I am trying to make some candies in molds, but I can't seem to get them to come out shiny!!! Does anyone have any tips that could help??? I would totally appreciate it. TIA

You need to temper your chocolate for a shiny finish.

I've rubbed mine with a little bit of crisco.....I'm not sure if it alters the taste but it worked!

How do you temper chocolate? I don't know what that means.

Here's links to tempering chocolate. Sorry it took me so long to answer, but I didnt see your question.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Tempering-Chocolate/Detail.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Tempering-Chocolate/Detail.aspx

You can also go to youtube and type in "how to temper chocolate"

tempering chocolate means to melt it ever so slowly so it never goes above 100 - 102 degrees farenheight.

That pretty much means the microwave it not going to work. A double boiler will if you really, really have patience and go slowly.

Alton Brown uses a household heating pad in a bowl then the chocolate in another bowl inside that. I've done it this way twice. It takes a long time, but it works. keep a thermometer handy and don't let the temp get too high.

Tempering it and also using 100% pure cocoa butter to brush the mold before filling it is the sure way to getting a mirror finish. It sells for about $5.99. It gives it a totally beautiful finish.

I found this on CC

http://cakecentral.com/t/585581/shiny-chocolate

Now I'm no expert on chocolate, just was part of a class curriculum.

Tempering chocolate is important to the crispness or snap but the molds are equally important. The smoother the surface, the shinier the chocolate finish.

We used a thin clear plastic mold for the red striped and a polycarbonate mold for the round, the plastic ones left a dull finish vs the poly, which was supper shiny. I even brushed Aztec gold luster dust in the mold first, they turned out really pretty.

*I cant seem to get my pic to load going to try again.

*super >.<

yes what enga said and in fact the hard polycarbonate molds are the best for shine according to a class i got to be in once with ewold notter--the shinier the mold the shinier the chocolate--just to shamelessly name drop further --james roselle was his intern at the class--this before his food tv challenges - 

en said he does not wash his molds--just scrapes off the tops--and replaces as necessary--

A[quote name="-K8memphis" url="/t/636239/how-do-i-make-chocolate-shiny#post_7475466] ...en said he does not wash his molds--just scrapes off the tops--and replaces as necessary-- [/quote]

Yes! I was also told this, years and years ago when I took a class of chocolate molding, our instructor was the sweetest (very old) lady, but she knew what she was doing. This and tempering chocolate will result on shiny choccies.

I took a candy class at a local supply store close to me (Chicago) about a year ago and have been doing tons of candy making since then. I buy all of my chocolate from this supply store, they only carry Peter's Chocolate which is already tempered. I melt it down using my crock pot. I fill the crock pot with water, set it on low, put the chocolate in a bowl and let it sit on top of the water. It melts down PERFECTLY to a cream consistency. Whatever I'm making, I put in the molds and set it in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes and when the chocolate comes out it has a beautiful shiny look to it. I ALWAYS get compliments on the appearance of my candy! I started out using Wilton candy melts but they taste horrible and I found out theres no chocolate in them! Then I tried tempering my own chocolate but it's soooo much easier to buy the Peter's chocolate thats already tempered directly through the shop I get my supplies at. It tastes amazing!