Unless you live under a rock, you've likely heard of Temu. The app is taking the world by storm, providing access to deeply discounted products produced in China. Cheaper than a dollar store and delivered directly to your door, it's easy to see the appeal.
More importantly, from my perspective anyway, is that it seems to have those things that you search for but can't seem to find after hours of hunting locally. I can't tell you how many times I've spent an afternoon searching 5+ locations for something only to return home and order it online. For example, have you gone looking for St. Patrick's Day decor? The options, at least where I live, are abysmal. Michaels and Winners have dropped the ball (despite the fact that in the US Michaels has an impressive selection of decor for the March holiday). The only options are cheap glittered items and plastic garlands at Dollarama (though, to be fair, they do seem to have expanded their St. Patrick's Day apparel). Temu, on the other hand, has all kinds of St. Patrick's Day decor! Table runners, shamrock mini lights, door hangers! It's a veritable treasure trove!
Now, listen, I know Temu has its issues. There's the environmental impact of shipping goods halfway around the world; the ethical concerns associated with production of the items (brand name dupes and labour practices) and consumption culture more generally; the safety of products and the chemicals that may (or may not) be used in items; the access to and security of personal information shared through the app; and the generally addictive nature of gamified shopping. It's not without it's faults (or its critics) and it may not be for everyone. Nevertheless, it's a thing and it won't be going away anytime soon. If anything, it's poised to grow, given their intense social strategy which is setting the stage for group buying in the future.
But that's not the point of this blog. (Though I will say that I'd love for someone to calculate the environmental impact of me driving around searching for something for an entire afternoon compared to an online purchase that is delivered to my door.)
You can find things on Temu that you never knew existed and that certainly aren't available at your average store. For example, while there are silicone chocolate molds available at Michaels, Bulk Barn, and Dollarama, I've never seen one of a gingerbread house. In contrast, I have seen them at Amazon and Temu.
Most professional chocolatiers use rigid polycarbonate molds. They can be polished, produce excellent shine, and are easy to handle. They are also an investment at a higher price point. Silicone is generally avoided because it can't be polished, the shine produced isn't as glass-like as polycarbonate, and they are notoriously difficult to manipulate. To shell a mold, you normally fill it with chocolate, then invert it and tap so that the bulk of the chocolate drains out, before scraping away the excess chocolate. That's just not possible with a floppy silicone mold. Still, silicone has a place, particularly for intricate shapes that could easily break when unmolding and for food crafting that is more form over function. They also offer the advantage of a low price point, which is convenient if it's a one-off thing like a custom order. One common solution is to cut the mold into individual pieces to make it easier to manipulate, but I admit I haven't been able to bring myself to do that. Maybe one day.
The "building block Christmas house" chocolate mold on Temu cost $6.98 and arrived in about 10 days. The quality of the silicone is similar to that of other molds I've purchased. It was easy to unmold the pieces and clean up was quick and easy. And while it was a little difficult to manipulate, as expected, by placing it on a cookie sheet it was tolerable.
Did I need it? No. Do I love it? Yes. Will there be a chocolate gingerbread house for all seasons? Quite possibly.
Stay tuned for next week when I unveil what I've made with this treasure from Temu.
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