water. Dishwashers are not recommended. Put chocolate containers in the freezer briefly to chip off excess chocolate before washing. Unmelted chocolate can be kept in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight, for a couple of weeks.

Chocolate coatings

Once you've mastered the basics, graduate to the Merckens candy coatings. The main difference between real chocolate and chocolate coatings is the oil base, according to Alice Howington of P-Wee's Creations in Garner. Milk chocolate is made by separating the cocoa butter from the powder in the cocoa bean, processing each separately and then recombining them. Chocolate coatings use coconut oil or palm kernel oil instead of cocoa butter. This allows the coatings a higher melting point, which makes them easier to use. Brown chocolate coatings taste like milk or dark chocolate. White and colored coatings taste like white chocolate.