You cannot mold tempered chocolate successfully in wood or other porous materials. Nor is glass a good choice. When you pour tempered chocolate into a glass mold, it immediately takes on the temperature of the glass, which if it is too hot or too cold will cause the chocolate to go out of temper. Antique metal molds, with interiors that have been damaged through years of use or the passage of time, are best used as wall decorations. Flexible plastic molds are terrific, but in time they begin to show wear and must be replaced. All of this is my way of saying that firm plastic and polycarbonate molds are the best choices for molding chocolate.
Molded Chocolate Bunny
To create a successful molded figure, you must use tempered chocolate to ensure a smooth, snappy finish. Making the mold is rather like working with plaster except that chocolate is far messier! Antique metal molds are absolutely beautiful but not terribly effective, as the hardened chocolate will stick to the metal mold and crumble as you try to remove it. The best types of molds are plastic or polycarbonate. As they are the most reliable, I work with modern plastic molds and I strongly recommend that you do also. Just remember that the temperature of your kitchen will affect the speed at which the chocolate sets.
Plastic molds usually come in two equal parts, which must be united before filling with chocolate. I suggest that you clip the two parts together using small steel binder clips (available from all office supply stores). You can tape the parts together with heatproof tape, but the clips are much more efficient.
If this is your first attempt at making a molded figure, I suggest that you make a simple chocolate bunny without the painted trim.
Ingredients
One 12-inch bunny
4 ounces cocoa butter (optional)
Food coloring powder (optional)
2 pounds bittersweet chocolate, tempered
If you are going to paint the bunny’s face and other elements, decide on the colors you are going to use and then divide the cocoa butter into the number of colors selected. Place the cocoa butter in a yogurt maker (see tips, below) or individual stainless-steel bowls, using enough cocoa butter to keep it liquid, work the coloring powder into each one, and then, using a small paint brush, carefully paint the features directly onto the interior of the mold. (See tips, below.) Allow the cocoa butter to set for about 30 minutes, then proceed with the recipe. If you don’t have the time or energy to make the cocoa butter colors, simply paint the face with tempered milk or white chocolate.
Step 2
Place a wire rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the tempered chocolate in a warmed bowl.
Clip the two parts of the mold together. Then, holding the mold upside down, pour the tempered chocolate into the mold. When it is full, immediately empty it back into the same bowl. The mold should be evenly coated with anywhere from 1/16 to 1/8 inch of chocolate. Tap the edge of the mold to release any air bubbles that might remain in the chocolate, to ensure a perfectly smooth coating. Wipe the edge of the mold clean on the edge of the bowl (you don’t want to waste a drop of chocolate) and place the mold, open end down, on the wire rack. Let stand for about 5 minutes, or until the chocolate has begun to set.
How To Make a Chocolate Bunny
Learn how to make a 3D chocolate bunny this Easter, it’s EASY! You’ll not only love the taste of a homemade bunny, but you’ll save money too!
Kids will love these chocolate bunnies in their Easter baskets and you only need a few ingredients and tools to get started!
What You’ll Need:
1 LB Merckens coatings* (milk, dark, white or colored)
5 inch 3D Easter bunny mold
Binder clips
Rainbow Merckens for painting (optional)
Scissors *This mold makes approximately three hollow chocolate bunnies per pound of candy coatings. Cut the mold down the middle to separate the two halves. Trim the mold so there’s about an inch of plastic all the way around.
Melt a cup of Merckens chocolate melts in a microwave-safe container, 20 seconds at a time. Remove chocolate from the microwave and stir between each 20-second interval. See how to melt Merckens melts here. 
Steady your chocolate mold over a container of your choice (plastic food containers work well for this). Pour melted chocolate into one half of the mold, filling it to the top. 
Place the second half of the mold on top of the first. Be sure the cavities of the mold line up. Use the little round notches as a guide. Secure the two halves together with binder clips. 
Rotate the mold to completely coat the inside with chocolate. Gently tap details such as the nose, ears, and feet as you work. This ensures air bubbles release and chocolate gets into every corner.
Place your chocolate easter bunny face side up in your container. Place in the refrigerator, and set a timer for 1 minute.
After 1 minute, flip the bunny to the other side, and set your timer for another minute. Continue flipping the bunny back and forth every minute for a total of 10 times (10 minutes).
After 10 times, rotate one last time and let your bunny set in the refrigerator for an additional 15 minutes (no rotating). 
Take your bunny out of the refrigerator, unclip the mold, and pull off one half of the mold. Carefully pull off the other half, separating the bunny from the mold entirely. 
Note: Try not to touch the chocolate bunny too much, or you’ll leave fingerprints. 
How to Decorate a Chocolate Bunny
Decorating this bunny is optional, but makes it look extra special! Our rainbow mixed pack of colored merckens candy coatings are great for when you only need a few chips of color to decorate with.
Use a small bowl to melt just a few chips of color, microwave for 10-second intervals, stirring and mashing the candy coatings in between intervals.
Once melted, you can place your container on a heating pad to keep the colored coatings melted. Use a candy brush to paint the details of your finished chocolate easter bunny.
You can use a toothpick to apply a few dabs of pink chocolate to his nose.
Bring it to life- Add icing eyes, glue them on with melted chocolate.
Make a cookies and cream bunny – Add 1/4 cup of fine chocolate cookie crumbs to 1lb of melted candy coatings. That’s it! You can make your chocolate Easter bunnies at a fraction of the cost and they’ll taste better too!
