Giessing a Samichlaus from chocolate: painting, pouring, unmolding

Polish the mold thoroughly with kitchen paper, including all the recesses. Only a clean mold produces shiny figures.

Fill a cornet with tempered dark couverture, cut a small tip off and paint all the dark areas on the front and back. Start with the pupils: you paint from the outside inwards.

Let each colour set for about 5 minutes before applying the next. Turn the mold over again and again and check that all areas are covered, otherwise the casting colour will show through later.

For the red coat, dissolve fat-soluble powder paint in a little liquid cocoa butter (no more than 40 °C) and stir it into tempered white couverture. For beige, mix milk couverture and white couverture.

Once everything is painted, let the mold set for 5 to no more than 10 minutes. Then brush it completely with the casting couverture and scrape the edges clean with the metal horn.

Put the two mold halves together and secure them with three clips. Fill the mold to the brim with tempered couverture using a ladle, then tap the side with the spatula so the air bubbles rise.

Turn the mold over and let the couverture run back out. Keep tapping while you do this so the walls don't become too thick. Scrape off the bottom edge with the spatula and place the mold in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Spread one ladle of tempered couverture smoothly onto a cake tin lined with baking paper. Briefly warm the bottom edge of the mold with your palm and place it on the fresh couverture. Chill for 5 minutes.

Be sure to remove the clips now, otherwise the pressure could break the figure. Place the mold in the fridge again for at least 20 minutes.

Gently rock the mold so that the excess base chocolate comes loose. Run the spatula once around the edge to let air in, then carefully pull the two halves apart one after the other.