How To Use Silicone Molds

Written by Skye Rhodes Last Updated: Sep 8, 2024

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Nowadays silicone molds are popular and if you have them at home you need to know how to use silicone molds.

Silicone molds are readily available in supply shops, groceries, kitchen supply stores, or even order them online.

To get much out of them, you can look for unique and special ones.

Molds vary in shape and quality.

Also, they have different uses depending on why you need them.

Molds with thicker constriction make it harder to remove items, but they are better for storing materials.

How To Use Silicone Molds

This article will share with you tips and techniques that help you use silicone molds to achieve the desired results.

Step 1: Making Chocolates

Pliable, smooth textured silicone molds work perfectly well for chocolate since they are reusable.

They create a flawless surface, and durable.

They also work well for chocolate because the pliable material makes the molds bend.

However, not the chocolate when trying to remove the sweet candy.

Picking The Right Mold 

Silicone molds with a perfectly smooth interior are suitable for chocolate.

In case of bubbles, imperfections, or pits, they will be transferred to the chocolate’s surface.

You should not pick scratched or abraded molds because they make your chocolate appear dull.

To avoid flat finished chocolates, you must not wash the molds with scrubbing pads or abrasive cleaners.

Avoiding this will help your molds to remain in their original shape.

Food grade silicone molds with platinum or tin cure are the best for chocolate.

They ensure the glossiest and smoothest finish on the chocolate.

Pouring Perfectly 

Place the silicone molds on a baking tray and then pour the melted chocolate into the molds.

You must fill the rim to get smooth chocolates.

Sometimes air bubbles can be trapped inside the poured chocolate.

To dislodge the bubbles, tap the mold on the counter.

You can also brush a thin coat of tempered chocolate onto the side of each mold before pouring.

It is good to prevent air bubbles.

Proper Removal

Chocolate requires a cold temperature to set quickly.

Putting the molds in a refrigerator enables the chocolate to cool within a few minutes.

The chocolates will fall from the molds immediately.

Therefore, they are completely ready to remove the chocolate.

Next, turn the molds upside down, and press a bit on the underside to extract the sweet bar.

Step 2: Making Fondant 

Silicon molds are easy to use in cake decorations, and it comes with beautiful results.

Investing in a silicone mold as a baker is a worthy investment.

Silicone molds give your cake a professional look and ensure a quick achievement of good results.

Food grade silicone molds are the best for cake decoration. 

Dusting The Molds

The first step before using the mold should be dusting them.

Proper dusting means making sure all the corners and nooks are dusted.

You can use cornstarch and a dusting pouch to dust.

If you don’t have cornstarch, you can as well use a dusting pouch with icing sugar.

Alternatively, you can use a sieve to sift the cornstarch layer onto your mold.

You can also tap the mold severally on your work area to ensure the corn starch is well distributed on your mold.

Next, turn the mold upside down and tap it gently to get rid of excess flour. 

Placing Fondant Into The Molds 

Knead fondant properly until there are no more creases.

In case you are making large fondant pieces, roll your fondant flat.

Make sure not to make them thin for faster filling into your mold.

Next, press the rolled fondant into your mold.

Apply some pressure to allow the fondant to reach all the corners and nooks of the mold.

Use a rolling pin to roll the bulgy fondant surface on the mold.

This will push the extra fondant outside the mold. 

Remove excess fondant by hand and, using your fingers, smoothen the edges.

Extracting The Fondant From The Mold 

After your fondant has formed the desired shape, pill off the silicone mold carefully. 

Put the pushed out molded fondant onto a tray.

If you are experiencing difficulties removing the mold’s fondant, place it in the fridge for some minutes.

That will help the fondant to come out of the mold quickly.

Step 3: Cake Baking

Silicone molds have found their way into the baking field.

They’re the next generation in the baking industry.

They’re easy to use compared to non-stick pans.

Although they need greasing, silicone molds are elastic and flexible.

They are easy to remove and can withstand temperatures up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

They’re available for cakes, cupcakes, and muffins. 

Silicone baking molds vary in size, which makes baking an exciting and fun activity.

They are suitable for baking because they are not sticky and can be washed as many times as you wish.

To get the best out of your baking using molds, let’s look at some essential tips:

The Smaller, The Better 

Many chefs have turned into using silicone molds, making them more popular.

Smaller molds, e.g., mini-muffin cups and cupcakes, are ideal for baking besides being useful for other things.

Smaller molds are more affordable and practical because they are readily available and easy to use.

Mostly they’re more rigid and less likely to bend or crack.

They come in regular-shaped cupcake molds.

Some have exciting shapes, such as hearts and stars.

Small silicone baking molds are easier to find.

If you’re buying only one type, purchase the normal, cupcake-sized ones.

If buying more than one, you can buy the mini-muffins cups. 

Be Mindful Of The Temperature

A common question from many silicone mold users is –can silicone be used in the oven?

There is no need to be worried about the temperature.

Silicone molds are heat resistant and can sustain very low or very high temperatures.

Most of the smaller silicone molds can withstand up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, you should check every piece of silicone separately.

Another fun thing about silicone molds is that you can put them directly on top of the metal pan.

