Article by Janet Clayton
What do we mean by custom candy molds? As the name implies, custom candy molds are made for a specific undertaking where you can not find an off-the-shelf mold that is best. If you need a particular shape and it is just not available the way you want it, you have a few alternatives. Either request for the molds to be made professionally for you, or create them yourself.
I would encourage you to try making your own custom candy molds for a couple of reasons. Every so often, it makes sense to request molds made for you but most of the time, you will love the process, and the satisfaction, of your hands-on participation in the mold creation. Candy making can be inventive in itself; add the aspect of creating your own custom candy molds and you take your craft to a new plateau. Since making candy should be considered an art, you should take this to the next level and express your inner concepts through self-made personalized candy molds.
Before considering making your own custom candy molds, let’s look at where and how you could have it done for you. A few of the sources you will find on the Internet will immediately eliminate themselves with impractical minimum requirements. Unless you are willing to request rather large minimum quantities of candy molds and supplies, or exceed a fairly high dollar threshold, they just can not be bothered.
On the other hand, there are others who cater to home candy making folks, and there are plenty of us out here making candy!When you find a vendor who will honor small orders, you will have to put forward exactly what you want from them. The size of the candy, and therefore the mold, is important to describe accurately; each vendor has their own ways of measuring size, and other factors, that you must stick to. After ordering, you wait hoping you will be happy with it!
Doing it yourself at home, or in your own candy business, makes you more intimate with your hobby or entrepreneurial endeavor. Since the process is easy enough, you will probably wonder why you had not done this before. Simple flat molds are the easiest to craft. After those, tackling the more complex molds will really make you stand out in the candy making world. As uncomplicated as making custom candy molds is, you will have fun, too.
While the procedure is basic for all molding materials, you need to read and understand the molding material manufacturer’s instructions fully. The easiest and best beginner’s molds are made using two-part silicone material. Mixing the two-parts (usually color-coded) together triggers a reaction in the material causing it to slowly set up as it cures. The freshly mixed molding material can be shaped around a model of what you want your candy to look like.
The material is allowed to cure and then is carefully removed from the model. Now, after a little trimming and a wash up, it is ready to be used immediately. Molds made this way will last for years. Imagine the pride and pleasure you will take when presenting unique candy from custom candy molds you made yourself! Priceless!
JANET CLAYTON is a candy making expert. For detailed information on making custom candy molds, and much more, just visit her website at http://www.CandyMakingInfo.com.
