Monday, February 8, 2010

Chocolates

Project: Chocolates
Materials: 1/2" insulation foam, brown and white acrylic caulk (with silicone), plastic baggies, Krylon Crystal Clear


The show we're about to open calls for a tin of chocolates to be hidden in a drawer. While we have a few little bon-bons in stock, I've been asked to create a few chocolates to supplement the collection. Chocolates are often faked onstage, as real chocolates melt easily under theatrical lighting. Fake chocolates are readily available if you have the budget, but as this is a fairly simple and straightforward project, you can save the money by faking your own.
The first thing to do is find a research image. A quick search on the internet can provide us with a plethora of chocolate photos. Since I have a small, square chocolate in mind, we'll go with this lovely morsel.

Second, gather your materials. I am assuming
that you are working in a space stocked with the basics, so I haven't included basic tools and supplies on the materials list. Let's begin!










1. I used 1/2" thick insulation foam as a base for these chocolates. It is cheap, readily available, reasonably durable, and lightweight. I started by cutting the foam into 1" squares with a utility knife. Then, I sanded the top edges and corners with 100 grit sandpaper to round them over, as the top of most dipped chocolates is not perfectly square. I always find it helpful to make a few extras of whatever I'm creating, if possible. That way, I can make some mistakes along the way.







2. Next, I coated the edges and the top of the chocolates
with brown acrylic caulk. I like to wear gloves to keep my hands from getting messy, and use a tongue depressor to spread on the chocolate. Once the top and sides are covered with a good layer of caulk, I dipped my finger in water and used it to smooth the caulk out. Then, I placed the chocolate on a piece of tin foil to dry.







3. After allowing the caulk on the chocolates to partially dry, I piped on the decoration. When doing small projects like this I've found that snipping the tip off of a plastic baggie makes a great disposable pastry bag. The piping took a bit of practice to get the feel right, so those extras that I cut came in handy. I did most of the piping in brown caulk, but I also tried the white, for a different look.










4. After the tops and sides were dry ( a few hours), I flipped the chocolates over, and coated their bottoms with caulk. Once the chocolates were completely dry, their color looked good, but the caulk was a little dull. I used a light spray of Krylon Crystal Clear, Satin Finish to give them just a bit of a sheen.

5. Presentation. My Dad once told me that food is 90% presentation. This may not be true in real life, but it certainly is in food fakery. These chocolates were each placed in a candy cup (available at candy making shops or big box craft stores), and placed in a tin with our other chocolates. The tin, painted by Margaret, is partially empty to allow a deck of cards to be hidden inside.
TA-DA!

Need more info about chocolate? Here are a few links to some good propsy info. Enjoy!
Here is a link to Hershey's company history, with a few good pieces of graphics reference for you ephemera hounds.
http://www.hersheys.com/discover/history/company.asp
Cadbury Chocolates made in Bourneville, UK are a favorite around the world. You can read about their products at this site. If you have time, read about the history of their company. The early Cadbury company was revolutionary in caring for its employees. To this day, the whole town of Bourneville smells of the chocolate factory there. Yum!
http://www.cadbury.co.uk/cadburyandchocolate/Pages/cadburyandchocolate.aspx



4 comments:

  1. oh my word! now I want chocolate! LOL those turned out fantastic!
    Helen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you know where you can buy fake chocolates? I'd like to make some into fridge magnets as "party favours" at a bridal shower.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can buy them at www.mrs-o-kitchen.com in several different styles.

      Delete
  3. One place I like, that has a few types of fake chocolates is Barnard Ltd. in Chicago.
    www.barnardltd.com

    You can also try www.etsy.com
    Etsy is a site that sells handcrafted items and there are a few crafters on the site who sell fake food.

    I would also recommend that you Google "Fake Chocolate" for online retailers, and check in the craft stores in your area. Hobby Lobby is probably a good bet, if you have one near you.

    I like the idea for the favors, and I hope this was some help. Happy shopping!

    ReplyDelete

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