True this!
I have two halogens in a stove hood. I used to place molds beneath the lights and they would warm. But I noticed that some warmed more or better than others. So now I lay a sheet of Al foil under up to six molds and the halogen lights warm them all very evenly. And, yes, the chocolates have a FANTASTIC shine to them. I really notice a difference when I forget to pre-warm the molds this way.
All of my molds are polycarbonate. I spray them with lukewarm water until I can see no chocolate remnants. Then I fill the sink with lukewarm water and a little Palmolive and I splash each mold around in the water for a few seconds -- no washcloth or anything else. Then I rinse the molds with reverse osmosis water, rap them on the counter a couple of times, and let them air dry on towels. I have perfectly clean molds with zero water spots. Chocolates release beautifully and I never see any chocolate residue in the cavities themselves. They seem to be slowly but surely building a microscopic CB presence. I also wipe the molds and cavities with a shammy before each use. I've noticed no ill effects at all. But after reading through this thread I worry...
Am I woefully ignorant of something here?
