Home made chocolates - too hard and dense.

[chocalicious]

I have some cool chocolate molds and have been making my own chocolates (for my kids). I have been melting chocolate buds and then pouring the melted chocolate into the molds, then refrigerating them. Problem is that they are coming out too hard and dense. Any ideas how to make the mixture lighter and easier to bite? I don't want my kids to choke on them.

[Donna Hay]

Donna Hay has a brilliant little book on chocolate with recipes for beginners and advanced cooks. It's not easy 'material', so it helps to read up on it first! Have fun!

[lorgnette01]

Problem is that they are coming out too hard and dense. Any ideas how to make the mixture lighter and easier to bite?

Just fold mixture numerous times on a hard surface before it hardens (before you put in fridge) and recommend making thin layers.  

[Ex-pat]

You could add some oil to the chocolate just a little canola oil (I do this in my chocolate fountain) or make some ganache which is chocolate melted into warm cream then firmed in the fridge - normally you would roll into balls and coat with choc or cocoa etc.  I think tempering the choc is a little extreme for kiddy moulds.  The other thing you could do is mix in some nutella to the chocolate rather than the oil.  BTW nutella makes a great fondue to dip strawberries and marshmallows in, just heat over a candle or melt in microwave.

[Yummy]

Add some cream which will make a ganache though typically you'd roll ha mix to mak truffles so it may not mold well, or you'd use it to fill the centers of your chocolate. If you only add a small amount I think you'd get a consistency that would mold well and just make a softer chocolate.

[Temperature]

The problem here is temperature. Chocolate should never come into direct heat.  Temper at 23 degrees not in the fridge.