This will avoid spilling with more giant molds.

Be Careful In Your Selection

There are many silicone offers in the market these days.

Sizes, shapes, and practicality vary.

Some molds are very small and cannot prepare something for a larger group of people.

This can make baking a bit boring because you will have to bake in batches.

The best molds are regularly shaped molds of average sizes.

You must be smart in your selection, however tempting it might be!

If you’re considering practicality, one large baking mold can be enough for a full recipe.

Some Grease Can Be Helpful

Greasing is not a necessity with silicone molds.

However, you can use cooking sprays or grease before baking and cooking.

This will make your life easier when it comes to cleaning the molds later on.

This should be a way of preventing a lot of washing work afterward.

An alternative for reducing the washing work is putting paper baking cups in the mold before greasing.

Then, you can use the mold for structural purposes.

This will reduce the cleaning time.

Quality Matters

If you want a successful baking experience, you must check the quality of your silicone molds.

Baking in silicone molds can only be easy and great if the pan and mold are 100% silicone minus any filler.

You need to check how a silicone mold was made to be sure if it is pure.

You can use the pinch test to confirm the originality of your silicone mold.

Pinch the silicone and twist it a bit.

If it does not change, then it is 100% silicone mold.

If it turns white, it is probably fake, and you should avoid it.

Ensure you purchase pure silicone molds if you must bake them.

Caution 

 Don’t use silicone baking molds in a broiler, hot or over an open flame. 

Advantages Of Baking With Silicone Molds

• They are easy to clean
• They save space
• They are durable
• They are reusable and eco-friendly.

Disadvantages Of Baking With Silicone Molds

• They can melt
• There is not enough research about them
• They are degradable

Step 4: Using Molds With Polymer Clay

In this step, you will see how to use silicone molds with polymer clay.

It is possible to fill a silicone mold with polymer clay and get an incredible casting.

The process is very simple, but you must learn some secrets.

Here are some tips on using silicone mold with polymer clay.

Fill A Silicone Mold With Polymer Clay

Since silicone is non-stick in nature, a mold release is not necessary.

The first step will be to get well-conditioned clay.

Don’t use stiff clay that cracks easily because the mold won’t be filled easily, and it will form seam lines.

Start filling the mold with little pieces of clay and make sure you’ve pushed the clay to the mold’s innermost areas.

In case the clay sticks on your finger but cannot stick in the mold, roll your finger off the clay instead of pulling it.

The presence of more clay in the mold makes it stick better.

Continue adding clay until the whole area is filled. 

Once there is enough clay in the cavity, press down using your thumb to make sure all the clay pieces are fused completely.

Slice off the excess clay carefully using a blade.

Take several shallow passes using your blade instead of big slices.

Clean up any overflows using a needle tool.

Extract Your Molded Polymer

Always ensure you leave your clay to rest before removing it.

This ensures it becomes firm and cools down, making it easier to withdraw from the silicone mold.

You can also put it in the freezer for a few minutes to accelerate the process.

You can easily remove the polymer from the mold if it is relatively shallow without a lot of fine projections.

You simply need to turn it upside down and flex the mold.

The clay can also be extracted well minus any distortion.

If getting the polymer out of the mold becomes a challenge, you can as well bake. 

Making A Faux Cameo

Another way of getting the clay out of a silicon mold is to make a faux cameo in the process.

Prepare the mold and fill it with clay.

Roll and condition out a sheet of colored clay.

Put the sheet of paper on the top of the filled mold and press firmly.

Ensure you press the design areas if you want the sheet to make good contact with the clay.

Don’t push very hard.

Turn the whole thing upside down and ensure you keep the clay on the mold.

Place the sheet over a glossy surface and press mold where the design is. 

Remove the mold carefully by lifting the on edge and flexing the mold.

Use a cutter to remove the excess clay.

You have the option of baking or brushing with mica powder for an elegant look.

Step 5: Silicone Mold In Education

Silicone molds are everywhere.

You can buy them at the dollar stores, crafting stores, groceries, or order them from online stores such as Amazon.

It is advisable to look for unique special molds when you intend to use them for education. 

Silicone Molds In Education

We can use silicone molds for activities or experiments that can excite the children. 

You should choose silicone molds that excite the kids.

Kids learn best when they have a thrilling or exciting experience.

So, you can make your learning and education fun by ramping it up with creative silicone molds.

Not all molds work for all projects.

Some molds are stiffer and thicker, making it difficult to remove items.

The stiffer ones are good for packing in materials. 

Making Frozen Oobleck

Oobleck can be used in the egg drop experiment.

Its ability to change colors and glow makes it the best.

We can freeze it into interesting shapes using silicone molds.

Making Plastic

Kids enjoy making bioplastics.

The best part is using a silicone mold to give your plastic an excellent shape.

Other Uses Of Silicone Mold In Education

• Making paintballs
• Making crayons
• Making bath crayons
• Making homemade soap
• Making jewelry and magnets
• Making homemade chalk
• Making erasers
• Pressed sugar candies
• Homemade lollipops

Step 6: Making Juice Jell-O Jigglers

You can use silicone chocolate mold in preparing Jell-O jigglers.

