DIY Kit Kat Molds

A Kit Kat Chocolatory opened up in Toronto for 3 weeks this month...except I don't live in Toronto anymore. Of course, I excitedly checked in with my cousin back home to see if she was going to endure the queues. And she said, "You were the first person I thought of when they announced the shop! But then I thought, 'She'll probably make her own anyway'." She has a good point!

So I set off on a mission to make my very own copycat Kit Kat molds, pawsitively intent on a kitty kat theme. Coincidentally, there's a Casting Contest here on Instructables, so I figured to take pictures of my every step to enter into the contest.

My cousin did check out the Kit Kat Chocolatory during its limited run. She couldn't even make it inside. The line-up was that long. And apparently, the Chocolatory ran out of supplies so they ended up closing the shop an entire week earlier than scheduled. That's okay though, because I told her next time I visit Toronto, I'll be bringing her my very own!

And now, you can make your own, too. As many copies as you want!

I picked up a box of Amazing Mold Putty at my big box crafts store (that would be Michaels) for $12.50 after 50% off coupon. One box makes exactly 3 Kit Kat molds. For $4 and change, you can get a mold that you can customize, that can't be beat!

Is it as amazing as marketed? Yes. It's as easy as playing with Play Doh with a reasonable 3 minute working time, super fast 30 minute cure time, and miraculously results in a product that is a flexible rubber mold. Most importantly, it is one of few available on the craft store shelves that's intended for food use and FDA approved.

So you'll need that putty and the following:

-Kit Kat bar

-10 pt to 12 pt heavy stock for the custom designs (it has to be thick enough to create an embossed effect on the chocolate bar)

-Pencil, scissors, ruler, glue stick

-Sharp/precise craft knife (I use a #12 surgical blade)

-Cutting mat

-Foam board

-Hot glue gun

-Small rolling pin

Literally. Instead of having an engraving on the bar, we are raising ours with an embossed custom design. I drew up my own nom nom nom kitty, full bar kitty, and a meow (that E...that's supposed to be whiskers, in case it's impossible to figure out!).

1. Design your images on 10 pt to 12 pt heavy stock (the thicker the better so it embosses prominently). Make sure they are small enough to fit a Kit Kat finger, which is teeny 1 cm wide. Carefully cut with a super sharp knife.

2. Cut strips of the heavy stock to the exact measurement of a Kit Kat finger. That would be 87 mm x 10 mm.

3. Glue each design on each strip of stock.

4. Using a glue stick, glue each strip of stock directly onto the surface of the Kit Kat fingers. Don't be tempted to melt the surface of the chocolate to stick on the stock , because going one second too long on a heated pan and the chocolate oozes down the sides after the stock is pressed on. I tried it.

5. Place the Kit Kat in the freezer for 10 minutes before molding.

Your Kopykat Kit Kat hard copies are ready for molding!

1. Cut foam board in the following sizes: one of 4-1/2" x 3-1/8" (bottom); two of 5/8" x 4-1/2" (long sides); two of 5/8" x 3-1/8" (short sides)

2. Using a hot glue gun, glue the side pieces onto the bottom piece to make an open box.

3. I used double-sided tape to secure my FROZEN Kit Kat to the bottom of the box, though I'm not sure how much it helped.

4. Take ONE THIRD (1/3) of each color of the Amazing Mold Putty. Don't combine until you're ready.

5. Working as fast as possible under 3 minutes, mix the 2 colors of putty until well combined, then COMPRESS in the gaps of the Kit Kat fingers as well as the sides. Make sure to compress well so there are no gaps in the mold. Once the mold is filled, roll the putty until flat.

6. Let the putty cure for 20 minutes, then remove the sides of the box.

7. Let the putty cure for anther 20 minutes for good measure, then remove the bottom of the box.

8. Remove the Kit Kat.

9. If the stock is left behind, carefully lift off with a thin plastic object like a dull plastic knife.

Your Kopykat Kit Kat mold is ready for casting chocolate!

1. Prep your wafers by cutting to size and thickness. I found some brands of wafers are the exact thickness of a Kit Kat wafer and others needed one layer removed.

2. Melt and temper your chocolate.

3. Pour chocolate into the molds.

4. Quickly place the wafers in the molds before the chocolate sets.

5. Spread the chocolate and scrape off any excess.

You're ready to start your own at-home Kit Kat Chocolatory!

Next step: some fun flavor combos.

So far, I've cast six varieties (copies, if you will) of Kit Kats on my three molds. I made them using my absolute favorite gourmet chocolates that rival Nestle. That's 18 glorious, gourmet Kitty Kats in the following combinations:

1) Strawberry chocolate (that's white chocolate flavored with pulverized freeze dried strawberries) with strawberry wafers.

2) Match green tea with strawberry wafers.

3) White chocolate with dark chocolate wafers.

4) Caramel chocolate with dulce de leche wafers.

5) Dark chocolate with peanut butter wafers.

6) Milk chocolate with hazelnut wafers.

In the works, I'm planning some with bottoms (like crushed nuts), particularly a cayenne dark chocolate with dark chocolate wafers and crushed honey chipotle cashews on the bottom.

I am just so happy to add these molds in my kitchen arsenal.

I hope this inspires you to make your own at-home Kit Kat Chocolatory, too!