Sew Sweet

Vintage Button Chocolate molds are back in the shop! And in case you were wondering how to use that fancy, new mold of yours, here is a complete tutorial for making your own sweet little button candies, plus a free print-out you can use to package them up when you’re all done!
(follow the link below to get the full scoop!)

(PS: Click here for a printer-friendly instruction sheet without all of the huge photographs!)
Here’s what you will need:
Button Mold
Chocolate or Candy Melts*Candy flavoring (optional)
Zip-lock or sandwich bags
Microwave safe bowls
Spoons
Scissors
Microwave and freezer
*For this tutorial, I used colorful candy melts because they are super-easy to use and very yummy. Can you use real chocolate? You bet! But keep in mind that real chocolate needs to be tempered so it will set properly and be shiny, hard and smooth. (Tempering isn’t too difficult, but it takes some practice, so we’ll save that tutorial for another day!) Candy melts are a great alternative, and some are much tastier than others – so shop around. I carry Clasen Brand melts in my shop because I think they have a great flavor and texture, lovely range of colors, and a price that’s affordable. Candy melts have a sweet, vanilla flavor, and you can easily add a drop of candy flavoring to jazz things up a little. The chocolate and dark chocolate melts are, well, chocolaty-tasting, of course! And you can absolutely add flavoring to them, too.
OK, let’s get to it, shall we?

Place your candy melts in a microwave-safe bowl. You can melt as little or as many wafers at a time as you like. Since the button molds are very tiny, start with a small handful. Microwave for 20-30 second intervals, stirring between each. Don’t be surprised if nothing happens the first few intervals, it will take some time and you do not want to scorch your chocolate, so go slow.

…not there yet

…almost

Yay! Nice and drizzly. The total microwave time for a small amount like this was about 2 minutes, but all microwaves vary – so you’ll have to figure out what works best for you. To fill the mold: spoon the melted chocolate into a small plastic sandwich or ziplock bag, cut the tip off, and use it to “pipe” the chocolate into the mold.

Don’t worry, the chocolate should not be hot, just warm. You could use a real pastry bag and tip, too, but if you are using several colors, the sandwich bags make clean-up so much easier!

Squeeze gently and try not to over-fill. This is easier said than done, but you’ll get the hang of it.

“But they look all lumpy and gloppy?” you may be thinking. A few firm taps on the counter top should fix that right up. Don’t be shy, tap-away! It will make the backs nice and flat, and get rid of any pesky air bubbles.

Ahh. Much better. I did the other half of the mold with red candy wafers, using the same melting process as before. This time, when the chocolate was all melted, I added a drop of blackberry flavoring oil.

I used a leftover lolly pop stick to add just ONE drop of flavoring, and that was absolutely all it needed! This candy flavoring is no joke, people – it’s concentrated for real. Please go easy, you don’t want to over-do it. And ONLY use oil flavorings made for candy. Never add any water or waterbased colors or flavors to melted chocolate! You will get a lumpy, chalky, mess that will make you very sad.

Once all of the cavities are filled and tapped, it’s time to put your mold in the freezer for a few minutes to set-up your candy. Since these are so small, it should only take a minute or two. You can tell they are ready when no part of the mold is warm, and the buttons pop out relatively easily when inverted.

Large, simple-shaped molds slide out easy-peasy, but sometimes these little buttons don’t like to come out at first. Don’t be afraid to wiggle, tap, and bend (slightly) your mold to free the buttons. These molds are pretty durable, they can take it. However, if you have left your mold in the freezer for a very long time (which I don’t recommend anyway) do NOT try to bent it! It could snap or crack.

There you have it! Gorgeous, life-like, delicious buttons. Your friends will be amazed. If you are ready to make another batch, rinse out your mold (if needed) and make sure it’s completely dry before you use it again. Never put your mold in the dishwasher, and avoid soaking it in soapy water for extended amounts of time.

There are probably millions of adorable ways to package these tiny treats, but I think they look very nice in small glassine bags, and I created these cute labels you can add to the top. I was inspired by real, retro button cards, and I created four different designs for you to mix and match. You can easily print them onto any paper, cut them out, fold them over, and staple to the top of the bag. The back is blank so you can add a personal message. Click on the image below for the free high-resolution PDF print out!

Please print and use these tags as often as you like! I sized them to fit the one ounce glassine bags or also the tiny flat cello bags. I printed mine on plain computer paper, so they were easy to fold over and staple to the bags. I hope you have as much fun making these candy buttons as I did! I even saved a few for cupcake topping later on. There are so many uses for them, I’m sure all of you will have some clever ideas! Please snap a few photos of your creations and email them to me. I’d love to see what you make, and add your photos to the shop gallery!  http://blog.bakeitpretty.com/2009/01/sew-sweet/