I See Dead People … Oh Wait … It’s Just Wilton’s Dancing Skeletons!
Written: Oct 12 '03
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Pros: Three different skeletons, sturdy mold, fun project for kids.
Cons: Only four skeletons per mold so making a ton can take a while.
The Bottom Line: Need to satisfy your sweet tooth this Halloween season? Whip up some Dancing Skeleton lollipops!
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| Freak369's Full Review: Wilton Dancing Skeletons Lollipop Mold 2115-1546 |
When we hit Starbuck a few days ago I almost fell over when I saw their small Halloween display of “gourmet suckers”. The chocolate ones were about two and a half inches high and had a minimal amount of detail to them – but were priced at $2.00 to $3.00 each. I snickered, ordered my coffee and pointed them out to the brood who were still busy trying to figure out which cookie they wanted. My youngest commented,“Mum, those look like the ones you make!” followed by the oldest saying “Look at the price on these Mum” – that of course was followed by the manager shooting us dirty looks. While the ones at Starbuck were a little different from the ones that come on this Wilton candy mold – they are close enough for me! Besides, I like being able to make my own chocolate, at least I know what’s in it and hold old it is … not that we have a huge problem with chocolate lasting more than 72 hours in this house.
Wilton Dancing Skeleton Lollipop Mold 2115-1546
There are three different designs on this mold – the standard standing skeleton, one that’s dancing and a dancing skeleton with a top hat. All three of them are nicely detailed and look great if done with a single color or multiple colors. This all depends on how much time you want to invest in making them. Since these skeletons are larger than those you would normally find on candy molds, there are only four designs per sheet so if you want to make a ton of them but don’t want it to be an all day project, pick up a few of them. At the bottom of each skeleton there is a small rounded slot, this is the guide for the lollipop stick, I suggest allowing the candy to set up for a few minutes before you try to slide the stick into it, this will keep it from wiggling around or becoming uneven. The skeletons aren’t all that thick so popping them out of the mold should be done with a little care but on the bright side, the arms and legs are pretty sturdy and don’t stuck out from the body so there’s only a small chance that they will break off.
Instructions
You’ll need to determine how you want to decorate these before you start melting chocolates – you can do the one pour method of just filling them with a single color or get creative and use several colors. If you are going to do the second method, I find that using thick plastic bags works best to fill the cavities. You get precision without having to worry about a lengthy clean up. Just melt your chocolate, pour a small amount into the side of the bag and snip off a tiny section of the corner. The heat from your hands will keep the chocolate in a liquid state and you’ll be able to fill in the sections without having to worry about it getting into the wrong sections. If you are doing multiple colors, allow each section to dry so you can see if there are any over flow areas that need to be cleaned away. NEVER try to wipe out a mold when there is chocolate in it, if any water comes in contact with the chocolate, the other layers will not adhere to it and the chocolate will be ruined.
After the first layer has dried and you have filled in the remaining section with chocolate [or when doing a single color, after you have filled the cavity] it’s time to insert the lollipop sticks. These can be purchased in packs as small as 25 and as large as 500 from stores that carry baking and chocolate making supplies. Make sure the stick is clean and dry and place it into the base of the mold, allow about a half in of space from the top of the mold so there is still enough room at the bottom for it to be grabbed easily. Once you have it seated properly, roll it a few times to ensure that the entire stick is covered with chocolate. You’ll then want to hold the mold up without tipping it to see if there are any air bubbles – if you are doing the multiple colors do this when you apply the first layer. If you see any air bubbles, a few taps on the counter should bring them to the surface. If they are stubborn, you may have to use a toothpick to poke them and break them. Allow at least thirty minutes for the chocolate to completely cool off and harden then give the mold a few taps on the counter and flip it over. Store these in a cool dry place or pop them into small plastic treat bags and tie them off with ties or ribbons.
Price
This mold has a suggested retail price of $2.49, a little more than a standard candy mold but not completely outrageous. You can find these for less at places like Michael’s and Wal-Mart but be sure to check the entire mold for cracks or dents. Some stores don’t discount these types of items and store them away until the next season; this means there’s a good chance that some of the parts of the skeleton might get dented or have small cracks in them. Make sure you are purchasing the lollipop mold and not the candy mold, check to see if there is a rounded section at the bottom of the skeleton for the stick to slide in to or use the Wilton reference number. Is this worth the price? If you are a hard-core Halloween fan it definitely is. There are a ton of different ways they can be decorated and they are an extremely inexpensive alternative to the store bought or “gourmet” ones that sell for upwards of $2.00 a piece.
Things To Know
You will want to make sure that the mold is clean and dry before you start using it, as I mentioned earlier, water and chocolate don’t mix so if you have to wash it make sure it is completely dry before you start using it. I never wash the candy or lollipop molds in the dishwasher due to the high heat of the drying cycle and the fact that the detail on the mold can get dented. To clean them I soak them in a little warm water then scrub out the crevices with a toothbrush. This way I know it is completely clean before I store it away at the end of the holidays.
If you want to make gross looking skeletons all you need are green colors chocolate discs and standard brown chocolate. Pour a little of each color into the mold then swirl it a few times with a toothpick, don’t mix it too much or you will end up with a solid colored skeleton. Wilton makes a wide variety of colored chocolate that come in easy to melt discs. Some of the nicest color combinations are orange and brown, white and brown and green and orange. Melt a little, melt a lot, with the Wilton discs you have the ability to do a lot of different varieties of skeletons without having to work with huge blocks of chocolate.
The Bottom Line
These are a great way to make unique Halloween goodies and a very inexpensive alternative to purchasing them premade from places like See’s and Starbucks. These are also great projects for kids to get in on. Since the chocolate can be cooled a little before they work with it [and it will still be completely liquid] there’s no real chance of them getting burned. They might need a little help pressing the sticks into place but other than that – it’s a great way for them to get involved in the fun. My brood really like to make the swirled ones – anything the slightest bit gross and they love it. These are also a great alternative to making cupcakes or treats for Halloween parties at schools – have your kid pass out these and they’ll be the hit of the party!
Wishing you & yours a safe Halloween …
~^V^~ Freak ~^V^~
© 2003 Freak369
Related reviews …
Wilton Mini Ghost & Pumpkin Candy Mold
Wilton Tombstone Candy Mold
Wilton Ghostly Party Bags
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $2.49
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