Spinning Leaf Molds & Chocolate Transfer Sheets

For awhile now I've wanted to try out chocolate transfer sheets. They look like a fun way to jazz up decorating projects and turn an otherwise ho-hum deliciscious treat into a oh-yum cute treat.

I found out about Spinning Leaf cookie molds on my go-to site for ideas, Cake Central. Their company has molds for chocolate, soap and most importantly...cookies! After reading about them, I had to try them out right away. Ordering was a breeze...and can I just tell you about their customer service? They broke the mold (har har...pun intended) for how to do business. Quick to respond, and so, so nice!

Having a couple birthday cookie projects coming up, I thought it was a perfect time to experiment with the molds and transfer sheets!

I'm sorry I didn't start taking pics from the beginning, but I'll explain where I started...

Let me introduce you to the cookie mold
(and my nubby thumb)~~~~~~~

Six-pack design, sized perfectly for regular Oreo-sized cookies (but they make ones for Oreo minis too! How cute is that!). This is the standard cookie mold, but they have a whole bunch of other molds in their collection. Hearts, faces, Halloween-themed, Christmas-themed. You get the idea, endless possibilities...go and take a looksie for yourself!

Next comes the part without pictures...boo. I took my chocolate transfer sheets, which are about 11x14, and cut a strip width-wise the same as my cookie circles. Be careful handling them because the design can be rubbed off with your fingers. Place the strip, design side UP on wax paper. Melt some chocolate of choice (I used chocolate almond bark), and...

Spread it thinly on top of the transfer sheet:

Now, careful when you are spreading to not push the melted chocolate around too much. You basically want to smear it on, and leave what has already touched the design surface alone. Too much smearing will make the transfer sheet design rub/smear off.

I know this, because of experience...

See how the lettering is a little rubbed off? Case.in.point.

(FYI, I did that on purpose just to prove how not to do it...mmmkay?)

Let that harden up a bit.

Next, you get a circle cutter. I happen to have one that is *just about* the perfect size, and it has an added bonus I'll show in a minute. It's about 1-34/" diameter...



Place it over your firm chocolate and press down to cut the circle out

There she is. Smudged letters and all.

Now, place it over the empty cookie mold cavity. The added bonus of my special circle cutter? It has an edge that allows it to sit down perfectly into my mold.

Lovely. Just lovely.

Next, take a sharp knife and gently push around the edges. It should just easily fall into the bottom of the mold. If it doesn't, then give it a little help with your finger. Don't worry...no one will see the fingerprint mark you leave on the chocolate; the evidence will be covered up!

Ta-daa!

The underside:

Letter smudges and all.

Now for the fill.

Get your supplies.

Cookies.

I used Oreo Double Stuff (shown) and Oreo PEANUT BUTTER. Salivating yet?

Chocolate for melting.

I used Merckens, but any will do.

I melted my chocolate in a disposable icing bag. So handy for squeezing into the mold cavities, and clean up is easy peasy.



Snip off the end of the icing bag and squeeze the melted chocolate right into the cavities

Now, I know what you are seeing thinking. I thought it too. So, quickly get that cookie and smush down any crappy visuals you may be having of that chocolate swirl.

Better.

Smoosh it down so that the top of the cookie is below, not flush, with the top of the cavity.

Then top of each cavity with more melted chocolate

Pick up the entire mold and give it some taps on the counter to settle the cookie and allow any air bubbles to come to the surface.

If needed, add a little more melted chocolate. I did. You want enough on top to be able to scrape it flush. Kind of like you want a little extra on top when measuring flour or sugar in a cup.

Time to scrape. I use a small plastic bench scraper.

Now, when I scrape I like to do a couple passes, and I go in a square-pattern.

1...along the length

2...along each bottom

3...along the other length

Flushed and finished!

Now it sits in the fridge to firm up. Doesn't take long.

I used the wait time to color some black royal icing. In doing so, had a little incident with the black coloring gel. The gel won.

As evidenced in it under my fingernails. Really. It's not dirt.

So after messing up my kitchen more, I took a mold out, turned it over, gave a very easy press on the cookie, and out it came!

Without much pressure or convincing!

Not too shabby!

One of these pretty little numbers just had to be sacrificied.

Poor thing.

Of course, I had to sample it. You know, to make sure it was edible for the recipients and all.

A Double Stuff may or may not have been sampled as well.

Have you done cookie molds?

Chocolate transfers?

Let me know your experiences and tips!