Making molds
This method is an easy and inexpensive way to make a mold of any food you want to replicate.
Supplies:
- 100% silicone sealant
- A small tub of water
- Dish detergent
- An object to mold
Sometimes taking a mold can be the best way to replicate the intricate details of certain foods. For larger foods, I’d recommend a silicone mold kit, but for smaller items this method is a quick and inexpensive option. You can see this method in action along with detailed instructions here in the mixed nuts tutorial.
Some tips for ensuring success:
- Use plenty of dish soap. You can also apply the soap to your fingertips. The soap makes the surface of the silicone more slippery and therefore less likely to stick your hands as you knead.
- The amount of silicone you’ll need depends on the size of the object you are molding, but a good rule of thumb is that you want the silicone to be roughly 2X the size of the object.
- If you have something too soft to be molded, try freezing it.
- You can use the same patch of silicone to take molds of multiple items, but be sure not to let the items touch.
- 10 minutes is the sweet spot for kneading. Any longer and too much air will be incorporated which can cause bubbles that may affect the quality of the mold.
- When pressing clay into the final molds, be sure to press firmly so that there are no gaps.
- If you’re making batches of the same food, remember that real foods can vary a lot from piece to piece, so it may be a good idea to take molds of a few different pieces so yours don’t turn out overly uniform.
Some ideas of items to mold:
- Cookies with intricate patterns like oreos
- Hard candy
- Pretzels
- Cereal (as long as it isn’t too fragile)
- Nuts
- Frozen berries
- Chocolate chips
- Frozen gummies