Cocoa Press Chocolate Core Mold Kit

This is a kit that allows you to build a chocolate core mold. With the mold you can create chocolate cores for use in the Cocoa Press 2 printer. Once you have everything ready, you melt couverture chocolate and pour it into the mold, then place it in your refrigerator for 30 minutes before removing it from the mold. Store the cores at room temperature in a plastic bag until you are ready to print.

To make the mold, print the 2 mold form parts first. Note that there is a Side 1 and Side 2 that are unique. These are forms used to create silicone molds. After printing these, use food safe silicone and fill the molds. Be sure to fill the silicone up to the top of the form. Place paper towel on a baking sheet and then place the form on top of the paper towel. That way if the silicone spills out, it will land on the paper towel. 

Let the silicone cool in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours and then finish curing at room temperature (about 12-24 hours). The first few hours in the refrigerator allows bubbles to escape the silicone before it cures completely. After the silicone molds are complete, you can throw away the mold forms (unless you want to make more silicone molds).

Print 2 copies of the mold box part and 6 copies of the box clips. 

Place one of the silicone molds in each mold box. Then assemble the mold, aligning the mold impressions between the cylinders. Use the clips to attach the 2 sides together. If the silicone molds don't fill the space, you can place a sheet of paper (or 2) between the silicone and the printed box. You want the silicone molds to be tight in the middle so chocolate doesn't leak between the cylinders. 

Now, stand the mold up vertically and melt your couverture chocolate and pour it into the mold. I fill the molds 70-80% full. Pour slowly to minimize the potential for air bubbles in at the bottom of the mold. Place the mold in the refrigerator for 30 - 60 minutes. 

To remove the chocolate cores, simply remove the clips and separate the 2 halves of the silicone molds. Wash the silicone molds with soapy water and let dry completely before using them again. 

I have made multiple cores with this mold and they print fine in the Cocoa Press 2. While learning to print, I take failed prints and put them in a silicone bowl, then at the end of my session, I melt the chocolate in the silicone bowl (heating for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave and mixing) until they chocolate flows evenly and there are no lumps. Then I slowly pour it into the molds to create new cores for printing. I have also melted colored candy melts and made cores from those. All work well in the Cocoa Press 2.

Here is the silicone I used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9SGY8VY?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1 (You could buy 2 of the smaller bottles, but it might not be enough for both forms.)