Frustrated With Chocolate Transfer.....
Decorating By dshlent Updated 16 Mar 2007 , 12:38pm by Chiara
Last night I tried my first chocolate transfer and I got pretty frustrated. I don't know what I was doing wrong but you all made it sound so easy!! 
I don't know if I didn't melt the chocolate enough or if I was using too small of a tip to outline but after about 10 mins my hands were hurting. Should it flow out like medium consisitancy of buttercream or is it suppose to take a lot to push out? What do you do when the chocolate cools too much in the bag? I'm really wanting to get it figured out by this weekend because I want to do one for a cake. You all make your so nice..... I need a little help please!!!
TIA,
~Heather
HELP PLEASE!!
Please don't get discouraged! I love this method. It just takes a little practice.
It should flow like med or even thin BC. Were you using candy melts? I Microwave them for 30 sec. at a time or so. They won't look melted so stir after each microwave time. I add crisco to thin the melts to the consistancy I want. I don't use tips with candy melts. I use parchment bags and cut a small hole in the end of the bag. After the candy melts are melted and in the bag. I put them on a heating pad set on low or med. It keeps them the correct temp the whole time you are using them so you don't have to jump up and down to the microwave. however if you forget to place it back on the heating pad and it stiffens up, the whole parchment bag can go in the microwave if there is no tip in it.
If you have any other problems or questions please let me know. I use this method alot now and would love to help you figure it out.
Kimberly
Kimberly,
I am going to have to try the heating pad idea. I always end up having to put my parchment bags in the microwave for a few seconds when the chocolate hardens. Thanks.
Heather, it sounds like you are not getting your chocolate melted all the way. You want it to flow easily. I too use parchment bags, way less cleanup. I tape the picture and parchment to a cutting board and then fill in. As I add each color, I lightly rap the cutting board on the counter to make sure there are no air bubbles.
Hope this helps.
cindy
Yes. I was using Wiltons candy melts.
NEWTODECORATING - you said you use parchment bag with a small hole. What size of tip would you compare it too? I'll have to try adding some crisco to help. About how much crisco do you add to how much candy melts? Sorry for all the questions. Thank you for helping!!
~Heather
I agree with newtodecorating. I do mine much the same way. The chocolate should almost flow out by itself, just very little pushing needed. I do not use tips, because for outlining I find even a 1 too big. I also use parchment triangles, then you can trim them to whatever size your design calls for. Plus you can let them cool and store them like that for another time! I also keep mine on the heating pad and pop them into the microwave from time to time when it hardens in the tip of the bag. This happens often if you have a small hole. I too, hated them the first couple of times I tried them, but once I figured it out, they became one of my favorite things to do!
I use plastic squeeze bottles to house the chocolate for my chocolate transfers. I have the large bottles now, and need to purchase the smaller ones, so that I can work with smaller amounts of chocolates.
I love this method...it does involve extra cleanup but I find I have the best control this way.
You could put it back on the heating pad, but it will take awhile. I do not use tips, so I pop it in the microwave. Sometimes I can squeeze out the hardened part and go on my way though.
Why not just try it with out the tip, it is just easier IMO. You just dont need them.
Merissa - I think I will try it without the tip so I don't have the hassle of cleaning them and the chocolate getting hard. Thank you.....
When I tried coloring the chocolate with regular paste coloring it didn't color well it looked like speckles in the chocolate. It that what some people mean by the chocolate seizing?
~Heather
WOW You go brush your teeth and look what happens 
Most of the time the hole I cut in the parchment is smaller than a 1 tip.
After my heating pad heats up, if I am not using alot of colors I can fold the heating pad in 1/2 and put the candymelts in the middle. I never have the tip clog then.
choc will get very thick and can become unuseable if it seizes
Merissa - I think I will try it without the tip so I don't have the hassle of cleaning them and the chocolate getting hard. Thank you.....
When I tried coloring the chocolate with regular paste coloring it didn't color well it looked like speckles in the chocolate. It that what some people mean by the chocolate seizing?
~Heather
Yup, that it probably why it wasnt working, it was seizing and getting hard. You really need to use candy colors (oil based) or at minimum try adding some additional crisco or the flo coat (americolor brand) to it. I just prefer to use the pre colored candy melts and color the chocolate with candy colors when I absolutely have to!
Merissa is right, however, I can get away with using my Americolors IF I add crisco first and I work in small amounts at a time. I have never bought candy colors. I prefer to buy a few colors when they are on sale. I combine pre-made colors (you know like yellow and blue make green type thing) or do the americolors.
I use the bottles to make the transfer. If the tip gets clogged with chocolate, I use a toothpick to unclog it.
The tip (inside) will get coated with chocolate, and once hardened is fairly easy to remove.
It would definitely be easier to use parchment bags for chocolate transfers, but I find that the chocolate hardens quickly (even with a heating pad) sometimes, and I have more control when I am tracing the transfer with the bottle.
I use the plastic bags and then if I need to reheat it I take the metal tip off of the coupler and throw it in the microwave. I keep the chocolate in the bag. Once done I do not try and clean out the bag I let it harden in the bag (much like you would the bottles) and store them in a baggie. When I need the chocolate again I just reheat. The couplers are all made of plastic and I have lots of them so I will not miss one being stuck in a chocolate bag for a few days.
I heat my candy melts to runny. I clean up with a toothpick if I colour outside the lines. Plus, since you are basically painting from reverse I have found that the mistakes are not easily seen.
I love doing this and it is such a pretty finish.
Don't worry you will get this.
Claire
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