Chocolate Moldeado
"Molded Chocolate"
From the treasured pages of Recetas de Pardo
Written by Hortensia Volante
Chocolate Moldeado
"Cacao puro 100 grs, azucar pulverizada 50 grs, aceite de almendras 2 cucharadas soperas. Chocolate se funde al baño de Maria, fuera del baño se le incorpora el azucar y aceite, se pone sobre la mesa y se amasa con una espatula hasta que este tibio, se llenan los moldes y se ponen 1/2 hora en el hielo. Se saca del molde, se adorna con pastillas de color y se decora con glas."
English Translation
"100 grams pure cocoa, 50 grams powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons almond oil. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, then remove from heat and add the sugar and oil. Place the mixture on the table and knead with a spatula until it is warm. Fill the molds and place them in the freezer for half an hour. Remove from the mold, decorate with colored candies, and finish with icing."
Note on the Original Text
The succinct, direct writing style mirrors the everyday note-taking methods of home cooks in the early 1900s: minimal formatting, assumed knowledge, and a confident voice. Ingredients are often measured by weight or simple household spoons, and instructions trust the cook to know fundamental techniques like melting chocolate and kneading by hand. Spanish words such as 'chocolate se funde al baño de Maria' and 'se amasa con una espatula' are straightforward and practical, embracing an unembellished practicality common to handwritten recipes of the period.
Title
Recetas de Pardo (1916)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Hortensia Volante
Era
1916
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A charming handwritten cookbook from the early 20th century, Recetas de Pardo whisks readers into a world of culinary delights, blending traditional and French-inspired recipes with the personal flair of its author. Complete with an extra loose page of tasty secrets, it's a tasteful journey for any gastronomic adventurer.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe hails from 'Recetas de Pardo', a handwritten cookbook compiled by Hortensia Volante in 1916. The early 20th century saw a strong French influence in Latin American domestic cookery, blending European trends with homegrown customs. Cacao, once a luxury, became widely accessible, allowing home cooks to experiment with molded chocolates—evoking the playful Parisian confectioneries of the era. The style of combining simple ingredients and household tools reflects the resourceful yet creative spirit of kitchen life in the early 1900s, where making sweets at home was a cherished art and family tradition.
Historically, the recipe would have called for a double boiler or improvised bain-marie, a heavy mixing bowl, a sturdy metal or wooden spatula for kneading and smoothing, and decorative chocolate molds, which became increasingly popular around the turn of the 20th century. Ice or a chilled box—or simply the coldest part of the household's ice box—would serve to rapidly set the chocolates. For decoration, small sugar pastilles or colored comfits would be used, alongside a shaker for dusting sugar.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 3.5 ounces pure cocoa or dark unsweetened chocolate
- 1.75 ounces powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 2 tablespoons (about 0.7 fl oz) almond oil
- Colored dragées or sugar decorations, for garnish (optional)
- Icing sugar (glas), for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by gently melting 3.5 ounces of pure cacao (unsweetened or dark baking chocolate) over a water bath (bain-marie) until completely smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and quickly stir in 1.75 ounces of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons (about 0.7 fluid ounces) of almond oil, mixing until evenly incorporated.
- Turn the mixture onto a work surface and use a spatula to knead and fold the chocolate until it cools to a warm but workable temperature, becoming glossy and pliable.
- Press or spoon the mixture into chocolate molds of your choice.
- Chill the filled molds in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until fully set.
- Unmold the chocolates and decorate as desired with small colored candies (such as dragées) and a dusting of icing sugar (glas) for a festive, classic touch.
Estimated Calories
70 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 10 minutes to melt and mix the chocolate, and around 10 more minutes to shape and mold the candies. The chocolates set in the freezer for 30 minutes. Each serving is about one small chocolate, and each has roughly 70 calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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