You can make a huge or small batch of jigglers.

A small box of regular Jell-O is 3oz, while a small box of Jell-O without sugar is 0.3oz.

Both need the same amount of liquid because they are equivalent to serving. 

Juice Jell-O Jigglers

Allow the juice to boil and stir in Jell-O powder.

Pour the mixture into the silicone mold.

Allow the mixture to settle in the refrigerator for a few hours. 

Releasing Jell-O From A Silicone Mold

Removing Jell-O from silicone trays is generally easy.

It is advisable to remove it when it’s cooled and formed.

The following steps should be followed when removing Jell-O jigglers from a silicone tray:

Step 1:

Close the drain by placing the sink topper in a sink.

Step 2:

Put two inches of water in the sink.

Step 3:

Hold the bottom of the silicone mold in the water for about 20 minutes.

Step 4:

Invert the silicone mold over a plate. The Jell-O will fall onto the plate.

Step 7: Making Marshmallow

When making marshmallows, silicone molds should be greased before filling.

When greasing, ensure that every hook and corner is covered.

Use some cornflour to dust, and then tap to eliminate any excess before pouring the ingredients.

Step 8: Making Homemade Gummies

Gummies exist in many forms.

The most popular ones are gummy bears and gummy worms.

Some gummies have excess sugar added to them, such as apple rings and peach.

You can make gummies at home instead of going all the way to the supermarket to buy them.

You only need to get the right silicone mold.

Selecting A Mold

You can use any silicone mold.

There are varied shapes and sizes of mold that you can choose from.

Before use, you can wash the silicone molds by placing them in your dishwasher.

Pouring Into Molds

After mixing all the ingredients, it’s now time to get the best out of your mold.

Be careful when pouring the mixture as it will be hot.

You can use a bottle with a nozzle to add the mixture to the molds.

Avoid pouring the mixture straight from the pot if you don’t want to mess up the place. 

Extracting The Gummies From The Molds

When removing the molds’ gummies, do not be in a hurry, do it slowly and carefully.

Once you have extracted them from the molds, place the gummies in a bag.

Allow the gummies to settle in the fridge until you are ready to eat.

Step 9: Making Gelatin Shapes

We recommend using a thick, cream-based color base to make it easier when removing from the silicone mold.

If you want to get interesting shapes, use different colors to highlight different mold sections.

For example eyes, tummy, nose, etc. you can put it in the fridge to allow the first layer of the color base to settle.

When the first layer is put in, you can fill the mold with a different color.

Step 10: General Care For Silicone Molds 

Silicone molds can last for a very long time if cared for properly.

They can last up to 20 years with regular use.

They can be passed to future generations.

Avoiding Cross-Contamination

Always designate your silicone molds for either food use or other use, such as experiments.

Although you clean them regularly, you may not make them completely clean because some items can degrade the molds.

For safety purposes, do not mix the usage of the molds.

To identify whether a silicone mold is for food use or non-food use, you can label them on the bottom using a sharpie.

You can start by using molds for food, and later as they degrade, convert them to non-food use. 

Cleaning Silicone Molds

You can use hot water and a bar of grease-cutting dish soap.

Hand washes before drying.

Place it on a drying rack for a few minutes to ensure it is dried thoroughly.

Avoid using abrasive cleaners and sponges.

This will damage your silicone molds.

If your molds remain dirty for a longer time, it will make them harder to clean.

If you are struggling with cleaning, use baking soda.

Apply baking soda over the areas you want to clean.

Let it stay overnight and rinse. 

Protecting Silicone Molds From Damage

Avoid using a lot of oil in your silicone molds.

Using oil often leads to the deterioration of the molds.

Keep your silicone molds out of direct sunlight.

Storage Of Silicone Molds

Storing your silicone molds is a critical part.

Store your molds in a single flat position.

Piling them may cause them to warp or bend.

Once a silicone mold is bent or warped, it cannot be rectified.

You can use a piece of cardboard on top of a layer of molds to come up with a new storage layer.

You can then distribute more molds on the next layers.

If you are not using your mold for a long time, you can store a casting in the mold to ensure it retains its shape.

Reusing Silicone Molds

Silicone molds can make great little serving cups, especially for parties.

You can serve small snacks in them, such as nuts, small candies, and jelly beans.

The extra benefit of silicone molds that differentiate them from regular serving cups can be washed and reusable.

Final Thoughts

When you learn how to use silicone molds, you will realize the variability of them.

They vary in stiffness, depth, and softness.

This variability will help you to identify the different types of uses.

You will see how certain types are suitable for various projects.

For instance, the soft mold is ideal for bath bombs.

Fairly stiff molds are suitable for making soap.

If you have not tried silicone molds, you can add them to your budget.

References

• https://delishably.com/cooking-equipment/Baking-with-Silicone-Molds
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vbFuG_Hadc
• https://www.pinterest.com/pin/160863017917575007/
• https://www.thespruceeats.com/silicone-bakeware-tips-1907152
• https://www.steampoweredfamily.com/education/15-creative-and-educational-uses-for-silicone-molds/
• https://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/7-uses-for-a-silicone-mold/