Candy molds/cat cake/cupcakes need ideas

6fsn

How annoying is it to make chocolate candy molds?  We're doing a cat theme for M2's party and I'm having issues with getting a cake to fit the theme.  I've got some cat decorations and some paw prints.  My idea was to get a white Costco cake and put some sort of cat decoration on it.  That's been a pain to find so I started scoping grocery stores and all I've come up with were the edible printout.

So, I came across a chocolate mold paw print that LOOKS easy enough.  Of course it's now part of the amazon "add on program" so I have to try to find the stupid thing in person or spend $25 on amazon.  Is this worth the effort?

tawillers

What about using fondant, cutting circles and placing them on the cake to look like paw prints?  I feel like that would be easier and less time consuming.

Like this:

tawillers

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_candy-moldscat-cakecupcakes-need-ideas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:47Discussion:7e0a1cd1-ffef-4793-ae60-7b978318967aPost:8eddface-2c14-4a8f-82ef-b48e4ab5aa55">Re: Candy molds/cat cake/cupcakes need ideas</a>:
[QUOTE]What about using fondant, cutting circles and placing them on the cake to look like paw prints?  I feel like that would be easier and less time consuming. Like this:
Posted by tawillers[/QUOTE]

Because it got lost behind the ad.

6fsn

Hmmmm that's a thought.  I've never used fondant and it always seem tough.  I wonder how early I could cut those out.  I was thinking I could make the molds ahead of time and plop them on the morning of.

GBCK

IMO, they're not to hard--have to make sure you bang/jiggle them a lot to get bubbles out.

Although...conside etsy where people often sell these already made.  

Like...oh, these?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/87480773/one-dozen-chocolate-covered-oreos-dog-or?ref=sr_gallery_15&ga_search_query=chocolate+paw+prints&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade

But then you can't screen the kitchen.

GBCK

FWIW, you could also do the 'chocolate relief' thing for the paw prints.

That's what I did for Buffy's cake toppers and I have to say, it was REALLY easy.  I had never done it before and...it was easy.  

You just melt the chocolate in a decorating bag, draw on waxed paper (make sure you fill it in--but you can cheat and put a picture under the paper to trace) then let it dry/harden.

Peel off, pop on top.  The smooth side that was against the paper looks pretty awesome.

6fsn

$30 for 12 cookies?  I was trying to do this on the cheap. 

I have a very unsteady hand and zero craft ability so I don't know that I'd be able to do the relief thing.  I'm digging the fondant idea more.  I could just get a set of biscuit cutters and already rolled fondant.

GBCK

There *has* to be a cheap source of chocolate paw prints somewhere on the internet :-P

But fondant does make it easy--it's like edible play-doh

tawillers

I want to try my hand at fondant for DD1's party.  My SIL keeps telling me how easy marshmallow fondant is, but I just can't stand it.  I could put a piece of wet cardboard over my cake and it would be the same thing.

So I guess I need a recipe for easy, ok-tasting fondant.  Does it exist?

6fsn

Taw- the only person I expected to eat the fondant was my 12 yo nephew.

Is there a melting chocolate better than others?  I'm thinking I could also do a little recon at the local stores and if nothing else buy the chocolate on amazon to get to $25.

GBCK

If you're using it to make shapes, buy the stuff made for that (the wafery things) instead of chips.

I think I always end up w/ wilton because that's what the craft stores tend to have on hand.

It's not bad tasting (not "best chocolate ever" but not bad) and molds better than chocolate chips

I also buy candi-quik for this stuff--http://www.amazon.com/Log-House-Candiquik-16-Ounce-Packages/dp/B000V98Y3A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364218822&sr=8-2&keywords=candy+quick

But you probably don't need 6 containers

Wzz

molds are very very easy. you have to make room in the fridge ahead of time so they stay level while they cool. you also have to allow time for them to cool, and they take longer as you go along since you will keep opening and closing the fridge. the best part is how forgiving they are. if any crack, you toss them back into the pot of chocolate and melt again.

we had very good luck with nestle morsels to melt if you can't find the regular melts from a craft shop like michaels. plus, they taste better. one bag would make about 10-12 pops, depending on how big or small they are.

hmonkey

[QUOTE]Hmmmm that's a thought.  I've never used fondant and it always seem tough.  I wonder how early I could cut those out.  <strong>I was thinking I could make the molds ahead of time and plop them on the morning of.
</strong>Posted by 6fsn[/QUOTE]

i think making the mold ahead of time and testing to see if they work is a better idea than fondant, if you have never worked with fondant.