+Ernmark Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 (edited) ..In an effort to tie in the Cast BM Molds thread - (which is probably better-rembered as the Chocolate Benchmarks thread – also see: Zhanna's Chocolate BM site), the Hobby or Obsession thread, the Cornstarch thread, and the “how do you get your spouse interested in BM hunting” thread (can’t find the thread(s) in the search), I am happy to report that I was able to get my Anti-Benchmarking® Spouse to actually not sneer at the mere mention of the topic – thanks to the silicone based-goo that Zhanna discovered a few years back. I placed an order & amassed a collection of chocolate, and last winter I made several molds in clay, etc to see if I could get a good cast. When I mentioned that these molds are meant for food, my wife immediately perked up at the thought of using chocolate (perhaps a sinister thought of devouring the disks that ‘ruin’ virtually every shopping trip, vacation, or venture beyond the over-hunted BM wasteland that is S. Central PA.). She did the heating & mixing of the chocolate & I did the highly technical process of pouring/leveling the hot, gooey liquid. The results were pretty good….but the chocolate seemed to lack authenticity. So, I accompanied the Mizziz to the local crafts store & found the colored baking chocolate, specifically made to be poured into forms…including green & blue. …so you know what I’m thinking – weathered BM’s. I mixed the colors in an attempt to get an authentic color & was pleased with the attempt: (Edge View - looking SW) Still – I thought I could do better. Cornstarch…or maybe powdered sugar. I gave it a try – kind of hard on a chilled mark, but I used a tissue & was able to smear it around pretty well: The only drawback to a full-sized chocolate mold is that the wife will claim that it is too much for one ‘sitting’ (My wife breaks them in ½…and 10 min. later finishes the other ½). Solution (especially for those of you in & around Dolphin® County, NJ) – smaller disks: …so does the spouse like benchmark hunting now? ..heck, no! But every so often, she & the kids bug me to ‘help make benchmarks’. Small steps, my friends, small steps… .....next chocolate project(s) “unused shiny bronze” & “ ‘3-inches below ground level’ reddish brown”… Edited January 6, 2008 by Ernmark Quote Link to comment
+mousekakat Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Just so you know... they do make an edible gold and silver foil.... These are really neat! I'm not into benchmarks since I don't live in the US any longer, but this is a super neat idea and I'd love to have your instructions on how you did it so that I could do some with some of the geocoins that I have! Naomi Quote Link to comment
wwflover13 Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 (edited) Only the third picture shows up for me, but this sounds like a pretty cool (and delicious) idea! *edit: fixed now. Edited January 6, 2008 by wwflover13 Quote Link to comment
tdx Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Looks good. Probably tastes better than real benchmarks too, bronze is just so tough to chew Quote Link to comment
+PFF Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of having lunch with Ernmark and his lovely family as they were passing through North Carolina. They described the making of chocolate benchmarks, but it does not compare with seeing the photos of the finished product! So, have you Folks got an "800" number yet, or do we order on-line? -Paul- Quote Link to comment
monkeykat Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 wow, that powdered sugar sure makes it look great! awesome. Quote Link to comment
+Klemmer Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Wow! Now I'm having chocolate cravings. Super job! Quote Link to comment
+GEO*Trailblazer 1 Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 That is awesome! If I only had a sweet tooth left in my head........... OH a sweet gums will do though. Quote Link to comment
+KvPhoto Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Oh, please tell me how I can make these! I make chocolates for nearly every occasion but have never made my own molds. Please point me in the right direction! Quote Link to comment
Bill93 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 For step-by-step see Zhanna's site linked in the first post. Quote Link to comment
+KvPhoto Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Yes, I found it shortly after making my post. I love this idea! Quote Link to comment
+NorthWes Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Awesome photos! This looks like so much fun! And tasty too! Yup - I laughed till I hurt when I saw the "Anti-Benchmarking® Spouse" comment together with the claim made that benchmarks "ruin" vacation travel... I buy my wife a Borders Books giftcard prior to a trip where benchmarks 'may' be targeted while she's along for the ride to help get past her strong dislike of benchmark hunting (she loves caching... but most benchmarks are 'boring' in her book... so she'll read in the parked car while I 'process' the finds). Problem is, I'm married to the only woman I know who despises chocolate! Sigh... so it's back to Borders before the next road trip... Quote Link to comment
+Rumpled Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Man, I gotta get some material and get cooking. My wife loves to make and eat chocolate, and so do I and the little one. Quote Link to comment
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